Looking for Childcare
What is Resource and Referral ?
Child Care Resource and Referral (R&R) agencies are located in every county in California. Over the last four decades, R&R services have evolved from a grassroots effort to help parents find child care, to a well-developed system that supports parents, providers, and local communities in finding, planning for, and providing affordable, quality child care.
The state supported these efforts through the California Department of Education, Child Development Division, and now through the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Child Care & Development Division (CCDD) since 1979.
Local resource and referral agencies:​
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Help parents find child care that best meets their family needs
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Partner with Community Care Licensing to maintain comprehensive databases of child care providers in their communities, including licensed family child care homes and child care centers.​
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Work with providers, training and other services, to improve the quality of child care and to maintain and expand the supply of child care in each county,
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Educate and Advocate local communities and leaders to understand child care issues and to plan effectively to address child care needs
R&R services are free and available to all parents and child care providers.
Childcare Search
At Marin Child Care Council, we provide help by connecting families with childcare providers. Our Resource & Referral team keeps an active database of childcare providers in Marin County that includes Family Child Care, centers, preschools and nursery schools. Our Resource & Referral specialists meet one-on-one with families to provide referrals that fit their unique circumstances.
Choosing the best childcare for your child can be a difficult decision – there are so many things to consider. Marin Child Care Council can help guide you in making the right decision for your family.
Marin Child Care Council offers free and convenient ways to obtain referrals to child care programs in your area. ​
1. Call and Speak to a Resource and Referral Specialist.
Dial the referral line at 415.479.2273 to speak with a childcare referral specialist. Spanish-speaking
counselors are available.
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2. Stop by. The MC3 Resource & Referral office is open from 9-3, Monday- Friday.
3. Email Us and one of our Resource & Referral Specialists will contact you directly. If you have any questions
about the referral process, or for an enhanced referral contact referrals@mc3.org.
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4. Please check out the following guides "Choosing child care" ​
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5. Do it yourself through "mychildcareplan.org"below.​
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Oliver's Law
What is Oliver’s Law?
Oliver’s Law (AB458), which took effect January 1, 2000, requires Resource and Referral Programs (like Marin Child Care Council) and Alternative Payment Programs to advise every person who requests a child care referral of his or her right to the licensing information on any licensed child care facility.
What does this law mean to parents looking for child care?
When a parent calls Marin Child Care Council for a referral, all referral counselors must advise them of their right to obtain licensing information, which includes reports pertaining to visits and substantiated complaint investigations of licensed child care facilities. Counselors must also strongly recommend that parents review a potential child care provider's licensing history before placing their child in a child care program.
What do you do when you call for licensing information?
Marin Child Care Council recommends that you narrow your selection of childcare providers before calling the licensing agency. You will need to know the provider’s full name for Family Child Care Homes, and business name for Child Care Centers, city, and county.
What if the program is not licensed?
Depending on child care needs, referrals may be made to licensed exempt child care centers, such as parent coops, recreation programs, and school based programs. Marin Child Care Council recommends that parents who are referred to exempt programs ask the program staff about their complaint policies.
Where can parents access the licensing history of a child care provider?
To access a child care program’s licensing information, you can:
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ask the family child care home provider or the center director for their licensing records. By law, they must show you this information for the past three years.
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call Community Care Licensing (CCL) at 1-844-LET-US-NO.
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make an appointment to look at the licensing information at your local regional office.
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search the online CCL Facility Search.​
Marin Child Care Council provides referrals, not recommendations to child care programs because we feel that parents are the ones who can best choose the child care that meets their family’s needs.
Megan's Law
What is Megan’s Law?
Since 2004, the public has been able to view information on sex offenders required to register with local law enforcement under California's Megan's Law. Megan's Law provides the public with certain information on the whereabouts of sex offenders so that parents may have greater awareness of the surroundings around their home, school or other places within the community.
The law is not intended to punish the registrant and specifically prohibits using the information to harass or commit any crime against a registrant (Pen. Code § 290.46.).
​To begin your search please visit the following website: