|
Services To Parents
Parents receive free help
locating licensed child care by calling the telephone referral line,
faxing us a referral request, submitting a referral using our on-line form or Child Care Connector: On-line Child Care Search.
Phone Referral Line: 405-525-3111 or 1- 800-438-0008
Hispanic Speaking Line:
405-525-8783
Fax Line: 405-525-0752
Live Phone Hours:
Monday through Thursday: 8:00AM - 6:00PM
Friday: 8:00AM - 5:00PM
1st and 3rd Saturday: 9AM - NOON
Assistance With Selecting Quality Child Care
Our referral specialists help families clarify their
needs, make sense of options and become well informed, quality
conscious consumers. Tailored referrals are made from up-to-date listings
of family child care homes, child care centers, before and after school
care, summer activities, and part day preschool programs. For a
complete description of these child care options click here.
Our referrals will match your needs based on the age of
your child, days and hours you need child
care, and the location most convenient for you. Rainbow Fleet Resource
and Referral provides only referrals--we do not provide recommendations
for any particular child care program. As with any decision regarding
your children, you as a parent must carefully evaluate your choices and
select the child care that you find most appropriate for your child.
Before making child care arrangements, we encourage you to:
1.
Review our checklist of items to consider when evaluating child
care programs.
Checklist for:
Family Child
Care Homes
Child Care
Centers
School Age
Programs
2.
Visit more than one program before making a decision. Bring your
checklist with you.
3.
Make an appointment with the DHS child care licensing office to
view each program's licensing file. To contact the DHS child care
licensing office in your area click here.
4.
Ask the child care provider about their Star rating. Star
ratings are indicative of the provider's level of training in early
childhood education, their commitment to providing an approved
curriculum, reading to children and involving parents in their child
care program. For more information on Oklahoma's Reaching for the Stars
ratings click here.
Child Care Options
Child Care
Center - A facility which provides care for 8 or more
children and operates for more than thirty hours per week and must be
licensed by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS).
Family Child
Care Home - a residential home where care is provided
for 7 or fewer children for the 24-hour day. Family child care homes
must be licensed through DHS.
Large Family
Child Care Home - a residential home where care is provided
for no more than 12 children part of the 24-hour day. Ratios apply for
ages of children and in most cases an assistant is required. Family
child care homes must be licensed by through DHS.
Preschool
- A facility which provides care for 8 or more children which operates
for less than 30 hours per week; if operating for more than 15 hours
per week the program must be licensed through DHS.
Part-time/Drop
In - care for children usually on a temporary basis,
for part day and part week. (ex. Mother's Day
Out, support groups for parents, or drop-in centers).
Camps (Summer)
- Programs that offer full or part day summer activities.
Nanny Services
- Care in the child's home by a certified nanny, the nanny may or may
not live within the home. Rainbow Fleet Resource & Referral can
refer you to the nanny placement agencies.
Information on
Paying for Child Care
Depending on your income, family size and number of
children needing care, you may be eligible to receive DHS assistance in
paying for licensed child care in programs that have contracts with
DHS. For more information on eligibility and rates click here.
For basic licensing
requirements related to the age of the child(ren)
care is needed visit: http://www.okdhs.org/childcare/DivisionInfo/LIcenseReq.htm
Parenting Resources
Parenting your children is the most important job you
will ever have, and possibly the most difficult. Fortunately, there are
many helpful resources available to provide you with information on
child development and successful parenting techniques. Among the many
valuable resources you can find on the internet, we recommend you visit
these:
Back
to Parent Services
Services to Providers
Providers of
child care receive technical assistance, top quality training, and a
link to families who seek their services.
Becoming a
Licensed Child Care Provider
There is a huge need for quality, licensed child care
in Oklahoma.
Licensed providers are especially needed to care for children during
non-traditional work hours such as evenings, overnight and weekends. If
you are interested in taking your concern for children and turning it
into a much-needed child care business we can help. Rainbow Fleet
Resource and Referral can provide you with consultation on starting a
child care business, becoming licensed, and increasing your chances for
a successful child care business.
