CHILDREN’S HOME SOCIETY OF CALIFORNIA
CHS is a nonprofit, multi-service agency offering services based upon our historical
mission to help children and families. We are one of the most diversified child welfare
agencies in the United States, and this diversity allows us to assist children at many
different levels of need. More than 100,000 children, with their families, benefit each
year from CHS programs in seven areas of service: Child Care and Development, Community
Education, Family Assistance, Shelter Care, Foster Family Care, Group Home Care, Family
Support, and Adoption.
CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
The demand for child care services increases every day as more and more parents search
for safe, affordable, quality care for their children. With a century-long history of
services to children and families, Children’s Home Society of California (CHS) has
taken a leading role in identifying and meeting the needs of families in this dynamic,
changing field.
CHS operates six major child care programs primarily through contracts with the
California State Department of Education, in selected geographical areas — including
Orange County. The purpose of this comprehensive series of programs is to ensure that
healthy, safe, quality child care is available in licensed facilities for children birth
through age 14 who need care during any part of a 24-hour day.
Resource and Referral Program
This program provides a central coordinating link for child care and child development
services within a designated geographic area — usually a county, city or community.
Through resource and referral, CHS offers a wide range of services to parents, to current
and potential licensed child care providers, and to other community groups who are
concerned with child care issues. All services are free of charge and are funded through
the California Department of Education.
For Parents
Through CHS, parents can obtain information about available child care providers
matched to their needs and preferences. Accurate listings are maintained on all licensed
child care, including family child care homes, child care centers, in-home child care,
public and private preschools, child care subsidy programs, and latch key projects.
Referrals obtained through CHS are not recommendations. Because parents are better able
to choose according to their own family needs, CHS encourages parental choice in selecting
child care services. We help by providing accurate and objective information about
available care. We also provide parents with guidelines for assessing the quality of child
care services. Parents are urged to check references before leaving a child in care.
For referrals in Orange County:
Call 714-543-2273
South Orange County
Call 949-364-6605
For Child Care Providers
CHS seeks to increase the number and quality of child care and child development
services by offering technical assistance — both to current providers who want to
improve their services and to those who are interested in learning about becoming a
provider.
At CHS, child care providers can obtain information on legislation, regulations, and
zoning. We can advise providers on curriculum, child development, community outreach, and
meeting the needs of families from many different cultures. We maintain an educational
resource library, and CHS professionals are available to providers for consultation.
Licensed providers may be placed on the CHS referral list. Call 714-543-2273 or
949-364-6605.
CHS assists license-exempt child care providers seeking to be listed with TrustLine, a
public registry maintained by the California Department of Justice. All exempt child care
providers listed with TrustLine have submitted their fingerprints to the Department of
Justice and have no disqualifying child abuse reports or disqualifying criminal
convictions in California.
Training and Publications
CHS offers a variety of workshops throughout the year for both parents and child care
providers. Presented by CHS specialists or outside consultants, our trainings help parents
cope with the difficult and important job of raising healthy children in a complex world.
Workshops in child development, curriculum development, child guidance, program start-up
and marketing a business give child care providers the skills they need to offer quality
care to children and families.
CHS publishes a quarterly newsletter that includes events and activities for children
and parents, child care issues, legislative updates, and a listing of workshops and
classes. Information sheets and brochures on child care and development issues also are
available.
Family Child Care Network Program
This program is a partnership between the parent, child care provider and CHS. Child
Care and Development services are provided in licensed private homes, where providers
receive ongoing training and guidance from CHS to assure high quality child development
services. Children in this program benefit from care in a family setting that is combined
with an early childhood educational experience. Child care payment assistance is available
for eligible families.
Alternative Payment Program
Through this program, CHS helps pay for child care services for parents who need child
care while they work, seek work, or attend school or job training programs in Orange
County. Funded primarily by the State Department of Education, the program’s
eligibility requirements are established by state and federal guidelines. Priority is
given to children who are at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Clients are enrolled
in order of greatest need. Qualifying parents select the child care service of their
choice. When their child is enrolled, CHS reimburses the provider for the cost of care.
Child care assistance for families in the CalWORKs program is also available through
the CHS office. CHS helps parents locate or pay for care while they transition from
welfare to work.
Respite Child Care Program
This prevention program provides short-term child care to children certified to be at
risk of abuse or neglect, to children of parents who are medically incapacitated, and to
children of families in crisis situations. Eligibility is established by written referral
from qualified medical, legal, or social services entities. Counseling and intervention
services are offered by CHS child development specialists to clients enrolled in this
program.
Employer-Related Child Care Services
CHS offers assistance to business and industry in addressing the child care needs of
their employees. Our agency assesses needs and provides consultation to the employer on
available options. CHS then customizes a plan for each individual firm. We help employees
find quality child care, provide on-site parent workshops on child care, and organize and
deliver child care referrals.
For more information about any of the programs and services at CHS, call 714-835-8252.
Our office is located at:
525 N. Cabrillo Park Drive, Suite 300
Santa Ana, California 92701