For more than 30 years, the Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) in Winston-Salem has worked tirelessly to guide families in finding quality child care that not only provides a safe environment, but also nurtures early development in our most precious resource – our children!
“Child care is hard to find right now – especially in our rural areas,” shares Kathy Kenney, the center’s development director. “We focus on educating parents on what to look for in quality child care, help clarify all the options in our community and guide them in understanding rates and policies.”
CCRC can also provide data relating to child care trends and obtains information on the average cost of child care by type of facility, the average weekly cost of child care by zip code and the number of child care spaces available in a particular zip code – all available to guide parents in making an informed choice that feels right for their situation.
There is no “one size fits all” option when it comes to child care. Whether you’re focused on a licensed child care center, “Family Friend and Neighbor” care (community members who care for children age zero to five in their homes) or a religious sponsored child care center, this is an incredibly important assignment for parents of young children! The Child Care Resource Center team collaborates with other agencies to educate community leaders about child care issues and works closely with both state and national children’s organizations who foster initiatives designed to enable children to develop to their fullest potential.
Reaching Alleghany, Ashe, Davidson, Davie, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin, Stokes and Forsyth counties with their full range of services, CCRC also offers their Nanny Solutions services in Guilford, Alamance and Randolph counties. Nanny Solutions is designed to help families who prefer the popular option of finding an individual to care for their children at home. The center offers guidance through every step of the nanny interview process – from pre-screening to interviewing and employing a nanny. The cost of the basic service is $300 and includes a one-hour intake session with a parent specialist, a search of qualified applicants according to the family’s needs and pre-screening phone interviews. Contact the center if you or someone you know are qualified to work as a nanny and would like to be included in the CCRC database.
Three main goals continue to guide CCRC:
Engage Families by providing tools to help parents find quality child care – including questions to ask providers and information on North Carolina’s quality rating system for child care programs.
Enrich Child Care by providing professional development and onsite coaching to child care professionals, including skills such as CPR/First Aid, cultural competence, early inclusion, child development, developmentally appropriate curriculum and managing challenging behaviors.
Enhance Communities by advocating for quality child care and for adequate wages for child care professionals. Early learning experiences set the groundwork for future learning, and they stress the link between quality child care, school readiness and future workforce preparedness.
Want to learn more? The Child Care Resource Center will sponsor a very special event – An Evening of Corks and Crayons – on September 19, 2024, from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., at the historic Mansion on Main located at 428 S. Main Street in Winston-Salem. Tickets for the event are $40 each, with a percentage donated back to the center, and donations will be accepted that evening via cash, check or QR code.
For more information on the educational and community services of the Child Care Resource Center and how you can encourage advocacy, visit childcareresourcecenter.org or their offices at 500 W. 4th Street, Suite 202, in Winston-Salem, 336.245.4900.
