From recruitment to ongoing training and troubleshooting, this Child Trends brief argues that good management is key to maintaining well-trained and well-prepared frontline staff in after-school programs. Good directors create a positive climate and supportive environment for participants and staff and they use relevant data to set new goals.

A recent NACCRRA survey found that parents look for quality when they seek child care, but until now it has been hard to find out if a program has been inspected and licensed. A research study in Florida has found that quality of care, especially for low-income children, improved when licensing and other standards were available online. Check the NACCRRA map to find inspection information for a program in your state.

Zero to Three offers a searchable database with information on state policies and initiatives that impact infants, toddlers and their families.

This Child Trends brief distills lessons from roundtable discussions for improving the reach and effectiveness of New Mexico's school-based services like after-school programs and health services.

Finding quality, affordable child care can be difficult for any parent. For those with a special needs child, it can also be a very confusing and emotional experience. Rebecca Freshour looks at what the law says, and what parents need to know to find care for their children.

Newsflash is it isn't—many families know this too well—but a new national survey finds that child care is expensive. In fact, in 49 states, child care fees for two kids of any age exceed the median cost of rent. Low-wage families with very young children are especially hard hit. The report calls for more federal, state, and local investment in high-quality child care. (The 2006 federal budget has been criticized for failing to provide adequate child care funds for all low-wage workers.)

When it comes to meeting the costs of child care, many low-income families eligible for help don't access it, and some states may not be doing enough to reach families not already involved in benefit programs. This National Center for Children in Poverty research brief looks at what's known about the characteristics of families using public subsidies for child care—and finds that, for example, families with children ages birth through 5 are more likely to use subsidies than those with older children, and African American mothers appear more likely to tap into child care help than mothers of other racial/ethnic backgrounds.

Provides information on family services, family child care homes, adoption, scholarships, elder care, volunteers, and non-profit spouse clubs. A helpful source of information on programs, and eligibility requirements for the US Coast Guard.

Too many children who go into foster care emerge years later with few skills, no high school diploma, and serious educational deficits. Letitia L. Star reports on a Chicago program that helps.

The Urban Institute reports that interviews with 13 state SCHIP administrators in September and October 2003 indicate that cuts to SCHIP in FY 2003 were more widespread than in 2002. Two of the study states reduced benefits for children and two-thirds reported new efforts to simplify enrollment and renewal procedures. Large states such as California and New York implemented innovative initiatives to enroll more children or dramatically expanded outreach spending. Every state participating in the survey reported that SCHIP programs retained strong political support and fared quite well, relative to other state programs.