Child Care Aware Minnesota – Region 3
Child Care Aware of Minnesota – Northeast (Region 3) supports the professional development and growth of early care and education providers and programs in northeast Minnesota.
Child Care Aware of Minnesota is a resource for early childhood professionals in variety of areas, including:
- support in the licensing process,
- program policy and operation,
- quality improvement and training,
- start-up and expansion guidance,
- and more.
The Minnesota Northeast District – Region 3 serves providers working within the Minnesota counties of Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis.
For Help With
Child Care Aware general questions, email Regional Director, Jan Amys, or call her at (218) 740-7301. If you are a provider seeking assistance, contact a Coach or Navigator.
Resources for You
We offer no-charge support to those working in licensed family or center-based programs, as well as assisting those interested in entering the field or growing their existing child care business.
Training, Licensing, Program Improvement
Find training opportunities and credentials to support your ongoing professional development journey.
Grants and Other Funding
Whether you want to increase your level of education or improve the quality of your program, we offer grants and scholarships and can point you toward other funding opportunities, too.
Start-up and Expansion Support
If you want to expand your program or you’re interested in joining the field, we are here to lend a hand.
Who We Are, How We Help
Email can be the easiest way to reach our staff, who may be working remotely or traveling in the region. You can also sign up for Navigator help through the Child Care Wayfinder website and we will contact you.
Parent Aware Quality and CLASS Coaches
- Strengthen program quality by supporting clients to use best practices for early childhood education and care.
- Guide providers through the Parent Aware quality rating system and the Classroom Assessment Scoring System.
- Work with Professional Development Advisors to help providers access training to meet their goals for quality improvement.
- Advise programs on spending their quality improvement grants effectively.
- Reach out to local stakeholders and develop community partnerships that promote high-quality early care and education.
Child Care Start-up and Retention Navigators
Navigators work within the Child Care Wayfinder system, a free one-stop navigation network for child care programs to start or expand. They help providers to:
- Access resources that help them achieve their quality goals, such as licensing and training.
- Navigate the ins-and-outs of opening a child care center or a family child care.
- Better manage the business side of child care e.g. writing contracts, setting policies, or seeking small business loans or grants.
- Work with families to navigate the Early Learning Scholarships program, referrals to Help Me Grow MN, and resources from the Center for Inclusive Child Care.
- Find the support they need, so they can quickly get back to what they do best – care for Minnesota’s children.
Language Assistance Line
For Child Care Aware assistance in Hmong / Somali / Spanish, please call the numbers below.
- Yog xav tau kev pab txhais lus Hmoob, thov hu rau 651-366-6792.
- Si lagugu caawiyo Af Soomaali, fadlan wac 651-641-6673.
- Para asistencia en español/hmong/somalí por favor llame 651-641-6660.
This initiative is made possible, or funded in part, with a grant from the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families.