Please fill out our on-line potential provider form or contact the DHS
child care licensing office in your area click here.
Receiving Parent Referrals
When you sign up with Rainbow Fleet Resource and
Referral, we put your business information on our database. Then when a
parent contacts us for assistance in finding child care, we may give
them your name and phone number if your business is located near them
and your program/schedule fits their needs. If you would like to
contact us to sign up your licensed child care business with us, you
can call us at 405-525-3111 or 1-800-438-0008, or email us at lbrooks@rainbowfleet.org
Technical Assistance
Rainbow Fleet Resource & Referral staff is
available by phone or email Monday through
Thursday: 8:00AM - 6:00PM, Friday: 8:00AM - 5:00PM, 1st and
3rd Saturday: 9AM - NOON to provide you with
consultation regarding your child care business. Feel free to contact
us with any questions you may have about your child care business or
working with parents and children. You may reach us at 405-525-3111 or
1-800-438-0008, or by email at ccc@rainbowfleet.org.
Training
Rainbow Fleet offers many training and workshop
opportunities throughout the year for child care providers. If you sign
up with Rainbow Fleet Resource & Referral, you will be placed on
our mailing list and will receive our newsletters
and training schedules four times per year. In addition to the training
we provide, Rainbow Fleet Resource & Referral will keep you
informed of other training opportunities in your area. All training we
provide counts toward your training requirements for DHS licensing and
qualifies for Stars training hours. For more information on DHS Stars
training requirements click here. To learn more about Rainbow Fleet's
training opportunities for providers click here. For information on
other training opportunities you may view the Center for Early
Childhood Professional Development website by clicking here.
Resource Library
Rainbow Fleet has a resource library filled with books
addressing such topics as: child development, building a quality child
care program, children's activities, and children's books. Our lending
library is available to child care providers who are on our database as
well as parents and is open Monday through
Thursday: 8:00AM - 5:00PM, Friday: 8:00AM - 5:00PM, 1st and
3rd Saturday: 9AM - NOON and during scheduled
training workshops. There is a minimal charge of $25.00 for
Family Child Care Homes and Families, $40.00 for Small Centers (59
children or less), and $60.00 for Large Centers (60+ children). You may
contact us ahead of time to request a specific book or topic, or you
may stop by and browse our library. We are located on the Southeast corner of NW 30th and Dewey at
3024 Paseo in Oklahoma City.
We can be reached at 405-521-1426 or 1-800-438-008, or by email at ccc@rainbowfleet.org. Please
call to schedule an appointment after 5:00PM or on Saturday.
Child Care Food Program
We offer a USDA child nutrition program that is
available for licensed family child care homes. This federally funded
program helps children receive the nutrition they need by reimbursing
child care providers for the cost of serving food that meets USDA
guidelines. For more information on our Food Program click here.
Other Provider Resources
Starting up and maintaining a child care business may
sound like an overwhelming undertaking. Fortunately, there are many
resources available to help you build a quality, successful and FUN
child care business. Among the many valuable resources you can find on
the internet, we recommend you visit these:
Back to Provider Services
Services to Businesses
Businesses receive assistance to help employees balance
their work and family needs. Enhanced referrals for employees and work
place seminars for parents are among available services.
Enhanced Referrals for Employees
All Oklahomans in our service delivery area have access
to our free child care referral service. This service includes a list
of potential child care providers that fit the criteria specified by
the employee. For a fee we provide enhanced referrals,
which allows your employee to obtain the names of child care
providers that meet the needs of the family and actually have vacancies
for the employee's child. This service saves your employees time spent
calling child care providers who may not have vacancies. To find out
more about obtaining enhanced referrals for your employees, contact
Lisa Fry at 405-525-3111 or by email at ccc@rainbowfleet.org.
Workplace Seminars & Health Fairs
Our child development specialists can provide lunchtime
seminars for your employees at the work site. Topics include: How to
Choose Quality Child Care, What is Quality Child Care, How to Pay for
Child Care, Balancing Work and Family, Ages and Stages of Childhood,
Do's and Don'ts of Discipline.
