Waiting lists tend to be long at some centers
and preschools, so make visiting facilities,
narrowing down options, and getting on
waiting lists a priority when you first move
into town. Parents can get information on
individual childcare facilities (i.e. licensing,
accreditation) through the National Association for the Education of Young Children
and information about specific providers
through the Texas Department of Family and
Protective Services (DFPS).
The most helpful DFPS tool for parents is
the online database and search form on the
website that helps families locate nearby
providers. There, parents can select from
options that fit your family’s needs, such as:
• Type: Preference for a center or a
home-based operation;
• Age: Whether your child is newborn,
toddler, preschool or school age;
• Need: Whether your child requires
special care; or
• Hours: Help after school, part-time,
or on weekends
Parents can then enter their ZIP code and
get a list of providers that are close to home
or work. For more information, call the
daycare information hotline at 800-862-5252
or visit www.dfps.state.tx.us/Child_Care.
For general information and childcare
resources, visit www.dfps.state.tx.us.
The DFPS website also lists childcare standards and regulations, as well as protects
children against abuse or neglect. Report
suspected abuse issues by calling 800-252-
5400, or through the secure DFPS website:
www.txabusehotline.org.
CHILDCARE INFORMATION
AND ORGANIZATIONS
The following are resources for local
and national childcare information and
organizations. For additional information – and to see a more comprehensive
listing of area childcare resources and
preschools – visit www.savvysource.com/
preschools/c_preschools_in_austin_tx.
Austin Child Guidance Center
810 West 45th Street, Austin 78751
512-451-2242; www.austinchildguidance.org
Focused on the mental health and well being
of children, the Austin Child Guidance
Center has been helping children under 18
and their families gain the emotional skills
to meet life’s challenges since 1951. With a
sliding fee scale, children and families from
all income levels can access the professional,
high-quality services they need and deserve.
The Center for Successful Fathering
13740 Research Blvd., Suite L- 2
Austin 78750; 512-335-8106
The Center for Successful Fathering was
founded on the belief that children need
the balance of Mom and Dad. The Center
fo-cuses its efforts on identifying successful
fathers and exploring the reasons for their
success. The Center creates supporting
mate-rials to demonstrate that involved
fathers are necessary for the complete development of a child.
Child Care Aware
380 Lafayette Road, Suite 103
Saint Paul, MN 55107; 651-290-9704
www.childcareawaremn.org
A program of the National Association of
Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies
(see listing below), Child Care Aware is a
national initiative to “help parents find the
best information on locating quality child
care and child care resources in their community by connecting parents with the local
agencies best equipped to serve their needs.”
Child, Inc.
818 East 53rd Street, Austin 78751
512-451-7361 or 800-222-4051
www.childinc.org
Child, Inc. is an early childhood education program that provides Head Start and
Early Head Start services – comprehensive
child development programs serving low-income children from birth to age 5, pregnant
women, and their families.
Extend-A-Care for Kids
55 N. IH- 35, Austin 78702
512-472-9402; www.eackids.org
Extend-A-Care for Kids offers on-site, after-
school childcare at elementary schools in
Austin, Del Valle and Hays Consolidated
ISDs. The program includes outdoor and
indoor activities including time for reading
and homework, supervised sports, field trips,
creative arts, table games, math and science
projects, music, dramatic play, cooking, and
health and safety.
Institute for Child Care Excellence
(formerly The Fund for Childcare Excellence)
P.O. Box 90723, Austin 78709
512-301-5557; www.naccp.org
Created by the Austin City Council in 1999
to address childcare quality and affordability,
the former Fund for Child Care Excellence
became the Institute for Child Care Excellence
in 2005 and is now part of the National Association of Child Care Professionals (NACCP).
The ICEE “provides a system to improve
the quality, accessibility and affordability of
child care.” Programs include college scholarships for childcare workers, fellowships for
experienced childcare staff, community wide
director training, awards ceremonies, and
family-friendly business awards.
National Association of Child Care
Resource & Referral Agencies
20001 Prairie Street, Chatsworth, CA 91311
818-717-1000; www.ccrcca.org
NACCRRA is a national network of more
than 800 childcare resource and referral
centers (CCR&Rs) to ensure that “families
in every community have access to high-quality, affordable childcare.”
National Association for the Education of
Young Children
1313 L St. N. W., Washington, D.C. 20005
202-232-8777; www.naeyc.org
NAEYC is focused on “the quality of educational and developmental services for all
children from birth through age 8,” including
improving professional practice and working
conditions in early childhood education;
supporting early childhood programs by
working to achieve a high-quality system of
early childhood education; and building an
