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Parent Aware

Intro

Parent Aware offers free tools and resources for families and child care and early education programs. It can help you find child care, options for affording care, and tools and tips to find the right program for your child. Additionally, Parent Aware helps programs continuously improve their practices. Together, these supports help set children up for success in school and beyond.

Services/Topics
Eligibility

Eligibility

Minnesota families and child care and early education programs, including family child care programs and child care centers licensed by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families or Tribal Nations; certified and uncertified license-exempt public school prekindergarten programs and charter school early learning programs; and Early Head Start and Head Start programs. 

Benefits

Benefits

Free tools and resources for families and child care and early education programs. 

Resources
Featured Image
Group of kids playing with cars toys sitting on floor at kindergarten.
More Information

Information for families

Looking for child care in your area? Want tips and resources for finding the right program for your child? Parent Aware can help. It provides: 

  • A search tool to find child care programs near you 
  • Information on how to afford child care 
  • Star Ratings to help you identify programs that use best practices 
  • Guides and other tips to find the right program for your child
  • Resources on early childhood growth and development, financial assistance, medical programs, nutrition and housing.

Information for programs 

Parent Aware recognizes programs for their commitment to quality. Each Star Rating level builds on the previous one, helping families easily identify which quality practices the program is using. 

Parent Aware Ratings 

Licensed child care programs receive a One-Star Rating for being licensed, unless they opt out. When a program earns a Two-, Three-, or Four-Star Rating, they volunteer for additional training and use practices that go above and beyond licensing requirements.

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More about Parent Aware 

Parent Aware is Minnesota’s voluntary Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). Local Child Care Aware agencies, comprising Minnesota’s child care resource and referral system, provide support for Parent Aware in all counties and Tribal Nations in Minnesota. Parent Aware offers tools and resources to help families find quality child care and early education, and help programs improve their practices. Together, these supports help set children up for success in school and beyond. 

The state is required to provide a quality rating and improvement system under Section 142D.13 Minnesota Statutes.

For more information or to use our free online search tool visit ParentAware.org. Personalized help is available by calling 888.291.9811 or by using the website’s chat feature.