Child Care Improvement Project (CCIP)

The Child Care Improvement Project (CCIP) is a program that helps family child care providers enhance the quality of their child care programs and supports them in their professional growth. CCIP providers are committed to offering children a safe, loving, and nurturing learning environment that helps prepare them for success in school and life.

Family child care is “non-parental care provided to small groups of children in the residence of the caregiver”. The CCIP was created to address the needs of children in family child care homes and the providers caring for these children. The goals of the CCIP are: 1) Family Child Care (FCC) providers have the skills and resources to provide a child care environment conducive to health, safety, emotional well-being and preparedness for kindergarten; 2) Providers make business improvements that allow them to become financially stable; 3) Families are able to obtain accessible, affordable quality child care and 4) Children remain in the care of the same provider enhancing the likelihood of a secure attachment relationship.

The CCIP works with over 75 providers in Portland who are grouped into “networks” based on their geographic or cultural needs with services available in English, Spanish, Russian and Somali. Providers receive the following program supports to help them achieve their professional goals.

1. Monthly training in quality child care and business practices
2. Home visits  to share information on early childhood education and development, community resources, and business practices
3. Quality assessments and follow up workplans using the nationally recognized “Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale”
4. Curriculum grants*to purchase supplies, toys/equipment and services that promote quality child care environments and practices
5. Family engagement activities that build supportive relationships between providers and families
6. Child Care subsidies that assist parents with their child care tuition in the event of an emergency or if the parent is attending school
7. Annual CCIP Conference that provides upper level training and brings all network providers together to share ideas and resources
8. Inclusion on the CCIP website and referral list for parents**
9. Information and referral to community services

If you are interested in participating in 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 curriculum grant. ** Providers must meet eligibility requirements to be listed on the CCIP website and parent referral list.

What Providers are saying about the CCIP when asked how it has helped them:

“I didn’t know anything when I started. I’ve learned about practices, contracts and resources.”

“The opportunity to talk to other providers, problem solving, helpful hints, empathy, we’ve created our own support system among each other and cross referrals.”

“Being around professional women, women who lift me up. I feel good about the whole group.”

“It feels good to tell people I’m part of a network. I can tell parents about other providers in the network and parents like to hear that. They are happy to get the referrals.”

TOP