Child Care Aware of Kansas

Child Care Aware of Kansas connects everyone with a stake in child care — parents, child care providers, businesses, local and state leaders, and community members — to the information and ideas they need to take action. Together, we aim to create an early care and education system that ensures:

• Kids have enriching early learning experiences within supportive caregiving environments that honor diverse identities and developmental journeys.
• Parents and guardians have access to quality, affordable child care that meets them where they are with what they need.
• Diverse individuals enter the child care field and all child care providers stay on a sustainable career path that allows them to support their own families and provide the best care for the kids they serve. Child care businesses offer spaces of belonging for employees and the children and families they serve.
• Employers attract and retain a diverse, quality workforce.
• Communities — large and small — provide a high quality of life that keeps residents and welcomes new families from all walks of life.

We provide opportunities, connections, and support for Kansans to envision what a better child care system can look like for them. Working within a network of Child Care Resource & Referral agencies, we also connect caregivers and providers to the information and support they need. 

Our team brings extensive experience and expertise in early care and education. We focus on:

• Providing essential information and referrals to families looking for child care.
• Supporting and advocating for hardworking child care providers across our state.
• Collecting statewide data on child care to inform parents, providers, and decision-makers.
• Creating opportunities for families and providers to share their experiences and work with other stakeholders to make changes.
•  Partnering with local communities and businesses who are looking to implement new solutions to learn about families’ needs and collaborate in designing effective options.
• Advancing conversations that build understanding of the barriers people experience and strategies for creating inclusive early care environments.