Rules, regulations, costs, and recommendations for child care centers in Iowa.

Policy statement prepared by the Child Care Policy Subcommittee.

Information about the six associations in Iowa and the services they offer the providers.

Includes information for home child care providers on : toys, books, equipment, businss forms and procedures, health and safety information, child development stages, nutrition, children with disabilities, child abuse and neglect mandatory reporting, professional development, also includes a Din back pocket of additional resources for parents and providers.

The Child and Family Policy Center convened key stakeholders during 2011 and again in 2013 to identify needed improvements to the state's child-care system. This plan reflects the input of focus groups of parents and providers held around Iowa and a planning committee of representatives from public and nonprofit organizations involved with child care. Affordable, high-quality child care provides a strong foundation for children's future well-being and improves the state's workforce now and later. Iowa's child care system has a strong base to build on, but too often falls short. This document is an update to a five-year child care improvement plan created in late 2011. Iowa has made several important gains since then--including two increases to provider reimbursement rates under child care assistance--but work remains in three major areas: (1) Affordability; (2) Availability; and (3) Quality. This brief document outlines important approaches and key strategies are in each of these areas.