Child Care of Southwest Florida, Inc.

Programs: The organization currently has 116 employees in southwest florida, serving an average of 662 children annually at 6 child care centers in hendry and lee county. The organization's centers are accredited through national accreditation commission (nac) for early care and education programs. The centers provide families with high quality, family centered child care, preparing children for school success.

the organization administers the child care food program (ccfp), a federal program that provides healthy meals and snacks to children in participating child care center and family child care homes. This program entitles children to receive nutritionally balanced meals and snacks, while providing caregivers with the necessary training, menu planning and usda nutritional guidelines. The organization paid 4,903,792 to providers which served 95 unaffiliated child care centers and 265 family child care homes on a monthly basis during the year ended june 30, 2015.

the organization, with a contract from the department of children and families, provides the child care mandated training for child care personnel and family child care home providers. The child care training department is also responsible for the administration of the competency- based exams that are required in order to complete the mandated training courses. The organization provides training and competency exams in 5 counties; lee, charlotte, hendry, collier, and glades. During the year ended june 30, 2015, the organization had 601 enrollments in instructor-led classes, and 8,562 online courses sold.

the organization has been licensed by the commission of independent education and approved by the department of children and families to offer the florida child care professional credential (fccpc) course. The fccpc, formerly the cdae, requires 120 class hours and candidate documentation comprised of a professional resource file and formal observation. Students completing the fccpc will have obtained the state required staff credential and may use this fccpc to apply for the national cda. All instructors are highly qualified in early childhood and meet stringent criteria established by the state. Class discussion, assignments, field trips, and hands on activities are included in the course. The instructors are available for assistance and support if needed and perform formal observations before classes are completed. The organization provided 7,232 competency tests to professionals during the year ended june 30, 2015.