California Resource and Referral Agencies for Home Daycare Providers

What R&R Agencies Do for Daycare Providers

California's Resource and Referral (R&R) agencies are county-level organizations funded by the state to support child care providers — both prospective and licensed. They're operated by nonprofits like CocoKids (Contra Costa County), Child Action (Sacramento), Children's Council (San Francisco), and similar organizations across all 58 counties.

Unlike CCLD (the state licensing agency), R&R agencies are service organizations. They don't inspect your home or issue citations. Instead, they provide the practical support that helps you get licensed and stay operational.

Services Available to Providers

Pre-licensing support:

• One-on-one consultations with licensing specialists who walk you through the application process
• Application packet review before you submit to CCLD — catching errors and missing documents before they cause delays
• Information sessions on Title 22 requirements, capacity rules, and safety standards

Startup grants and funding:

• Access to startup assistance and funding opportunities through programs such as the California Child Care Initiative Project (CCIP)
• Equipment loan programs — cribs, high chairs, safety gates, and educational materials you can borrow instead of purchasing outright
• Toy lending libraries and curriculum resources

Training and professional development:

• EMSA-approved health and safety training courses (often at reduced cost or free)
• Mandated Reporter training sessions
• Ongoing professional development hours that count toward the 12-hour annual training requirement

Subsidy enrollment and marketing:

• Help enrolling as a subsidized care provider through CAPP (California Alternative Payment Program) and CalWORKs
• Listing your daycare on regional resource directories like MyChildCarePlan.org, where families search for licensed providers
• Guidance on navigating the enrollment-based reimbursement model and maintaining audit-compliant attendance records

Ongoing compliance support:

• Parent-disclosure materials, including Forms LIC 700 and LIC 627, for the enrollment records required for family child care homes
• Updates on regulatory changes (like AB 495 and SB 1200) and how they affect your operations
• Mediation support if you're dealing with landlord disputes or local government overreach

How to Find Your Local R&R Agency

The California Child Care Resource & Referral Network (CCCRRN) maintains a directory of all county R&R agencies. You can search by county or zip code on their website.

You can also contact CCLD directly — when you register for your mandatory orientation, the regional office typically provides contact information for your local R&R agency.

Some of the larger R&R agencies and the counties they serve:

• CocoKids — Contra Costa County
• Child Action, Inc. — Sacramento County
• Children's Council of San Francisco — San Francisco County
• Pathways LA — Los Angeles County
• YMCA Childcare Resource Service — San Diego County
• Community Child Care Council (4Cs) — Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Lake counties
• North Coast Opportunities — Mendocino, Lake counties

When to Contact Your R&R Agency

Before you start the licensing process: An initial consultation can save weeks of confusion. The R&R specialist will help you assess whether your home is suitable, estimate your startup costs, and lay out the licensing timeline specific to your county.

During the application process: If you're stuck on a specific form, unsure about capacity calculations, or need to find an EMSA-approved training provider, your R&R agency is the first call. They handle these questions daily.

After you're licensed: R&R agencies are your connection to ongoing training, subsidy programs, CACFP meal reimbursement sponsors, and the professional community. They can also help you find current parent-disclosure materials — including Forms LIC 700 and LIC 627 — for the enrollment records required for family child care homes.

R&R Support Is Free

All core R&R services for child care providers are funded by the state — there's no cost to you for consultations, application reviews, or referrals. Some training courses may have nominal fees, but many are offered free or at steep discounts for licensed or prospective providers.

This free support is one of the most underused resources in California's daycare licensing ecosystem. Many providers struggle through the application process alone when a 30-minute R&R consultation would have answered their questions and caught their mistakes.

For the complete licensing sequence — from orientation through inspection to ongoing compliance — our California Home Daycare Licensing Guide puts every step in chronological order so you and your R&R specialist are working from the same roadmap.

See more California guides →