The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has announced a reorganization that establishes an Office of Child Care (OCC) that will administer the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF).

The CCDF provides child care subsidies for 1.6 million children in low-income families each month and works to improve the quality of child care in states, territories, and tribes across the country.

“Early childhood development is a key priority for this administration,” said David A. Hansell, acting assistant secretary for children and families. “The creation of an Office of Child Care will strengthen the quality of child care and maximize the program’s effectiveness in achieving its dual goals of supporting employment for low-income families and promoting healthy development and school success for children.”

The OCC, which will replace the current Child Care Bureau, will elevate child care issues within ACF and facilitate direct collaboration with the Office of Head Start and other key agencies on a wide range of intersecting program and policy matters.

In addition to working with early childhood programs the OCC will work to expand the number of high quality early learning and school age care choices for working families, and continue to provide funding for states, territories and tribes to provide child care assistance to low-income families and improve the quality of child care.

For more information on the Office of Child Care visit http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/.

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Written by: Editor

Published: 05 October 2010