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Choosing quality child care is important. When children are little, their brains grow a lot (90%!) and learn things like sharing, taking turns, playing with other children, talking to friends, and understanding feelings.
Where your child goes for child care affects you too. It can be hard to find a child care program that you can trust. When you know your child is safe and happy in a quality child care program, you can focus and be productive at work or school.
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In Iowa, more than half of parents report missing work because of child care issues. Finding a quality child care program with openings that meets your family’s needs can be challenging.
It offers indicators of quality care, connects you with providers that meet your family’s needs, and tells you about current openings. It makes your search easier so that you can find the best care for your child.
Using this tool to help you, your next step is to think about the kind of care that’s right for your child and family.
There are two main types to explore:
These are commercial spaces just for child care. Children of similar ages learn and play together in classrooms.
This type of care happens in someone’s house. One or two caregivers take care of a small group of children of different ages. Often, the caregiver also lives there.
For the following two categories of home-based child care providers, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services completes an annual inspection for health and safety and the providers must complete background checks and meet professional development requirements.
The Child Care Assistance (CCA) Program helps pay for child care for low-income families with children whose parents are looking for work, employed or attending school. You can find providers that accept CCA payments using this tool.
IQ4K® is a system in Iowa that helps make child care better. It uses good practices that work, and it helps child care programs get even better. When a program is IQ4K®-rated, it shows they care about making kids’ experiences great.
This tool is here to help you connect with the best child care solution for your child. You can use our guided search, where you will be asked questions to help you find child care providers that match your needs. Or, you can explore the map, enter a route, and customize your search.
You can also talk with a Parent Services Specialist at 855-244-5301 to get answers to your child care questions.
