2024 - 2025 Annual Report - Printable Version (1).png

A Letter from Our Leaders

Dear Supporters and Friends of Childcare Resources,

At Childcare Resources, we believe that when we invest in children, we invest in the future of our communities. For more than four decades, this belief has guided our work and strengthened our resolve to ensure that children and families across Central Alabama have access to affordable, high-quality child care and early education.

This year’s annual report reflects both the progress we have made and the continued need for our work. Behind every data point is a child discovering their potential, a family supported during a critical season, and a child care provider equipped with the tools and training needed to deliver quality care. These outcomes are made possible through the collective efforts of our community — supporters, partners, providers, and advocates who share a commitment to early childhood education.

While challenges remain, we are encouraged by the resilience of the families we serve and inspired by the dedication of the professionals who care for our youngest learners. Together, we are strengthening systems, improving quality, and expanding access so that children can thrive during their most formative years.

Thank you for believing, as we do, that children are our greatest natural resource. Your support makes our mission possible, and we are deeply grateful to walk this journey alongside you.

With gratitude,

Joan Wright
Executive Director

Kelly Metz
2025 Board Chair

2024 - 2025 Annual Report - Printable Version (2).png

About Us

Button

2024 - 2025 Annual Report - Printable Version (4).png

The goal of Training and Technical Assistance is to increase the quality of child care available to children by providing education through training and technical assistance to individuals working in child care or interested in a career in early care and education.

321

Training Sessions

175 In-Person
53 Virtual
53 On-Demand
40 Canvas Catalog

235 of which were
FREE TO ATTEND!

540

Training Hours

For over 40 years, Training and Technical Assistance have been the core of our work. During the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, our agency had to quickly pivot from in-person training for the safety of our staff and attendees, and convert training to virtual and on-demand options.

In the last few years, our agency has bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, while continuing to offer virtual and on-demand training sessions alongside in-person opportunities. These sessions offer a unique opportunity for child care providers to continue accessing trainings needed for professional development, and to maintain or achieve licensing requirements.

Training Options:

In-Person: Held at Childcare Resources or another specified location on a specific date and time.
Virtual: Either a Live Virtual Online training with an instructor on a specific date and time through Childcare Resources’ Online Portal, or virtual through Canvas Catalog, a self-guided, self-paced online training course.
On-Demand: Self-guided, self-paced training lasting from 1-4 weeks through Childcare Resources’ Online Training Portal.
Canvas Catalog: Self-guided, self-paced online training course through Childcare Resources' Canvas Catalog. Participants register and attend trainings at any time during the course availability dates. Courses are self-guided and available online for 30 days.

The goal of the Early Learning Resource Library and Van is to reduce the cost of delivering quality child care by providing access to teaching materials and resources free of charge. The Resource Center offers free membership and is open weekdays while the Resource Van travels 10 routes monthly.

68

Patron Visits to the Library

Patron Visits to the Van

713

Programs Participating in Van Routes

54

“The van has consistently delivered a wealth of knowledge and a diverse range of resources directly to us, significantly enhancing our capacity to support our students' learning and development, as well as providing much-needed assistance to their families. This level of direct and efficient provision of critical materials is something we greatly appreciate, as obtaining these resources through conventional means would typically present considerably more logistical challenges for us.”

Valerie Square

Square by Square Christian Home Daycare

The goal of RISE is to positively impact the quality of child care in our community by assisting providers in surpassing the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) Child Care Licensing and Performance Standards, achieving measurable improvements, and supporting the pursuit of national accreditation and re-accreditation.

RISE = Reaching Improvement through Self-Evaluation

6

Participating Centers

Consultations

648

Training and Technical Assistance Visits

75

Child care programs desiring to improve quality in their centers rely on RISE to help achieve their goals. Childcare Resources’ National Accreditation Specialist works one-on-one, both virtually and on-site, with directors and teachers, guiding them to identify deficiencies and then enhance areas needing improvement.

Because the RISE program requires scheduled meetings, follow-up, and classroom enhancements, participation in the program is incredibly time-intensive, meaning only a select number of specific child care programs are able to participate each year.

Participating Programs from 2016 to 2025

“During this first year of the RISE program, our facility has grown and benefited so much! Between our teachers working toward their CDAs and one receiving theirs, revamping our staff orientation process, and building our teachers’ confidence through self-evaluations, we have seen incredible progress. We have identified areas of growth and met almost all of our goals. We believe that being a part of this program has strengthened the quality of our care and, most importantly, our staff.”

Angela Knight and Vickie McGiboney

RISE Program Participants

The goal of the Infant Toddler Program is to increase the quality of child care available to infants and toddlers. The program is designed to assist classrooms in surpassing the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) Child Care Licensing and Performance Standards and to encourage directors to operate their program consistent with best practices.

10

Participating Centers

79

Consultations

Training and Technical Assistance Visits

80

“Since partnering with Childcare Resources, our center has experienced tremendous growth. Our staff members have not only improved their professional skills but have also gained confidence and a renewed sense of purpose. With their guidance, we have strengthened classroom practices, raised our quality standards, and created a more enriching and nurturing environment for the children and families we serve.”

Ms. Charity Smoot
Director, Beautiful Minds Childcare

Infant/Toddler Program Participant

The goal of the Supplemental Child Care Program is to help low-to-moderate-income working families with children birth to age five maintain employment and achieve self-sufficiency by assisting them with their child care costs at a legally operating provider of their choice.

Single Parent
Head-of-Household Families Enrolled

55

Children Supported

60

Direct Payments to Child Care Providers

$87,787

$50,515

Average Annual Income of Enrolled Families

$1,463

Average Child Care Payment Per Child

Direct Child Care Payments from 2009 to 2025

Average Payment Per Family

Average Payment Per Child

Top Employment

Sectors of Families

Enrolled in SCCP

While the demand for SCCP remains the same, the amount paid through our program per family and per child continues to grow as child care costs continue to rise. As you can see in the graphic on the right, the families we assist work in a wide variety of fields, further showing that no matter what you do, everyone can benefit!