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Department of Early Learning and Care

Child Care Resource & Referrals

Child Care Resource and Referrals (CCR&Rs) are regional programs funded by the Department of Early Learning and Care to recruit and support early learning and care programs, both home- and center-based. 

CCR&Rs help expand high-quality early learning and care across Oregon by empowering programs with resources, training and technical assistance.

The Role of Child Care Resource and Referral

Child Care Resource and Referrals (CCR&Rs) are regional programs funded by the Department of Early Learning and Care to recruit and support early learning and care programs, both home- and center-based. CCR&Rs help expand high-quality early learning and care across Oregon by empowering programs with resources and technical assistance.

children and teachers in a group  

CCR&Rs support early care and education professionals by:

  • Helping Early Childhood Education (ECE) professionals navigate the early learning system
  • Directing or providing access to financial supports
  • Building business practices through technical assistance and training, especially with data-collecting and enrollment
  • Creating individualized, goal-based professional development plans, including support for immediate needs as well as long-term plans for getting a degree
  • Providing free or low-cost professional learning opportunities in multiple languages that are culturally and linguistically responsive
  • Supporting investments and improving compensation in the ECE field
  • Building ECE career pathways and increasing access to degrees and credentials
  • Recognizing and valuing the varied skills of professionals from all backgrounds
  • Engaging programs in Oregon’s Quality Recognition and Improvement System (known as Spark)
  • and Supporting quality improvements through coaching, training, technical assistance, and peer learning networks

Did you know? CCR&Rs collaborate with business development agencies to create child care start-up and expansion programs.

How CCR&Rs supports Oregon Families by:

Empowering and strengthening providers with resources and professional development, increasing access to quality programs; Increasing provider awareness and support for family engagement and relationship-building;

Providing information on high-quality child care; and connecting with 211 on child care referrals.

"As a child care provider of a child who has special needs, I found this CCR&R training so beneficial and empowering. We often see taking care of a child with special needs as a difficult and tiring task, but this training has shown us that it is fairly easy especially when you have the knowledge, tools and support."

- Focused Child Care Network (FCCN) provider

"Thank you for continuing to provide us with resources for our program such as these books. Now the children will have high-quality books in their native language to read."

- Child Development Associate (CDA) cohort participant

211info Child Care provides statewide early learning and child care referrals to families in multiple languages offered by email, phone and text messaging. Families looking for child care online can access Find Child Care Oregon (www.findchildcareoregon.org). The CCR&Rs support child care referrals by communicating regularly with early educators to update information on child care availability.

Professional Learning Opportunities

CCR&Rs provide coaching and technical assistance to publicly funded early learning programs, such as Preschool Promise, Early Head Start, Head Start, Oregon Pre-Kindergarten, and Baby Promise. CCR&Rs also provide technical assistance and consultation to local programs working toward higher levels of quality and business practices. CCR&Rs offer a variety of trainings that meet state requirements for attaining and renewing a child care license.

CCR&Rs also operate Focused Child Care Networks (FCCN) for early learning educators and leaders. These FCCN cohorts meet monthly to focus on their professional learning. Networks are a critical strategy to retain early educators in the field and to enhance quality.

child playing in sandbox  

CCR&Rs offered more than 1,983 training events in 2022. Trainers represent the race, ethnicity, and primary languages of the counties in which they provide training. English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Somali, and Vietnamese languages are represented within Oregon's CCR&R agencies. Participation in trainings increased during the pandemic, particularly for higher-level courses. Overall, 23,686 participants attended a CCR&R-led training throughout 2022.

Spark

CCR&Rs collaborate and support programs participating in Spark, Oregon’s Quality Recognition and Improvement System. Using Spark as a framework, CCR&Rs work with early and school-age care and education programs to:

  • reflect on their policies and practices
  • set goals for improvement
  • provide or connect them with the necessary supports
  • assist them in collecting evidence that demonstrates their level of quality

After programs receive their Spark rating, CCR&Rs support programs with strategies to promote and share this accomplishment.

kids running outside  

In Our Communities

CCR&Rs are located in 15 regions across Oregon:

  • Blue Mountain (Union, Morrow, and Umatilla Counties)
  • Clackamas County
  • Central (Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson Counties)
  • Eastern (Malheur, Wallowa, and Baker Counties)
  • The Gorge (Gilliam, Hood River, Sherman, Wasco, and Wheeler Counties)
  • Frontier (Grant and Harney Counties)
  • Lane County
  • Linn, Benton, and Lincoln Counties
  • Marion, Polk, and Yamhill Counties
  • Multnomah County
  • North Coast (Tillamook, Clatsop, and Columbia Counties)
  • South Central (Douglas, Klamath, and Lake Counties)
  • South Coast (Coos and Curry Counties)
  • Southern (Jackson and Josephine Counties)
  • Washington County
Find your CCR&R