Child Care

To locate child care services in your community, click here to search the Pathfinder database. On the database search page, select your county and a service category then click on "Search."

You may be interested in these Pathfinder service categories related to Child Care: Early Intervention Program for Young Children, Respite Care Services. Click here to look up service definitions.

General Child Care Information (Tennessee)

Child care providers are encouraged to include children with disabilities. If they receive federal funds, they must ensure that no otherwise qualified child with a disability will be excluded.

The Tennessee Department of Human Services licenses Tennessee's child care providers and has a Child Care Services website that includes a statewide listing of child care providers . DHS's Child Care Services division also helps families choose appropriate care through resource and referral.

Child Care Resource and Referral Centers provide free child care location and counseling. Parents receive information regarding the components of "quality" care and what to look for when choosing quality care. The CCR&RCs also provide technical assistance, consultation, materials and resources to child care providers on developmentally appropriated practices, health related issues and practices, and assist providers to include children with disabilities in their programs. CCR&RCs provide onsite consultation to providers to assist them in problem solving child care, health and inclusion issues. In addition, CCR&RCs identify unmet training needs of providers and provide information on existing training opportunities or arrange for training when none exists.

Tennessee Family Child Care Alliance
The purpose of the Tennessee Family Child Care Alliance (TFCCA) is to promote and provide professional, high quality training, mentoring, support, and guidance for Family Child Care Providers across the State of Tennessee, thereby improving the quality of child care in the State of Tennessee.

General Child Care Information (National)

Jumpstart Their Future Campaign
Gives parents tips on identifying quality child care.

National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA)
Work with more than 800 state and local Child Care Resource & Referral agencies to ensure that families in every local community have access to high-quality, affordable child care. Leading a nationwide initiative to help child care programs develop disaster plans.

Care.com
A national resource to find Child Care, Senior Care, and Tutoring. Provides free background checks, pre-screened profiles, and recorded references.

National Child Care Information Center
The National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC), a project of the Child Care Bureau, is a national resource that links information and people to complement, enhance, and promote the child care delivery system, working to ensure that all children and families have access to high-quality comprehensive services.