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How will quality ECE prepare my child for kindergarten?

Quality early childhood education provides your child with the necessary skills for a successful start to kindergarten. These include math basics like counting, recognizing letters, drawing or other visual art assignments, and learning how to tell a simple story. Quality care can also contribute to your child’s social and emotional development.

What are the different types of early childhood education?

Typically, parents decide to either homeschool their children, participate in a co-op, enroll their children in the care of a formal provider, or trust a friend, family or neighbor to provide care. For more information on different formal providers, check out the types of ECE providers on the Early Childhood Providers page.

What are some important things to look for or ask about when selecting a provider?

When you tour facilities, ask each about their learning philosophy. A quality provider should have a defined curriculum with a structured lesson plan. Providing hands-on learning experiences or additional enrichment experiences can also be a sign of high quality. Additionally, it is important to ask for references and read reviews if they are available.

For additional questions to ask, download the Checklist for Safe, Quality Childcare.

What is the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP)?

CCCAP is a program, administered by Colorado counties, that provides assistance through four different options:

1. Low-Income Child Care: For households with a parent who is in a low-income eligible activity or income eligible and not receiving Colorado Works, Child Welfare, or Protective Services Child Care.
2. Colorado Works Child Care: For Colorado Works households with a parent who is determined to be work-eligible per Colorado Works Program rules and have been referred for child care by the county Colorado Works worker.
3. Protective Services Child Care: For children who have been placed by the county in foster home care, kinship home care or non-certified kinship care; have an open child welfare case; and the county has chosen to provide child care services utilizing the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) rather than the Child Welfare Block Grant.
4. Child Welfare Child Care: For situations in which less than 24-hour child care assistance is needed to maintain children in their own homes or in the least restrictive out-of-home care when there are no other child care options available.

Additional Resources

• ECE FAQs from Little Sunshine’s Playhouse and Preschool
• Colorado Child Care Assistance Program Provider Handbook
• Programa de Asistencia para el Cuidado Infantil de Colorado Manual Para Proveedores

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