Location: Picking a location for a family child care association is an important first step. But that’s only the first step! What’s the best type of setting? How do you pick the right organization? The best child care locations are those where the family spends quality time together, children get the support they need and parents get what they need–and deserve–to keep their kids safe and healthy. Here are five great places to send your child to a child care association.

NASCAR – The North American Association for Early Childhood Development (NASCAR) is a non-profit association that brings families, providers, educators, researchers, advocates, and other key influencers together to improve the early childhood experience for all. As the nation’s second largest provider of early childhood services, NASCAR supports the development of child care laws, programs, policies, and training for childcare administrators and teachers across the nation. As part of its board of directors, the International Association of Professional Child Care Investigators (IAPCA), the Parent Training Institute (PTI) also serves as a voice for families in training and policy work. The International Academy of Professional Child Care Providers (IAPC) is a national organization dedicated to providing quality child care training and resources to help families effectively provide child care, strengthen child protection policies, and advance professional development for childcare staff and instructors nationwide.

CTRPA – The Georgia Department of Health and Human Services Division of Family Child Care and Public Health (DCHPHP) regulates all family child care programs in Georgia. If you are looking for a private organization to operate a child care program in Georgia, you must first check with the state’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); then check the Internet to find out more about the child care programs that are currently operating in Georgia. You can search for child care programs and services based on names, locations, or service descriptions. The Georgia Department of Education (DPE) is another web source that provides information on child care programs and services; however, this resource is only available to members of the association. To learn more about accredited child care organizations in Georgia, you should check out the Georgia Safe Family Child Care Association web site.

HSSA – The Family Child Care Association of Georgia is an independent organization dedicated to improving the quality of child care programs and services. The association tracks all child care programs conducted by family child care providers in Georgia and issues reports on them annually. Among the main issues the annual HSSA report highlights are: Preventing accidental injury or death of school-age children; preventing unintentional drug or alcohol abuse; preventing premature death or illness of school-age children; promoting responsible alcohol and drug use among school-age children; and promoting safe transportation of school-age children from home to school. You can access the annual reports at the Family Child Care Association of Georgia website. To learn more about accredited child care programs and services in Georgia, you should visit the Georgia Safe Family Child Care Association web site.

CNA – The College of Nursing Educator (CNE) accreditation has two levels: Associate Degree in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The associate degree nursing program offers students the ability to pursue higher education in areas related to the field of Early Childhood Development (ECD). The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, on the other hand, provides students with the opportunity to pursue advanced studies in early childhood development. This program also offers students opportunities to become Certified Nutritional Educators (CNE) and Personal Care Aide (PCA). If you are currently a full-time student, you may want to consider pursuing one of these CNA degrees or an equivalent thereof to improve your employability once you graduate.

Both programs will prepare students for employment positions that involve early childhood development. Students in the early childhood programs will have the opportunity to gain work experience while gaining valuable clinical skills and practice to hone their skills. Meanwhile, individuals who pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing will be prepared to enter leadership positions where they can influence positively the lives of others. If you are currently employed or currently in college, you should consider attending one of the four Rockville campus colleges listed above in order to earn your degree, which will greatly benefit your future.