Family and Community Resource Navigators
are available in some areas to help expecting and parenting families connect to local early childhood and family well-being services.
Early Learning and Child Care
Education and child care resources for children and families
- Find Child Care, Preschool and Other Early Learning Programs
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- Online Child Care Search and Phone Support
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Use the Parent Aware online child care search or call 1-888-291-9811 to talk with someone that can help families find the quality child care, preschool and other early education programs their children need to succeed in school and life. Visit the website: https://www.parentaware.org/
- Finding Child Care: A Guide for Families (PDF document)
- Helping Parents and Families Find Child Care, Intermediary Toolkit (PDF document)
- Paying for Child Care, Preschool and Other Early Learning Programs
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- Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
- County program that helps families with low income pay for child care while they go to work, look for work or attend school.
- Early Learning Scholarships
- Financial support for parents to access high quality early childhood programs for their children up to age four with high needs.
- Head Start Programs
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Head Start supports the comprehensive development of children from birth through age 5 to promote school readiness for young children from low-income families. Head Start services include early learning, health, and family well-being.
- Early Head Start (Birth through 2 years)
- Home visiting or center-based services and programs for low-income families with infants and toddlers that support child development, parenting skills and self-sufficiency.
- Head Start (3 through 5 years)
- Services and programs that prepare low-income families with preschool children (ages 3 - 5) for their transition to public school kindergarten and to support child development, parenting skills and self-sufficiency.
- Public Libraries
- Minnesota’s public libraries are community hubs where people of any age can borrow or download books, use a computer, attend a class or program, meet with colleagues, study with friends, or just relax in a comfortable and welcoming environment.
- School-based Early Learning Programs
- School districts provide a range of early learning programs and services for families and children aged birth-up-to-kindergarten. The programs offer opportunities for both families and children to enhance their learning and development, achieve positive outcomes for children, and support their transition to kindergarten. The programs include: School Readiness, Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) and Voluntary Prekindergarten/School Readiness Plus programs.
