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Child Care Resource and Referral
in Greater New Orleans and the Houma/Thibodaux Area
What is it?
A system of 2 child care resource and referral agencies (CCR&Rs)
in New Orleans and Houma/Thibodaux serving parents, child
care providers, employers and community groups by providing
information referral, education, training, technical assistance
and resource development. CCR&Rs collect information about
Office of Family Support Services (OFSS) licensed child care
providers and programs. This information is updated regularly
and used to provide parents with referrals, as well as counseling
on how to identify and select quality child care that best
meets their child’s needs. CCR&Rs offer training,
consultation and technical assistance to child care providers
to maintain and improve the quality of child care programs.
The 2 CCR&Rs are part of the Louisiana Child Care Resource
and Referral Network. The Network works to strengthen individual,
community based resource and referral programs through coordination
of information and development of statewide strategies to
improve and expand services for children.
Enhanced Services:
In response to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) and regulations promulgated by Office of Family
Support Services, all licensed child care programs must accept
application from any family wishing to apply regardless of
the ability level of their child. Programs must make a good
faith effort to work with families to make any necessary accommodations
and adaptations that would allow them to offer care to a child
with a disability; regardless of the type or severity of the
disability. The only legal reason for not enrolling a child
with a disability is if the necessary accommodations would
create undue financial hardship or fundamentally alter the
nature of the program. A program that cannot offer care to
a child with a disability must inform parents of this in writing.
Parents have the right to contact OFSS to determine if the
program is in compliance with state regulations.
The CCR&R Inclusion Program provides training and support
to child care professionals who include or would like to include
children with disabilities in their programs. Parents meet
with providers and select a program that best meets their
needs. CCR&Rs can act as a liaison among the many agencies
providing service to children with disabilities. This coordination
can work to ensure a more comprehensive, family-centered approach
to service delivery and to connect agencies and therapies
with the child care provider. Therapists can provide service
in natural environments and train child care providers to
implement some of the therapies. This increases therapeutic
opportunities for children as well as the professionalism
of the provider.
Types of care:
Child Care Resource and Referral agencies refer parents to
a variety of child care options. Each family must assess with
assistance from the R&R counselor which option best meets
their own and their child’s needs. CCR&Rs provide
referrals to OCCS licensed programs. This licensure ensures
that programs meet basic standards for health, safety, and
staffing ratios. Licensed programs included in the data base
of CCR&Rs are:
- Class A and Class B child care: center based programs
for infants, toddlers and preschoolers
- Family Child Care: offered in an individual’s
home for infants and children through school age.
- School Age Care: before/after school and vacation
care for kindergartners through age 13.
- Part Time Care: includes nursery schools, private
kindergarten, Head Start programs.
All programs may offer care to children with disabilities
through age 16.
Information Available:
Licensed child care providers are included in the data base
of the CCR&R serving their region. CCR&Rs then collect
information about hours, fees, education and training of providers,
experience working with children with disabilities, environment,
pets, meals and snacks, curriculum and philosophy, languages
spoken and any relevant information providers choose to give.
Updates are done every six months so that parents can feel
confident they are receiving reliable and recent information.
Parents may choose the public service which entitles them
to referrals to providers who meet their stated needs. Parents
using the service must contact and screen providers on their
own. Other options available to parents are the enhanced service
for families of children with disabilities and the corporate
service, available as a benefit to employees from some companies.
Families who choose these options receive referrals to programs
with confirmed openings where their needs and/or the needs
of their children have been discussed. CCR&Rs continue
to work with parents using any of the service options until
their child care needs are met. Families may call for further
assistance if their needs change. CCR&R provides information
to families about financial assistance, available subsidies
and income eligibility.
Extent of Service:
Child Care Resource and Referral agencies refer to child care
providers and programs. They do not make recommendations.
They collect information form providers over the phone or
by mail to be passed on to consumers. CCR&Rs do not verify
the veracity of information provided or screen programs. Child
care specialists will counsel parents on what to look for
in a program, questions to ask, staffing ratios, ideas about
curriculum, materials and best practice. The final decision
about child care remains the choice of the parents.
Starting the Process
- Contact Child Care Resources: (504) 586-8509 or Information@agendaforchildren.org.
The counselors at CCR will offer two service options:
Public – basic information about potential providers
Enhanced—confirmed openings and information
about providers.
- With authorization, counselor will discuss child’s
special needs, necessary adaptations and accommodations.
CCR&R will follow up with parents and providers and
offer support to maintain placement.
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