Family Resources

American Academy of Pediatrics

A professional organization dedicated to the health and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults, providing resources, research and advocacy in pediatric healthcare.

Arizona Child Care Association

Focuses on supporting member centers in Arizona that provide care for infants, toddlers, preschool programs, and school-age children that emphasize the importance of early childhood education.

Arizona Department of Child Safety

Offers resources and information on child welfare services, including reporting child abuse or neglect, foster care, adoption and support for children, parents and caregivers in Arizona.

Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES)

Provides information on becoming a child care provider in Arizona, outlining the critical need for providers, the types of providers and the requirements to meet health, safety and federal standards for financial reimbursement from DES.

Arizona Department of Education

Aims to support administrators and educators in improving student outcomes, providing high-quality educational opportunities for children, and empowering families.

Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS)

Offers many resources on child care health and safety, provider licensing information and the AZ Care Check, which is a searchable database that outlines a provider’s licensing history.

Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Child Care Licensing (DHS)

Offers licensing, regulation and training information for child care centers in Arizona, including details on the Empower Program, which focuses on teaching kids healthy choices regarding nutrition and physical activity.

Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Oral Health

Highlights that tooth decay is a common issue among Arizona's children, emphasizing the importance of daily brushing and flossing for healthy teeth and gums, as good oral health is crucial for a child's readiness to learn.

Arizona Dept. of Education - Special Education

Oversees and ensures compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in Arizona, providing special education programs and support to ensure eligible children with disabilities receive appropriate public education.

Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP)

Provides services and support for families of infants and toddlers, birth through two years of age, with disabilities or delays, enhancing children's learning and development through everyday opportunities.

Arizona Food Bank Network

Locate a community food bank in your area by using the Association of Arizona Food Bank Network database of emergency food options (food banks, pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and others that distribute emergency food) in Arizona.

Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)

Arizona's Medicaid agency that offers health care programs to serve Arizona residents who meet certain income and other requirements to obtain services.

Arizona Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

The Arizona WIC program offers nutrition education, breastfeeding support, healthy foods, and health service referrals for pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, as well as infants and children under five at nutritional risk.

Arizona’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) offers health insurance through KidsCare for eligible children (under age 19) who are not eligible for other AHCCCS health insurance.

Arizona’s School Readiness Framework - Arizona Dept. of Education

Arizona Dept. of Education
Outlines a comprehensive approach to school readiness, focusing on establishing a common language, outlining readiness frameworks and ensuring quality transitions into kindergarten, with the goal of preparing Arizona's diverse children for academic success from birth to five years.

Autism Speaks

A leading autism advocacy organization dedicated to promoting solutions for individuals with autism and their families through advocacy, support, understanding and advancing research.

AZ Child Find

Child Find is a component of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA ’04) that requires Public Education Agencies (PEA) to locate, identify, and evaluate all children with disabilities, aged birth through 21, located within their boundaries of responsibility who need early intervention or special education services.

AZ STEPS Positive Behavior Support and Expulsion Prevention Resources

Offers training, consultation, and support to child care providers in Arizona to prevent suspensions and expulsions in early care settings, focusing on understanding and managing challenging behaviors and promoting social-emotional development in children.

AZDES Preventing and Reducing Suspension & Expulsions

Addresses the issue of suspensions and expulsions in early care settings in Arizona, offering resources and support to child care providers and caregivers to prevent these occurrences and ensure access to quality child care for all children.

Birth Through 5

Offers a free service for Arizona families with young children, providing expert advice on child development and parenting from early childhood specialists.

Candelen

We are your trusted experts in providing support, technical assistance, and guidance to child care providers. Whether you're just starting out and want to become a child care provider, or caring for a family member’s or friend’s child in your home, Candelen is here to listen to your story, partner with you on your goals, and help you bring them to life.

Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning

Focuses on promoting the social and emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5, offering extensive training materials, videos, and resources to support early care, health, and education providers.

Child & Family Resources, Inc.

Provides a range of family support programs in Arizona, focusing on prevention, education and resources for parents, caregivers, and children.

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides aid to child and adult care institutions and family or group child care homes for the provision of nutritious foods that contribute to the wellness, healthy growth, and development of young children, and the health and wellness of older adults and chronically impaired disabled persons.

Child Care Aware

Provides guidance for families on choosing quality child care, offering checklists, and tips to help families select the best child care program for their needs and interests.

Child Care Aware of America

Supports child care providers with resources and information to help manage and improve their child care services, including considerations for starting and enhancing child care businesses.

