Michigan Child Care Support Programs: Our Strong Start and CCR&R

Free Help Most New Michigan Daycare Providers Never Use

Michigan spends millions funding startup support for new child care providers, but most applicants never engage with these programs because they do not realize they exist — or they confuse them with regulatory agencies. Our Strong Start (OSS) and the Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) network are free coaching and technical assistance programs, not licensing bodies. They cannot approve or deny your license, but they can save you months of false starts.

Our Strong Start (OSS)

Our Strong Start is a state-funded consulting program specifically designed for people who are considering opening a child care business in Michigan but have not yet applied for a license. The program assigns a regional navigator who walks you through the process one-on-one.

What an OSS navigator helps with:

• Feasibility screening — evaluating whether your home, zoning, and household situation are likely to qualify before you pay any state fees
• Application guidance — walking you through CCHIRP account setup, background check registration, and the application sequence
• Training roadmap — identifying which MiRegistry courses to complete first and where to find approved CPR/first aid providers in your area
• Business planning basics — capacity-based revenue projections, subsidy enrollment overviews, and insurance guidance

OSS is free because it is funded through Michigan's Child Care and Development Fund allocation. The state has a significant child care supply shortage — over 40% of Michigan's population lives in a child care desert — and OSS exists to remove barriers for providers who would otherwise give up during the confusing pre-application phase.

Contact OSS through the MiLEAP website or by calling 2-1-1; the program assigns a regional navigator to help you through the process.

Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) Network

Michigan's CCR&R agencies are regional organizations funded through Great Start to Quality (GSQ) that serve both families seeking care and providers seeking professional development. The network covers the entire state through regional hubs.

For licensed and soon-to-be-licensed providers, CCR&R agencies offer:

• Quality improvement coaching — free, ongoing technical assistance to help you achieve and maintain GSQ star ratings and improve your visibility in the state's provider search
• Professional development — workshops, conferences, and training hours that count toward your annual 10-hour continuing education requirement
• Material lending libraries — some regional CCR&Rs maintain libraries of curriculum materials, developmental screening tools, and educational equipment that providers can borrow at no cost
• Parent referrals — families searching for care through Michigan's GSQ system can find quality-rated providers, improving your visibility to families

How These Programs Fit Into Your Licensing Timeline

Neither OSS nor CCR&R replaces the MiLEAP licensing process. Think of them as parallel resources:

• Before you apply: Contact OSS for a free feasibility check and application walkthrough
• During the licensing process: Use CCR&R workshops for professional development and quality-improvement support
• After you are licensed: Continue working with CCR&R to pursue quality ratings and strengthen your quality-improvement profile

Combine Free Support With a Step-by-Step Plan

OSS navigators and CCR&R coaches provide valuable one-on-one guidance, but they work on their schedules, not yours. The Michigan Home Daycare Licensing Guide gives you a self-paced roadmap you can reference at any hour — use it alongside the free coaching to stay on track between navigator calls.

See more Michigan guides →