Beltrami County child care programs earn Parent Aware ratings

Feb. 22—BEMIDJI — Desiree Wickman and Kelli Ostby's child care programs in Beltrami County recently earned ratings from Parent Aware, an organization that offers help to families seeking quality child care and education.

"These child care programs all volunteered to go above and beyond basic health and safety requirements and use best practices to support child development," a release said. "The experiences children have during their first years of life will shape the adults they become, making it especially important for all children to have access to quality care and early education."

With few exceptions, any licensed child care provider is eligible to go through the Parent Aware process and receive a rating. They receive coaching, training, grants, higher Child Care Assistance reimbursement rates, and the ability to accept Early Learning Scholarships, the release said.

"These Parent Aware rated programs have gone above and beyond to build themselves as professionals in the early childhood field," Cherida Even, professional development advisor for the Northwest Child Care Aware District, said in the release. "I am proud to see these early educators recognized for their commitment to providing high-quality care for children."

Over 2,900 programs in Minnesota have received Parents Aware ratings, for which a full list is available at

www.parentaware.org.

___

(c)2024 The Bemidji Pioneer (Bemidji, Minn.)

Visit The Bemidji Pioneer (Bemidji, Minn.) at www.bemidjipioneer.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.