When the Collaborative refers to child care, it means any program:

• serving children from birth to age 12
• having an education component and provides a nurturing caring environment.

Child care under the Collaborative umbrella includes environments which might be called: 

• Child care;
• Child development;
• Day care;
• Family child care;
• Head Start;
• Pre-K;
• Preschool;
• School-age or after school programs or
• School Readiness.

All consumers and investors need to know that it shouldn’t matter what you call it or where you get it, but that there are certain quality indicators that are met. Often programs are called by the names attached to funding, not by the services provided. If you’re not sure, ASK what’s provided and the qualifications of those providing the service.