Our Resource & Referral Specialists are available
to attend employer-sponsored health fairs, share information and answer
questions about child care resources and issues.
Tip Sheets and Publications for Employees
Rainbow Fleet Resource & Referral can provide you
tip sheets with information about child care and parenting issues.
These tip sheets can be included in paycheck envelopes or posted as
bulletin board items. We can also provide you with items to be included
in your business newsletter or on your website.
Assistance with Creating/Supporting Child Care
Services for Employees
Rainbow Fleet Resource & Referral can provide
employees with information on developing child care services for their employees.
Options include: on-site or near-site care; partnering with other
employers; utilizing a family child care network; obtaining back-up,
sick child, holiday, or odd-hour care for employees; and utilizing
before/after school and summer programs for employees' children.
Consultation on Child Care Benefits &
Family-Friendly Policies for Employees
Rainbow Fleet Resource & Referral can provide
consultation services to employers interested in developing a more
family-friendly work environment for their employees. We can provide
you with information on the advantages and considerations of creating
flex-time and leave policies geared toward working parents as well as
information on providing financial assistance benefits for employees.
In addition, we can consult with you about the tax benefits that are
available for employers who support child care.
Information on Child Care Trends
Through our membership with the Oklahoma Child Care
Resource & Referral Association, Rainbow Fleet Resource &
Referral has access to statewide, up-to-date information on child care
trends and supply and demand information. This is valuable information
for employers seeking to attract and retain quality employees.
Employer Resources
Research indicates that high quality care for young
children directly affects the productivity of both the current and
future workforce. Our Employer Child Care Resources can provide you
with the tools to help you address the economic well-being of your
enterprise, your employees, and your community.
For more resources to help your business meet employee
child care needs, we recommend you visit these sites:
Back to Business Services
Services to the Community
Community citizens, agencies, news media and local
governments have access to a wealth of information on child care trends
including cost surveys and supply and demand data.
Agency Profile
Resource & Referral is a program of Rainbow Fleet,
a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance the quality of life
for children by providing innovative, educational, child development
programs and support services for children, their families and child
care professionals. Rainbow Fleet has been providing services to
families in central Oklahoma
since 1972.
Rainbow Fleet Resource and Referral is a member of the
Oklahoma Child Care Resource & Referral Association, a statewide
network of nine regional child care resource and referral agencies. The
Association provides funding and support to Rainbow Fleet Resource
& Referral so we can offer quality child care resource and referral
services to families, child care providers, businesses, and the
community. Funding is provided by the Oklahoma Department of Human
Services Division of Child Care through the Child Care Development
Block Grant.
Rainbow Fleet Resource & Referral serves Oklahomans
living, working or seeking child care in the following counties: Oklahoma and Cleveland
Contact Information
The Rainbow Fleet Resource & Referral office is
located at 3024 Paseo in Oklahoma
City, on the southeast corner
of 30th and Dewey (also named Paseo). Just
look for the Rainbow awning over our door!
Our office is open Monday thru Friday from 8:00AM to
5:00PM
If you need to visit the resource library in the
evening or on Saturdays, please call us to schedule an appointment.
Address:
Rainbow Fleet Child Care
Resource & Referral
3024 Paseo
Oklahoma
City,
OK 73103
Phone: 405-521-1426
405-525-3111 or 1-800-438-0008
Fax: 405-525-0752
Email: ccc@rainbowfleet.org
Job Openings
Rainbow Fleet Resource & Referral currently has no
openings at this time.
Advocacy
Recent research on the human brain indicates that "by age three, the brain is 90 percent
adult size and the emotional, behavioral, cognitive and social
foundation for the rest of life is in place." [from Biological
Relativity: Time and the Developing Child by Bruce D. Perry, M.D.,
Ph.D.] With this knowledge in hand, we as child advocates
have the responsibility to urge those in our community and our state
who have the ability to shape public policy to consider the importance
of supporting quality early educational opportunities for our children.
For more information on how to become an effective advocate we
recommend you visit these sites:
|
