quality child care matters
The early years of a child’s life are a time when their foundation for learning and development is built. Joint Initiatives for Youth + Families (JI) is here to help families navigate finding quality child care, so children build early and build strong for a future of life-long success.
Visiting this website is a great place to start. You’ll find a helpful Resources + Checklist linked below, and more details in the sections that follow. You’re encouraged to call us if you need additional assistance.
▶ Finding Quality Child Care Resources + Checklist
Colorado Shines
Colorado Shines is the state’s free search tool to help families find and research licensed child care programs in your community. It shows each program’s quality rating, licensing history, and monitoring reports to help you make the best decision for your family. It offers information including location, hours, licensing status, and, most importantly, the Colorado Shines quality rating of eligible programs. By engaging in this free process, families like yours can find the best early learning fit to get your children off to a strong start. Colorado Shines will help you identify elements of high-quality child care and the importance of choosing quality. When using the “search” feature, it will ask for your home or work address. However, ONLY enter your ZIP code.
- Visit ColoradoShines.com
- Call the Colorado Shines Child Care Resource & Referral Line: 877-338-2273
This FREE custom referral line is available to help find early care and education providers in El Paso, Teller, and Elbert Counties that meet your family’s needs. Individuals calling this number will be greeted by the Colorado Shines Child Care Referral at Mile High United Way. - Text childcarereferrals to 898-211.
- Mile High United Way now has an Intake Form available for families looking for child care.
- Early Childhood Question & Observation Worksheet
- Finding Quality Child Care Resources + Checklist
How to view licensing or rating details:
- Under For Families, click on How to find quality child care.
- From the menu on the left, click Search for a Program.
- In the blue area at the top, enter the program name for the site you area considering and click Search.
- If the program that appears is the one you are considering, click View Details. For example, some centers have multiple locations (e.g. KinderCare).
- The screen that appears will provide their license number, Colorado Shines rating, Colorado Child Care Assistance Program acceptance, and much more.
Financial Assistance + Military Resources
Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP)
Colorado’s Department of Early Childhood offers child care subsidies for families who need help affording quality child care. CCCAP is a subsidy to help families that are homeless, working, searching for work, or in school find low-income child care assistance. Families that are enrolled in the Colorado Works Program can also use CCCAP services.
Applying for CCCAP
For eligibility and applications, visit the Colorado PEAK website.
More Information
Visit the Colorado Shines website and learn more about assistance programs or read more below.
Please visit our Resources for Military Families page.
Child Development + Education
Visit EarlyLearningCO.org
The Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines describe the path of children’s learning and development from birth to eight years old. They’re designed so that everyone who cares for young children can play an important part in giving Colorado’s kids a healthy start.
Joint Initiatives offers a Community Resource Directory with a section devoted to Child Development + Education. This includes information about Head Start, kindergarten readiness, Universal Preschool, the Colorado Department of Education, early intervention services, and more.
Visit our Resources page to access the most recent directory.
Questions?
Contact our Family Support Line: 719.205.2691