Posts Tagged ‘Early Care and Education’
Voters Want Support For Child Care
The lack of affordable, quality child care is a major area of concern across all demographics, family structures, and income levels in the United States. In fact, it’s the biggest challenge that parents want their elected officials to know about, as parents need child care to support their children’s physical health, emotional well-being, and development of life-long skills.
Read MoreGuac ‘n’ Roll: Avocado Inspirations for Your Menu ($15)
Get ready to Guac ‘n’ Roll in the kitchen! We’re celebrating National Avocado Day in July by exploring the versatility of this #CACFPCreditable vegetable. We’ll provide you with tips, benefits, and inspiration for recipes to spark your creativity and seamlessly integrate this nutrient-rich green gem into your menus. Avoca-don’t stress and let the avocado take center stage with some nutritious and delicious creations!
Read MoreWhat’s Causing the Inequity in Reimbursement for Centers Vs. Homes
CACFP reimbursement rates were recently released for the 2024-2025 program year. While rates increased for both centers and family child care homes, you may have noticed that centers received a larger reimbursement bump than homes. This is a result of changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which is a measure, estimated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the average change over time in the prices of goods and services.
Read MoreBetter Together Family Cafes
As a child care provider, you are dedicated to the health and well-being of children. While the care that you provide for these children is crucial, their interactions and experiences at home are just as important. Having a strong relationship with families can have a positive impact on the well-being of those in your care. Our partners at Nemours have developed Better Together Family Cafes as an effective family engagement model.
Read MoreJuly Policy Update
Since our last policy updated, there are new opportunities for you to advocate, in addition USDA has released two final rules, two pieces of guidance, and a data report on CACFP.
Read MoreCACFP Family Day Care Home Participation Study
The “USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Family Day Care Home Participation Study” focuses on current and former CACFP participants among FDCH providers. These providers serve a critical need within the child care system, frequently offering longer hours of care (often at a lower cost) than other types of providers to children in their own communities and neighborhoods. This study is the first national study to ask former providers why they left. The study spans 2019–2023, which coincides with the COVID-19 public health emergency, so it provides a unique look at FDCHs during that time.
Read MoreNCA Report: The State of the Child and Adult Care Food Program
NCA surveyed its CACFP sponsoring organization and provider members to obtain feedback on their experiences with the food program. NCA analyzed information collected from the survey in the State of the Child and Adult Care Food Program report.
Read MoreSponsor Spotlight: Beth Carlton of Child Care Links
Beth Carlton is the Executive Director of Child Care Links , a sponsoring organization in Kansas that sponsors approximately 170 family child care homes and two centers that serve meals to around 1,800 children. Hear from Beth!
Read MoreRecipe Standardization Guide
The Institute of Child Nutrition’s Step-by-Step Recipe Standardization Guide for the CACFP is a comprehensive guide designed to facilitate recipe standardization within the CACFP. The “how-to” manual is a complete resource, detailing the initial recipe development stage to the final implementation.
Read MoreIdentifying Gluten-Free Foods
Learn how to identify gluten-free foods and get a yummy gluten-free snack recipe.
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