Department for Child Care & Development
INFORMATION
The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is a federal and state partnership program authorized under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (CCDBG) and administered by states, territories, and tribes with funding and support from the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Child Care (OCC). CCDF is used to provide financial assistance to low-income families to access childcare so they can work or attend a job training or educational program.
The Navajo Nation implements and provides CCDF services through Navajo Nation Department for Child Care & Development (DCCD). DCCD is under the Executive Branch of the Navajo Nation government and is a department under the Division of Social Services.
PURPOSE
OCC allows tribes the flexibility to utilize the CCDF grant to meet the purposes as outlined below:
- Develop child care programs and policies that best suit the needs of children and parents within the service delivery area
- Promote parental choice to empower working parents to make their own decisions regarding the child care services that best suits their family’s needs;
- Provide consumer education information to help parents make informed choices about child care services and to promote involvement by parents and family members in the development of their children in child care settings;
- Deliver high-quality, coordinated early childhood care and education services to maximize parents’ options and support parents trying to achieve independence from public assistance;
- Improve the overall quality of child care services and programs by implementing health, safety, licensing, training, and oversight standards
- Improve child care and development of participating children
- Increase the number and percentage of low-income children in high quality child care settings.
DIRECT SERVICES
DCCD provides childcare services to the Navajo Nation through five (5) regions: Chinle Region, Ft. Defiance Region, Northern Region, Western Region, and Eastern Region. Within each region DCCD has a casework unit that provides eligibility determination for families and individuals interested in being independent providers. In addition, each region has child care centers that provide quality child care services to children from 6 months to 13 years of age. DCCD has three (3) types of child care categories: tribally operated child care centers; independent providers; and relative providers.
Tribally Operated Child Care Centers
Independent Providers
Relative Providers
SERIVCE DELIVERY AREA
The Service Delivery Area (SDA) for DCCD includes the Navajo Nation and the border town communities as listed below:
- Arizona: Grand Canyon, Joseph City, Marble Canyon, Flagstaff, Snowflake, Holbrook, Page, Wupatki, and Winslow.
- New Mexico: Farmington, Aztec, Bloomfield, Magdalena, Cuba, Kirtland, Grants, Milan, Socorro, and Gallup.
Please contact your local DCCD Office to request additional information.
ELIGIBILITY
DCCD has eligibility requirements for the following:
- Child Care Assistance
- At minimum the child must be between the ages of Six (6) months and up to 13 years of age.
- The child must be an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation if residing within the identified border towns OR another federally recognized tribe if residing within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation.
- Note: Income may be a factor in determining eligibility, please contact your local DCCD Office for more information.
- Qualifying Provider
- Independent licensed and Relative/Family members may apply to become a DCCD provider. A complete federal background check is required of all non-relative providers. The provider must meet qualification standards, such as possession of a first aid certificate and CPR card for infants and children. Additional qualifying factors may be required.
- Note: Please contact your local DCCD Office for more information regarding relative care and independent provider information.
