Child Care Improvement Project (CCIP)

The Child Care Improvement Project (CCIP), which began in 2000, was designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of registered family child care providers living in Multnomah County. The goals of the project are to: improve the quality of family child care, improve the profitability of these small businesses, and increase low-income families economic stability and access to affordable, quality child care. Providers participate by attending monthly training and meetings, helping guide the direction of the project, receiving regular home visits, providing yearly customer satisfaction surveys to their parents and participating in a yearly observation using the Family Day Care Rating Scale to assess their child care environment and practices. The CCIP currently operates 10 networks throughout Multnomah County serving approximately 115 family child care businesses.

Benefits of the CCIP for Child Care Providers:

• Education Grant
The purpose of this fund is to support providers in their desire to work towards professional development. Consideration will be given to courses that enhance the provider's skills and abilities to offer quality child care and operate a successful business. Examples of classes may include Early Childhood Education (ECE), English, foreign language, and business practices. Providers may be reimbursed up to $500 towards tuition, books, supplies, child care and transportation.

• Disabilities Support and Services
If you care for children who have physical, speech, or developmental delays, individualized services are available. These services may include scholarships to attend a training, utilizing a consultant to help structure the environment so it best meets the needs of all children, or individual consultation on strategies and techniques that are effective.

• Financial Assistance for Parents
Emergency subsidies are available to help parents pay for child care when an emergency occurs in their family. These subsidies help provide financial stability to the provider and continuity of care for the child. (Dependent on current funding situation)

• High School and College Child Care Subsidies
Subsidies are available to help parents pay for child care while completing their education. The CCIP will pay a portion of their monthly child care costs when they use the services of a CCIP provider. (Dependent on current funding situation)

• Peer Support
Learn from other providers about their experiences, share ideas, resources, successes and challenges. Support each other in your professional development.

• Resource Grants*
Depending on the current funding situation, providers will receive a grant ranging from $200 to $300 to use towards child care related materials; examples may include: child care liability insurance, safety or play equipment, and business or curriculum materials.

• Lending Libraries
Some networks have access to books on child development, children's activities, curriculum planning and operating a child care business. Libraries also include activity kits, prop boxes and musical instruments and tapes.

• Leadership Opportunities
Providers are encouraged to participate in the planning of future CCIP activities, join the CCIP advisory council, or lead a training at a monthly meeting.

Child care providers participating in the CCIP are located in the following neighborhoods:
• North and Northeast Portland
• Southeast Portland
• Mid/East Multnomah County
• Southwest Portland

Clackamas County

The CCIP also includes culturally specific networks for providers who speak Russian, Spanish or Somali or Vietnamese.

If you are interested in being a part of the CCIP or have any other questions about the program, please call (503) 524-3245 or email mgoodman@nhweb.org

*Providers must be participating in the network at least 6 months prior to receiving the yearly resource grant.

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