Research has shown that “warm, loving, and home-like settings” are natural environments for children during early childhood, according to a press release from First 5 Santa Barbara County.
According to the release, accreditation from the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) is recognized as the highest indicator that a family child-care program offers a quality environment. Accreditation is awarded to family child-care providers who meet the eligibility requirements and standards. All aspects of the child-care program—relationships, environment, developmental learning activities, safety, and health, as well as professional and business practices—are considered in the accreditation process.
First 5 Santa Barbara County recently announced that there are seven NAFCC accredited child-care providers in the county. The child-care providers receive support from First 5 Santa Barbara County’s Accreditation Facilitation Project, which offers technical and financial support to assist programs in becoming accredited.
Accredited child-care providers in Santa Barbara County include:
•Beale Family Child Care Skip to My Lou’s, North County
•Fleenor Family Child Care Life’s Little Priorities, North County
•Groce Family Child Care Groce Petra’s P.L.A.C.E., North County•
Holford Family Child Care Holford’s Lil Jungle, North County•
Jenkins Family Child Care Busy Bee’s Preschool and Daycare, North County
•Pitts Family Child Care Tiny Tots Family Child Care, Mid County
•Monroy Family Child Care Creative Care for Children, South County
For more information about NAFCC accreditation and high quality childcare, call 884-8085 or visit first5santabarbaracounty.org.
This article appears in May 28 – Jun 4, 2009.