Consumer Education and Engagement
Quality consumer education and engagement practices reduce barriers families face when accessing quality child care by ensuring they receive trusted information that supports their roles as decision-makers and advocates. This section features information and materials to enhance the capacity of CCR&Rs, and other similarly positioned entities, to advance their consumer education and engagement practices.
Featured Sections
Social Media Guide
Social media is used by families to initiate child care searches, read reviews and testimonials and share information with peers through word-of-mouth. This guide will help CCR&Rs and other consumer education programs leverage social media to reach, inform and engage with their target audiences.
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The SMART Suite
Child Care Aware® of America’s Consumer Engagement and Education SMART Suite contains innovative, ready-to-use social media content for child care resource and referral agencies and similar organizations. Learn how you can access and begin using the SMART Suite!
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Family Engagement Through Consumer Education Under CCDBG & CCDF
Policies, such as those in the Child Care Development Block Grant and Child Care Development Fund final rule, open up new opportunities to enhance family engagement, consumer education and engagement and practices in all aspects of working with families. This section explores specific intersections between policy, family engagement and consumer education and engagement.
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Community Perspectives on Child Care
This section features research to help professionals better understand parents' search for child care, what families look for in child care, the assumptions they make about licensed care, the choices they have in their community and policies or programs they believe would strengthen the quality of child care.
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Serving Young Children and Families Experiencing Homelessness
There are over one million children under six experiencing homelessness nationwide. Early childhood and school-age care and education professionals are a critical and valuable resource in the lives of young children and their families; especially during these moments of hardships. This section offers information and resources to support your role.
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