Policy

The policy department monitors state and federal budgets and legislation that affect families and children.

Learn more about our policy work

Research

The research team analyzes and reports on various child care issues.

Learn more about our research

Child Care Provider Recruitment and Training

The Child Care Initiative Project (CCIP) builds and improves the supply and quality of family child care in California.

Learn more about CCIP and becoming a licensed child care provider

Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children (Bridge Program)

The Bridge Program helps place foster children in home-based child care, and implements trauma-informed care training for child care providers.

Learn more about the Bridge Program

Background Checks (TrustLine)

TrustLine is California’s official criminal background check for nannies, babysitters, and other license-exempt child care providers.

Learn more about TrustLine

What is resource and referral?

Child care resource and referral agencies (R&R) are state-funded, community-based programs that exist in every county in California. R&Rs make up a well-developed system that supports parents, child care providers, and local communities. The California Department of Education, Child Development Division supported these efforts between 1976-2020. Beginning July 1, 2021, the Early Childhood Act of 2020 transitioned the R&R programs and most of the child development funding in California over to the California Department of Social Services.

Local resource and referral agencies:

• Partner with families to help them find and choose child care that best meets their needs
• Document parents' requests for child care services
• Maintain comprehensive databases of child care providers in their communities, including licensed family child care homes and child care centers
• Track providers' licensing status, the languages they speak, the age groups they serve, the schedules they offer, and the number of spaces available in centers or family child care homes
• Work with child care providers to improve the quality of care and to maintain and expand the supply in their county
• Provide training and other services that help child care providers stay in business
• Educate local communities and leaders to understand child care issues and to plan effectively to address child care needs
• Respond to the community’s changing needs and refer families to other community services

R&R services are free and available to all parents and child care providers.

Find a directory of R&R websites by county here: https://mychildcareplan.org/lo...