Families throughout Santa Barbara County know all too well the stress of finding quality child care. The shortage of licensed child-care spaces is critical and well-documented: only about 10% of infants and toddlers have access to licensed care, and for three- to five-year-old children, the situation is only marginally better. This lack of access places enormous strain on families and limits opportunities for children during their most important years of development.
With the help of a $200,000 grant from the Women’s Fund, Children’s Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County (CRRSB) is addressing this challenge by expanding the supply of high-quality, licensed child care in the community. Through its Steps to Licensing program, CRRSB supports women who wish to provide care for children in their own homes, guiding them through every step of becoming licensed child-care providers.
This work reflects the agency’s bold but simple vision: that all children will have access to safe, nurturing, inclusive environments that lay the foundation for lifelong learning. As Michelle Graham, CEO, shared at last year’s Celebration of Grants, “when children thrive, communities thrive.”
Participants receive instruction in child development, trauma-informed care, and health and safety practices, while also learning how to create engaging learning environments and meet licensing requirements. Importantly, the program is offered at no cost to participants, removing a significant barrier to access and success.
Five early childhood education specialists will guide 60 women through the program; the grant supports this work by covering salaries and benefits for the specialists, providing stipends for participants, and funding training, materials, and essential operating costs.
By helping 60 women open their homes to high-quality, licensed child-care, CRRSB is helping to open spaces for up to 480 children in south Santa Barbara County—many of whom would not otherwise have access to safe, affordable care during the most critical years of brain development. As Michelle Graham noted, this grant is not just supporting women; it is activating them—transforming caregivers into entrepreneurs and homes into vibrant learning environments. In doing so, CRRSB is strengthening families today while building a stronger, more resilient community for the future.