Bridge Program for Foster Children Data from 12 Sample Counties
The Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for foster children works to connect child welfare and early care and education systems in each county across the state to provide emergency child care vouchers, child care navigators, and trauma-informed care (TIC) training and coaching to child care providers. In January 2020, the Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) Research team began conducting a two-year study of the Bridge Program to determine lessons learned that could help guide continuous program improvement. This resource was shared during the fourth webinar in the Child Welfare and Early Childhood: Cross-Systems Collaboration to Improve Outcomes for Young Children and Their Families series.
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Leading an Early Childhood Team Through the Quality Improvement Process
Article October 7, 2026
Published in Young Children, this 2024 article provides an operational guide for aligning state QIS requirements with broader national standards, quality grants, and staff incentives.
Much-Needed Changes in Child Care Quality Rating and Improvement Systems Should Promote Equity
Blog October 7, 2026
Blog authors Gina Adams and Danielle Ewen outline systemic flaws in traditional models. This 2024 blog details how traditional QRIS frameworks often inadequately support parents, underinvest in actual center improvement, and inadvertently exacerbate funding inequalities among diverse childcare providers.
Four Trends in Early Care and Education Quality Rating and Improvement Systems
Fact Sheet October 7, 2026
This 2024 brief evaluates Parent Aware (Minnesota's system) and synthesizes interviews across six states (Delaware, Louisiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Washington). It identifies critical, modern pathways for administrators looking to overhaul and redesign state frameworks.