Kentucky child care services are available to help working families afford the cost of quality child care. These benefits not only provide economic security to children and their parents, but also have been shown to improve children’s long-term outcomes in school and life.
The Family Child Care Network is an in-home provider support program that pairs employers with a trained, experienced Family Child Care Specialist to work one-on-one with child care providers in their homes. This support includes:
Preschools
Preschool offers children a foundation to develop social and emotional skills, as well as math, language and science skills. It’s a critical first step that helps them be successful in school and throughout life. Kentucky’s public preschool programs are held to high standards, meeting most national benchmarks and a majority of state quality indicators. The Commonwealth also maintains a comprehensive system of support to improve quality including evaluations, technical assistance and coaching for providers.
The Commonwealth continues to invest in child care, even during times of economic stress. This includes funding to expand Head Start and Kentucky All STARS, a unified quality improvement system for all early learning programs receiving public funds.
The Commonwealth’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) assists low income families with paying for quality child care and day care. Families must meet eligibility requirements based on the federal poverty guidelines. Providers must be regulated and certified, as well as meet certain business practices, such as maintaining adequate teacher-to-child ratios.
Child Care Centers
A child care center can provide a safe and interactive learning environment for children. These centers provide a range of activities for kids, including music, drama, science and math. Some centers also offer school day out programs and summer camps. You can find more details on best daycare for kids on the site kidcityusa.
Located in Erlanger, Kentucky, Grace Edgett Child Development Center is an early childhood ministry that provides childcare services to the local community. They offer a range of programs for infants and children up to five years old. Their curriculum is based on the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and the CDC guidelines.
The state of Kentucky offers financial assistance for working families who need help paying for child care. This program is available through the Cabinet for Health and Family Services website. Employers agree to contribute a certain amount of money each month to assist employees with the cost of child care and then the state matches that contribution. This is a great benefit to employers looking to attract and retain talented people.
After-School Programs
A good start in life depends on good health, strong families and positive early learning experiences. Kentucky scores below the national average in many of these indicators and a strong public investment is needed to make quality care available, affordable and sustainable for all Kentuckians.
The Family Child Care Network of Kentucky provides support services for in-home family child care providers of young children through a network of experienced and devoted Family Child Care Specialists that offer one-on-one technical assistance, including training sessions created specifically for family child care providers. Specialists also assist providers with completing all regulatory requirements and link them to community resources and supports. NKU offers childcare assistance to help parents pay for quality child care. Learn more and apply here.
Summer Camps
Kentucky offers many summer camps to keep children busy and active during the summer break. These camps are fun and educational, offering your child the chance to explore new activities and learn new skills. For more information about these camps, visit the official website of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
Access to affordable and quality child care is challenging for NKU students, especially when both parents are attending school. Luckily, the campus Early Learning Center provides child care services for children ages 1-6. The program follows the university calendar and is open Monday through Friday, 7:00am – 6:00pm. Student pricing varies based on eligibility for the PELL Grant.
The Educare Learning Center of Lexington has been a leading provider of high-quality early education and child development for over 40 years. They offer a caring atmosphere that is grounded in the values of mutual respect, individuality and empowerment. They also believe in the importance of family involvement and strive to foster the growth of children as individuals by providing a strong foundation for learning.
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