CHILD CARE AWARE WCA CELEBRATES FIVE YEARS
Child Care Aware of West Central Arkansas (CCAWCA) celebrated five years of dedicated service to child care providers, families and the community this week. CCAWCA is a grant program administered by National Park College (NPC) in Hot Springs, Arkansas that was established in 2012 and serviced 10 West Central Arkansas counties and 240 child care centers.
Pictured is Jacquie Green, owner of Kona Ice with Arthur Wilson and Leane Hardin during
CCAWCA’s five year celebration event at NPC. Today, CCAWCA serves 13 counties, 300
child care centers, and 24,909 children providing trainings and technical assistance
to child care providers, parent support and assistance locating child care, and other
efforts to increase the quality and availability of child care. In addition, CCAWCA
provides a teacher workroom and Lending Library full of resources and curriculum available
to licensed child care facilities.
Comprised of four full time staff and one part time staff, CCAWCA makes it their priority to stay involved in the community by collaborating with numerous agencies nationwide and serving on various committees to include School Readiness, Welcome The Children, and United Way of the Ouachitas Childhood Success Advisory Committee.
Some of CCAWCA’s biggest achievements include serving on the review committee that released the Arkansas Child Development and Early Learning Standards: Birth through 60 Months. These standards support early childhood professionals statewide in promoting positive interactions and environments for our youngest children. CCAWCA staff have also assisted in the development of a new statewide Infant/Toddler professional development certificate for early childhood professionals who care for infants and toddlers.
