About
Children's Resource and Referral
Referral
and Complaint Policy
Parents' Rights &
Responsibilities
Identifing Child Care Needs
How to Choose a Child Care Center
How to Locate & Choose Quality Child Care
Start by screening prospective providers through telephone interviews. Many providers use an answering machine during the day so that their work with the children is not interrupted. They will return your call when they are free to talk at length. Visit those providers who meet your requirements and then call Community Care Licensing for background information at 805-682-7647.
Make a list of your requirements before you start calling providers:
Licensing
- Is the facility licensed?
- If licensing is not required, what references or screening is provided?
- Is the license displayed?
- What is the licensed capacity?
- Has the annual licensing fee been paid?
- If using license-exempt care, is the person TrustLined or willing to be?
Registration and fees
- Is there a waiting list?
- How much are the fees and what do they cover?
- hen is payment expected? Is there a late fee?
- Is there a fee for days absent due to illness, vacation or holidays?
- What is required/requested of parents?
Meals
- Does the facility participate in a Child
Care Food Program? - If not, is there an extra charge for meals?
- What meals are included?
- Do the meals meet nutritional requirements?
- Are parents expected to provide meals,
snacks, or formula?
- Child Care Initiative Project recruits and trains new and existing providers and offers specialized workshops for parents and early care and education professionals.
- Employer-sponsored child care services and information to employers in the Santa Barbara County.
- Compiling, analyzing, and sharing the most up-to-date and comprehensive information about the supply and demand for child care.
- Advocacy for children and child care issues.
OTHER PROGRAMS:
- CalWORKs Child Care Stage 2 and 3 provides child care services for parents participating in CalWORKs.
- Child Care Food Program reimburses food costs to licensed family child care providers who serve nutritious meals.
- Respite Program provides child care services for children who are subject to or at-risk of abuse, neglect, and exploitation or for parents incapacitated due to health.
- Alternative Payment Program provides a no-cost or sliding fee
parental choice program serving the child care needs of income eligible
parents who are receiving child protective services, working or looking
for work, in training, incapacitated, or homeless.
Family Service Agency