Connecting California Families for Brighter Futures

The Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) was awarded state Preschool Development Grant (PDG) funding to administer Parent Cafés. This program is family-based and parent-led, focusing on peer-to-peer learning centered around five evidence-based protective factors that strengthen family support systems. CCRC's Connecting California Families (CCF) initiative was developed to oversee statewide administration of Cafés, using a regional approach with Resource & Referral (R&R) providers.

A subsequent Preschool Development Grant (PDG-I) was awarded to continue the Parent Cafés program. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CCF initiative adapted by providing virtual Parent Café training, support, and resources to Resource & Referral (R&R) agencies facilitating Cafés in their local communities. Additionally, CCF expanded Cafés curriculum to better address personal well-being by integrating the successful Be Strong Families Vitality Cafés material.

Due to success in the prior grant cycles, CCF was awarded the Preschool Development Grant Renewal (PDG-R) on a three-year cycle to continue the work of the Parent Cafés and new innovative work piloting Cafés for Providers, including home visitation staff.

Utilizing PDG-R funding, CCF introduced the evidence-based Community of Practice (CoP) toolkit to guide Regional Leads across the state in strengthened collaborative practices internally and cross-organizationally, resulting in better internal coordination of services, increased capacity within local regions, and intentional partnerships with child-care communities.

Through PDG-R funding, CCF established a partnership with the Tribal Child Care Association of CA (TCCAC), expanding Parent Cafe Train-The-Trainer series to child care providers in tribal communities across the state. CCF also expanded Cafe curriculum to include brain development material, in collaboration with Zero to Three’s The Growing Brain training series.

Year three of PDG-R, CCF collaborated with the American Psychological Association to develop Café conversations to include support for positive parent skills through ACT Raising Safe Kids.

While continuing the work under PDG-R, CCF also received three years of funding from the largest state union, Child Care Providers United (CCPU), to implement Trauma Informed Care training and expand Provider Cafés to Family Child Care (FCC) and Family Friend & Neighbor (FFN) providers across the state.

CCRC received an additional extension for six months of PDG-R to continue Parent Café work with our Resource & Referrals (R&Rs) across the state, support in Community of Practice building, and Café training and technical assistance in tribal communities.

During 2024, CCF kicked off a Statewide Data Project in collaboration with 10 partner agencies from across the state. Through an expansion in funding, CCF was also able to compensate providers in a total of $44,312.50 for time spent attending training.