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Introducing Child Care Wayfinder

Matt Carlson/October 11, 2022
Nursery children playing with teacher in the classroom

Child Care Wayfinder is a one-stop navigation network for starting and growing child care programs. The network is staffed by local navigators at regional Child Care Aware agencies and Minnesota Tribal Resources for Early Childhood Care (MNTRECC). Our local navigators act as resource guides. We accompany new programs through the licensing process, we assess business and program needs, we make referrals to partners, and we help family child care owners/operators and center directors bring together and put to use all the support they receive.

Our goal is to increase access to child care statewide. The first step is targeted outreach and recruitment to maintain and increase child care capacity in communities with the lowest access. Then, we make sure that the child care programs most in need of support are connected to the many resources available.

The 2021 Minnesota Legislature mandated the creation of Child Care Wayfinder, then referred to as a one-stop assistance network for child care, by directing the Minnesota Department of Human Services to use funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to establish the network.

The Child Care Wayfinder website guides potential child care programs through the licensing process and connects them to the navigator in their area. To learn more about Child Care Wayfinder and connect with a local navigator, visit the Connect With A Navigator page or call 888.986.8207.

Matt Carlson

Child Care Capacity Building Coordinator. Matt coordinates the Child Care Wayfinder network, which is made up of Child Care Startup and Retention Navigators around the state who are available to help individuals and organizations with starting and growing child care programs. In his role, he provides support to local agencies and their navigators as they refine their technical assistance processes and execute local strategies that contribute to the goal of increasing access to child care for families in Minnesota.