Child Crisis Centers

Provides free parenting classes, workshops, children’s playgroups, and support groups to help families in Arizona with child development and parenting skills.

Children’s Action Alliance

Advocates for policies benefiting Arizona children, focusing on health, early childhood, child welfare, juvenile justice, K-12 funding, and state budget, with a mission to ensure safety, love, quality education, and affordable health care for every child.

Consumer Education

Consumers can obtain news releases and recall information.

Department of Justice: Americans with Disabilities Act

A federal law that protects the rights of people with disabilities, covering areas such as voting, parking and public accommodations, and ensuring equal opportunity in various aspects of public life.

Docs for Tots

Works to ensure children's healthy development and future success by bringing together doctors and communities to promote practices and policies that benefit children from prenatal to age five.

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

A scholarly journal that publishes research on early childhood education and development from birth through 8 years of age, emphasizing empirical studies on a variety of relevant topics.

Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center

Provides high-quality technical assistance to state Part C and Part B, Section 619 program coordinators, aiming to improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their families.

Early Intervention Program (0 – 3 years old) - Arizona Dept. of Economic Security

Provides support and resources for families with children who may not be meeting developmental milestones, offering services through the Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) to assist in child development.

Easter Seals Blake Foundation

Offers professional development programs for child care providers, including training, coaching and mental health consultation, to improve the quality of child care and support vulnerable children in Arizona.

Easter Seals – Make the First Five Count Exceptional Student Services

Focuses on the critical first five years of a child's development, offering resources and support to ensure children's wellness and success through early developmental milestones.

Find Your Local Public Library

Offers a comprehensive directory of various types of libraries across Arizona, including public, academic, and special collections, providing access to a wealth of resources and information for residents.

First Things First

Arizona's early childhood agency committed to the healthy development and learning of young children from birth to age 5, offering various programs and resources.

First Things First Family Resource Centers

A network dedicated to supporting family service professionals in Arizona, offering collaboration, education and resources to enhance community impact and family support.

Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development

Strives to enhance the wellbeing of all children, adults, and families, and create more inclusive communities by advancing collective solutions and sharing expertise in areas like early childhood, cultural competence, developmental disabilities, and behavioral health.

Getting Ready for Kindergarten

Provides a checklist to track pre-kindergarten children's skills, helping educators and parents prepare children for kindergarten entry.

Harvard - Developing Child

Dedicated to driving science-based innovation for children facing adversity, focusing on early childhood development and translating scientific insights into impactful real-world practices.

Healthcare Marketplace

The Healthcare Marketplace has services available to help people shop for and enroll in affordable health insurance.

Healthy Families Arizona

Healthy Families Arizona (HFAz) is a free and voluntary home visitation program that serves pregnant women and families of newborns. HFAz is designed to strengthen families during the critical first years of a child’s life.

Kindergarten Readiness Indicators Checklist - Get Ready to Read

Provides a checklist to track pre-kindergarten children's skills, helping educators and parents prepare children for kindergarten entry.

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a Federal program that assists low-income households with heating/cooling bills, covering current and past due bills, utility deposits, and energy efficiency measures to reduce future costs.

Make Way for Books

Provides resources and programs to support early literacy and language-rich environments for children, emphasizing the importance of access to books and reading from a young age for school readiness and success.

Military Child Education Coalition

Dedicated to addressing the academic and well-being needs of military children and their families, offering resources, services and programs to support military families globally.

Military Family Projects – Zero to Three

Focuses on supporting the well-being and development of infants and toddlers in military and veteran families, offering resources and tools for parents and professionals to address the unique challenges faced by these families.

Military OneSource

Provides a comprehensive range of support and resources for military personnel, spouses and their families, including assistance with taxes, moving, benefits, and overall well-being.

NAEYC for Families

Provides research-based resources, tips, and ideas for families on various aspects of child development, including reading, writing, music and math, to support young children's learning and development.

National Association for Family Child Care

Dedicated to promoting high-quality early care and education in home-based settings, providing continuing education, equity in quality, and amplifying the voices of family child care providers to inform policy at various levels.

National Association for the Education of Young Children

Promotes high-quality learning by connecting practice, policy, and research, offering resources, events, and advocacy for early childhood education professionals.

National Head Start Programs in the U.S.A.

Committed to supporting the Head Start field as a leader in early childhood development and education, NHSA advocates for policy changes to ensure all income-eligible children have access to the Head Start model.

