ChildCare.gov Project

National Child Care Consumer Education Projects: ChildCare.gov and the National Toll-Free Hotline

Childcare.gov

The CCDBG Reauthorization Act of 2014 includes a requirement to design and develop a national website to disseminate publicly available child care consumer education information for parents. The information on the website will help parents access safe and quality child care services in their community and provide links to their state or territory child care website. ChildCare.gov will deliver consumer education for parents and the general public such as:

  • Child Care Options
  • Ensuring Safe and Healthy Child Care
  • Choosing Quality Care for Your Children
  • Paying for Child Care
  • Other Support and Resources for Your Family
  • Your Child’s Health and Development
  • “Must Have” Checklists for Parents Visiting Potential Child Care Providers

The ChildCare.gov website is anticipated to go live early in 2018.

States, Territories and all stakeholders will be given access to an open source HTML template containing the consumer education topics listed above which can be adapted and branded to meet their child care consumer education needs.  Please refer to the Childcare.gov Project Technical Resources page for additional resources.

ChildCare.gov is

Childcare.gov is not
  • A requirement of CCDBG Reauthorization
  • Connected to state/territory/local systems, if available
  • One entry point for families seeking information and support
  • In English and Spanish
  • A national database
  • A duplication of state/territory systems already in place

 

National Toll-Free Hotline

The Act also includes a requirement for a National toll-free Hotline. This hotline will connect persons to their state or territory to report (anonymously if desired) violations of health and safety requirements which may include suspected child abuse by an eligible child care provider. The hotline will not take reports of violations in child care, but will connect callers to the state entity authorized to enforce child care regulations where the reported violation took place.  

The existing Child Care Aware (CCA) Consumer Education Hotline funded by OCC can provide a “warm handoff” through the CCA Consumer Education Hotline and connect callers who want to report a violation to the entity responsible for accepting and investigating health, safety and child abuse violations in their state. The CCA Hotline number is: 1(800) 424-2246.

The National Hotline is

National Hotline is not
  • A response to CCDBG requirements
  • Toll free
  • In English and Spanish
  • An additional pathway for parents to learn how to report health and safety and other violations in states
  • A child care referral call center
  • A connected service to ChildCare.gov
  • A federal investigatory system

Important Links

Please refer to the Childcare.gov Project Technical Resources page for additional resources.

Contact Us

For additional questions or comments related to the National Website and Hotline Project, please contact Paula.Smith@ACF.hhs.gov.

 

 

Last Reviewed: October 2, 2018