BrightStars makes it possible for families to have high quality options to meet their child care and after school needs. Our partnership with 2-1-1 ensures that families can access information on quality child care and receive referral assistance online or over the phone, 24 hours day , said Tammy Camillo, Director of BrightStars.
According to the 2012 Zero to Three (www.zerotothree.org) Rhode Island fact sheet, 78% of mothers in the state with children under 6 years of age are in the labor force. This high proportion of working mothers with young children increases the need for child care referrals and family education about quality care for childrens success. More than 33% of children ages birth to 5 have parents who had to make emergency child care arrangements or change jobs for child care reasons. Child care referral specialists can assist these families by working to find creative solutions in response to unique requests or needs.
Were pleased to partner with BrightStars to ensure parents are able to get the information they need to select high-quality child care, said Anthony Maione, president and CEO, United Way of Rhode Island. 2-1-1 can not only help people in crisis but we can also be a valuable resource in finding job-skills programs, child care and resources for seniors and adults with disabilities.
Child care referral specialists can assist families in:
Finding a child care, early learning or after school program that meets their needs
Learning more about choosing quality child care
Accessing information on financing child care, child development and more