NORWESCAP earns child care award
Newton NORWESCAP Child & Family Resource Services has attained Child Care Aware® Quality Assurance, national recognition for its high quality family services. The Child Care Aware® Consumer Education Quality Assurance Program, a national voluntary certification for Child Care Resource & Referral agencies (CCR&Rs), is designed to ensure that families across the nation have access to consistent, high-quality services that support them in making informed child care choices. “NORWESCAP Child & Family Resource Services is very proud to have achieved Quality Assurance for our CCR&R services,” said Sharon Giacchino, CFRS director. “Since 1987, we have been helping families recognize, find, and pay for high-quality child care. This national seal of approval proves that we are succeeding.” NORWESCAP referral specialists provide parents with information they need to make child care decisions. With a specialist’s help, parents are better prepared to know what to look for to ensure that their child care program is high-quality; identify the ideal child care program that meets their needs; determine if they should stay home or return to work after having a new baby; and more. Before being granted Quality Assurance, NORWESCAP was required to take part in a rigorous year-long application process, guided by a Quality Assurance Specialist that offered one-on-one training and support. NORWESCAP Child & Family Resource Services was evaluated by a validation panel that reviewed its application, and conducted a series of “secret shopper” calls and interviews of key staff. “NORWESCAP Child & Family Resource Services’ achievement places it in the top quarter of the nation’s CCR&Rs for their consumer education and referral services,” said Linda K. Smith, executive director of National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), of which Child Care Aware® is a program. In addition to helping families find child care and other parenting resources, NORWESCAP also provides financial assistance for child care, early childhood training and technical assistance for early care and education providers, and NJ State Family Child Care Registration for individuals providing child care services in their home. For more information, visit www.norwescap.org or call 973-383-3461.