Yellowstone County’s Child Care Resource & Referral is the hub of child care -providing referrals to families to help them meet their child care needs.
Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) is just a phone call - (406) 247-4700 - or an
e-mail away to help you find solutions that fit you and your family’s needs.
Bookmark this Web site for easy and quick reference.
Click on the links below to read more information:
Learn about different child care options
The most common types of fee-based child care are child care centers, certified family care homes, registered family child care homes and exempt family child care homes. The State of Montana’s Child Care Division qualifies care settings. Call CCR&R directly at (406) 247-4700 for more information about types of child care, registration and certification.
Request the Parent/Family Profile form
To get started on finding a child care solution that meets your family needs, Call us at (406) 247-4700 to have a Profile Form mailed to you so you can list your needs and preferences.
Find out how to select child care that is right for your family
To determine the best child care solution for your family, here are five simple steps.
- LOOK: Trust your first impression. Does the home or center look safe? Do the adults seem to enjoy being with children? Are there plenty of toys? Visit more than once and stay as long as you like. Even after you start using child care, visit often.
- LISTEN: What does the child care setting sound like? Do voices sound cheerful and patient? If it’s too quiet, there may not be enough activity. Too much noise may mean a lack of control.
- COUNT: Count the number of children and staff in each group. A small number of children per adult is especially important when caring for groups of young children and babies.
- ASK: Ask about the knowledge and experience of the people who will be caring for your child. Quality caregivers are happy to have you ask these questions and are always learning more about teaching and caring for children.
- BE INFORMED: Find out about the efforts in your community to improve quality child and education. Is your caregiver involved in these activities? How can you help?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Parents and families considering their options for child care frequently ask questions to determine if a particular provider or care setting meets their family’s needs. Familiarizing yourself with a potential provider can be done in three simple steps:
1. The telephone interview
Take notes in your discussion as a potential provider answers questions like "Are you registered with the Montana Child Care Division?," "What are your hours of operation?" and "What kind of training or experience do you have?" (click here to download a PDF of our full telephone interview list for yourself):
2. The site visit
After interviewing potential providers by telephone, contact those you would like to meet to schedule a site visit. If possible, bring your child with you to the site visit so he/she can meet the Provider. (click here to download a PDF of our complete list that covers important topics - from sick-child policies to nap time and toilet training - to take with you to site visits.)
3. Ask yourself
After completing telephone interviews and visiting providers, the final step is to record your impressions and what you’ve learned. Asking yourself questions like "Did I feel welcome there?" and "How did my child react to the provider?" will help you to determine if the site is right for you.
Parenting and child care education, classes and resources
Child Care Resource & Referral regularly posts information about training and educational opportunities for parents and families.
Access information about financial assistance for employment-related day care.
Employment Related Day Care is a child care financial assistance program. If a Parent/Family meets the household and general income requirements, they may be eligible for this assistance. If you still have questions, contact Child Care Resource and Referral at (406) 247-4700 to get more information about these programs.
Find more resources on the Web
Here are additional links detailing local and state child care resources:
www.montanachildcare.com
http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/ccrd/
http://nrc.uchsc.edu/STATES/MT/montana.htm
HRDC provides comprehensive child care resources and referrals to anyone needing child care in Big Horn, Carbon, Still Water, Sweet Grass and Yellowstone Counties.
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