COVID-19 Guidance for Early Learning and Care
California Department of Education, Early Learning and Care California Department of Social Services
Families
Learn about quality early learning and care and connect to your local Resource and Referral Agency to help you find high-quality child care.
Child Care Providers
Find resources and support to assist you in your commitment to quality early learning and care.
Quality Partners
Access Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) resources (for coaches and trainers, higher education faculty, assessors and observers, and QCC consortium members).
Policymakers
Access information to help communicate the value and importance of quality early learning and care.
- Provides access to tools and resources for quality partners like QRIS administrators, coaches, trainers, and higher education faculty.
- Links child care providers to resources and support to assist them in their commitment to quality early learning and care.
- Informs parents and families about the importance of quality early learning, and helps them identify quality early learning and care environments (i.e. family child care home or child care centers).
- Offers information and research to help policymakers communicate the value and importance of quality early learning and care.

Quality Counts
QCC focuses on quality early learning and care experiences because those experiences build the foundation for skills children need in school, work, and life. (Reference: Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child)- Quality early learning and care programs have environments, relationships, interactions, and activities to support all children’s growth and development to prepare them for success in school and life.
- Research continues to show that children who attend a quality early learning and care program are more likely to do well in school and less likely to drop out or need remedial supports later in their education.