Agencies and organizations that provide information and assistance to early care and education professionals
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Area Education Agencies - www.state.ia.us/educate/aea/
Iowa has 12 area education agencies (AEAs). The AEAs assist the Department of Education in providing services and support to school districts and to schools, including special education services for children with disabilities.
Iowa Early Childhood Network - www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/is/ecn/ - promotes the optimal development and education of all young children by providing leadership and support to the collaborative efforts of families, schools, and communities.
Better Kid Care - www.betterkidcare.psu.edu
Penn State Cooperative Extension's Better Kid Care Program provides educational materials, satellite workshops, video learn-at-home units, and technical support child care providers, parents, and employers.
Caring for Our Children - The National Health and Safety in Child Care Performance Standards - nrc.uchsc.edu/CFOC/
This site contains the national health and safety standards for child care.
Child Abuse - To report child abuse call (800)-362-2178
Child Abuse Prevention - www.iachild.org
The Coalition for Family and Children Services in Iowa represents private and county agencies that annually serve over 100,000 at-risk children and families. Member agencies work in the areas of child abuse and neglect, delinquency, substance abuse, and behavioral and mental health.
Prevent Child Abuse Iowa - www.pcaiowa.org
The fundamental - and critically important mission - of ending child abuse in the entire state of Iowa . Its single-minded focus on prevention is unique in the child abuse field, where most efforts involve counseling and treating children and families after abuse has already occurred.
Child Development Home Registration Guidelines, 2004 Edition (pdf) - Iowa in-home child care providers may view or print a copy of the 2004 edition of the Child Development Home registration guidelines.
Child and Adult Food Care Program - www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/fn/cacfp/
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally funded program that provides meal reimbursement, nutrition education to child care centers, adult day care centers, homeless shelters and child care homes.
Child Care Weather Watch - www.idph.state.ia.us/hcci/common/pdf/weatherwatch.pdf A guide produced by the Iowa Department of Public Health to assist child care professionals and families in determining hazardous weather conditions.
Child Development Coordinating Council - www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/is/cdcc/
The Iowa Child Development Coordinating Council administers Shared Visions Programs - www.state.ia.us/earlychildhood/docs/SharedVisionsBrochure51PDF.pdf Model family-centered early childhood services for young children and families at-risk.
Children Youth and Families Education Research Network (CYFERNET) - www.cyfernet.org
CYFERNET offers over 8000 publications and resources from many of the nations leading land-grant universities. Information on early childhood, school-age, teens, parenting, communities and health is provided. New Hot Topic information is provided monthly. Online training and Webcasts are also available. The website is sponsored by USDA-CSREES.
Early Access - www.state.ia.us/earlyaccess
Early ACCESS is a partnership between families with young children, birth to age three, and providers from the Departments of Education, Public Health, Human Services, and the Child Health Specialty Clinics. Early Access helps families and staff work together in identifying, coordinating and providing needed services and resources that will help the family assist their infant or toddler to grow and develop.
Iowa Community Colleges - www.state.ia.us/educate/ccwp/cc/
Iowa has a statewide system of 15 community colleges. These public, postsecondary, two-year institutions are organized as comprehensive community colleges.
Iowa Department of Public Health - www.idph.state.ia.us/hcci/default.asp
Iowa Department of Public Health provides oversight for the Healthy Child Care Iowa program. IDPH many brochures and forms to assist child care professionals and parents in keeping children Healthy. To download or order: http://www.idph.state.ia.us/hcci/products.asp
Iowa Empowerment Board - www.empowerment.state.ia.us
The Iowa Empowerment Board supports communities by demonstrating and facilitating leadership and the process towards collaboration to build a comprehensive and integrated system of supports and services to achieve results for children (0-5) and their families. There are 58 community empowerment boards state-wide representing 99 counties. Each area has a citizen led board to support activities and promote collaboration and develop systems in the community for children and their young families.
Iowa Family Child Care Association - www.iowafamilychildcare.org/
The IFCCA is a professional state level organization that offers support and education to local family child care associations as well as individual providers.
Iowa Quality Preschool Program Standards - www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/cfcs/qpps/
Iowa 's QPPS were developed as a continuum of quality early learning experiences that would align early childhood programs to work toward accreditation with NAEYC program standards and criteria.
Iowa Public Television Ready to Learn - www.iptv.org/kids/grownups/rtl/definitions.cfm
Helping families, educators, and child care providers prepare Iowa 's children, ages birth to eight years, for educational success through effective and appropriate use of public television resources.
Early Learning Standards for Children 0-5 - www.iowachildnetwork.org/new_page_5.htm
Birth to Three Year Olds Iowa Early Learning Standards for (IELSB3) Download a copy of the IELSB3: Early Standards Birth through 3. · Three through Five Year Olds Iowa Early Learning Standards Download a copy of the IELS35: Early Learning Standards 3 through 5.
Early Child Reads – Early Literacy Program - www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/cfcs/ecr/
Every Child Reads Birth to 5 year-old children, Every Child Reads K-3
Early Childhood Special Education - www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/cfcs/speced/
· IDEA Part B · IDEA Part C
Environmental Health - www.idph.state.ia.us/eh
The Iowa Department of Public Health has several environmental health programs:
· Air Quality - www.epa.gov/iaq/ia-intro.html
· Lead Poisoning Prevention Program - www.idph.state.ia.us/eh/lead_poisoning_prevention.asp
· Radon Information - www.idph.state.ia.us/eh/radon_content/RadonGuide.htm
· Private Septic/Sewer System - www.iowadnr.com/water/septic/
· Child care providers living on farmsteads may use the Farm A Syst - www.iowafarmbureau.com/newsissues/environment/farmasyst.aspx
Resources for water quality and septic systems
· Private Well Water Quality Testing - www.state.ia.us/epd/prgrmdsc/wsprogrm/well2.htm
Even Start Family Literacy - www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/is/ecn/evenstart.html
The Even Start Family Literacy Program is intended to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy and improve the educational opportunity of low income families by integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or adult basic education, and parenting education regarding literacy and child development.
First Lady's Kindergarten Book Project - www.state.ia.us/educate/governor/
Beginning in 2002, First Lady Christie Vilsack's literacy foundation, Iowa Stories 2000 has given a book to each kindergarten student in Iowa .
Head Start State Collaboration - www.iowaheadstart.org/iowa/collaboration.html
Since 1990, the Head Start Bureau has funded Head Start-State Collaboration grants to create the capacity to support the development of multi-agency and public/private partnerships at the State level. The Iowa Head Start State Collaboration Office was established through these funds in 1993.
Healthy Child Care Iowa - www.idph.state.ia.us/hcci/default.asp
Healthy Child Care Iowa campaign is publicly funded to improve the health and safety of Iowa children while they are enrolled in child care and early education settings. Healthy Child Care Iowa has a toll free talkline for child care providers, 1 800 369-2229 . The talkline is answered by the Healthy Families Line in cooperation with Iowa State University Extension. Child care providers may call the talkline and ask questions, ask for information or materials, or may be connected with one of Iowa 's child care nurse consultants. Child care providers may also inform families about the talkline so families may use the line to access health care providers and information.
Iowa Child Care Resource and Referral - http://www.iowaccrr.org
Iowa Child Care Resources & Referral Agencies. To actively respond to community needs for affordable and accessible quality child care by providing resources, education, and advocacy for children, parents, child care providers, and employers.
Iowa Kids Count - www.cfpciowa.org/initiatives/iowa/kids-count/
The Iowa Kids Count Initiative annually updates and disseminates national, statewide and county-level trend data on eight key indicators of well-being for Iowa children, ranging from health to education to welfare.
Iowa State University Extension - www.extension.iastate.edu/homefamily/children/
Iowa State University Extension offers education to child care professionals, parents, employers, and communities to improve the quality of care for all children.
Iowa Department of Human Services - www.dhs.state.ia.us/dhs2005/dhs_homepage/children_family/child_care/
Iowa Department of Human Services offers information for individuals and families needing help in paying for child care, or needing to file a child care complaint. Current information on child care regulations is also provided.
Iowa Rural Development - www.rurdev.usda.gov/ia/
Iowa Rural development supports the development of child care facilities in rural communities. Offices www.rurdev.usda.gov/ia/ia_locations.html
National After School Association (formerly known as the National School-Age Care Alliance ) - www.nsaca.org
NAA supports child care providers working with school-age children in before and after school and summer programs. The NAA has national standards for quality school-age care.
National Association for the Education of Young Children - www.naeyc.org
NAEYC is a professional organization for child care providers. The NAEYC has materials and other resources for child care providers. The NAEYC accreditation standards and process are listed.
National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies - www.naccrra.net
NACCRRA is a professional organization supporting personnel of child care resource and referral agencies and child care providers. NACCRRA has materials for child care providers that focus on developing quality child care programs.
National Association of Family Child Care - www.nafcc.org
NAFCC supports child care providers that work in their own home or in the homes of the children they care for.
National Child Care Information Center - www.nccic.org
NCCIC promotes links with other expert resources for child care providers regarding quality child care.
National Network for Child Care - www.nncc.org
The National Network for Child Care offers over 2000 early childhood publications, resources, and newsletters from the public universities in every state. KIDCARE listserve is supported to enhance communication and sharing between child care professionals. This website is sponsored by USDA CSREES and Iowa State University .
Playground Safety - www.uni.edu/playground/home.htm
The National Program for Playground Safety has resource materials and training available to improve the safety of children in outdoor play.
Poison Control - www.aapcc.org/
For emergencies or for assistance regarding a poisoning event call (800) 222-1222.
School Bus Safety - www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/fn/trans/preschool.html
These are guidelines recommended by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the Safe Transportation of pre-school children on school buses.
Shaken Baby - www.safebaby.org
This organization seeks to educate the public about the dangers of shaking a baby. Find helpful hints about coping with a crying baby and anger management. This website has various free resources to aid in educating and preventing this tragedy. They offer a free 24-hour emergency hotline at 866-243-BABY (2229).
Shared Visions Programs - www.state.ia.us/earlychildhood/docs/SharedVisionsBrochure51PDF.pdf
Shared Visions provides nationally accredited preschool programs for high-risk children in 51 Iowa counties.
Special Needs (Children with Special Needs) - www.medicine.uiowa.edu/iowacompass
Child care providers and families may need information resources, or community support to appropriately care for children with special needs. Contact Iowa Compass for information or referral to a local organization. Voice 800-779-2001 or TTY 877-686-0032 .
T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® IOWA - www.iowaaeyc.org/teach.cfm
An early childhood workforce program for active early childhood professionals seeking to further their formal education; enabling them to increase their knowledge, improve their skills, receive financial supports, and continue to increase the availability of quality early care and education in local communities. Scholarships are available for those working towards an early childhood associate or bachelor degree, early childhood teaching license endorsement, or CDA Credential. T.E.A.C.H. is a program of the Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children, (515) 331-8000.
The Child and Family Policy Center (CFPC) - www.cfpciowa.org/
Established in 1989 by former Iowa legislator Charles Bruner to "better link research and policy on issues vital to children and families and to advocate for evidenced-based strategies to improve child outcomes."