National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)

Conducts academic research to inform policy supporting high-quality, early education for all young children, focusing on strengthening families, building stronger communities, and ensuring access to opportunities.

National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health

Works to increase access to, effectiveness of, and dissemination of evidence-based mental health services for young people and their families, supporting a trauma-informed, person-centered system of care.

Nemours

A pediatric health system offering a wide range of medical services for children, including specialty care, primary care and urgent care, with a focus on improving children's health through research, education and health advocacy.

NHTSA Child Car Seat Safety

Provides resources and information on vehicle safety, including car seat checks, recalls and safety ratings, to ensure the safety of all road users, especially children.

Parents as Teacher - StrongFamiliesAZ

Offers a free program for parents with children younger than 5 years old, focusing on enhancing child development and strengthening parent-child relationships through evidence-based parenting guidance.

Power AZ

Power AZ and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provide utility assistance to help Arizonans pay their heating and cooling bills. Households may be eligible for Power AZ or LIHEAP, depending on income. Applications can be submitted online at AtoZ.az.gov or by paper application. See “How to Apply".

Preschool Suspension and Expulsion: English

Provides essential support and resources for families, teachers, and administrators to address and prevent preschool expulsions in Arizona, focusing on training and consultations to meet children's needs and ensure their successful educational and social development from birth through 12 years old.

Preschool Suspension and Expulsion: Spanish

Provides essential support and resources for families, teachers, and administrators to address and prevent preschool expulsions in Arizona, focusing on training and consultations to meet children's needs and ensure their successful educational and social development from birth through 12 years old.

Quality First, a program of First Things First

Quality First helps over 1,100 child care and preschool providers statewide improve their quality. By supporting infants, toddlers and preschoolers, the program ensures children are prepared for school and future success.

Read On Arizona

Provides a variety of resources, tools, and publications to support early literacy for parents, educators, and community members in Arizona.

Reading Rockets

Offers guidance and resources for parents to support their children's growth as readers and writers, including tips for reading aloud, bilingual reading tips and ways to connect with children's schools for literacy development.

ReadOn ARIZONA: Early Literacy Activity Guide for Families

Provides parents and caregivers of Arizona children from birth to third grade with essential information on early literacy, including ways to enhance language development, key skills for transitioning from learning to read to reading to learn, and insights into the significance of third grade as a reading milestone according to Arizona law.

Safe Kids USA

A global organization dedicated to preventing injuries in children, offering safety tips, resources and programs for parents and caregivers to ensure kids' safety at home, on the road, and during play.

Safe Products

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, visit the Safe Products website or call CPSC's Hotline at 1 (800) 638-2772.

Smart Support Mental Health Consultation for Providers

Provides a unique program where early childhood mental health consultants partner with child care providers to promote social and emotional development in children and assist in managing behavioral challenges.

State of Arizona Child Abuse Reporting Procedures

Provides information on how to report suspected child abuse or neglect in Arizona, this includes the Arizona Child Abuse Hotline and guidelines for mandated reporters.

Strong Families AZ

Connects parents in Arizona with free home visiting programs for children up to age five and expecting parents, offering support to be successful, healthy, and strong through various programs like Arizona Health Start, Early Head Start, Healthy Families Arizona, Nurse-Family Partnership, Parents As Teachers, Family Spirit, and SafeCare.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program provides eligible households with monthly benefits they can use to purchase nutritious food.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program helps low-income families with children achieve economic self-sufficiency by providing monthly cash assistance payments.

text4baby

Provides free text messages to help keep you and your baby healthy, offering a companion app with health and safety tips, appointment reminders, and interactive features like weekly baby growth updates, quizzes, and additional web content on important health and safety topics.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation National Institute for Early Education Research

Focuses on developing a brighter future for children and youth at risk of poor educational, economic, social, and health outcomes, by advancing research and solutions to overcome barriers to success.

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program that helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans, including elderly people, by providing them with emergency food and nutrition assistance at no cost.

The First Five Years, Why It Matters - First Things First

Highlights the critical importance of a child's brain development from birth to age 5, emphasizing the impact of early experiences on a child's ability to learn and succeed in school and life.

Tobacco Free Arizona

Dedicated to advancing policies impacting chronic disease risk factors in Arizona and promoting a tobacco-free future.

Traveling the Special Education Highway - Encircle Families

Provides comprehensive resources and guidance for families of children with special needs, covering topics like special education, IEPs, 504 plans, transition to high school and post-secondary education, bullying and rights in charter schools.

Traveling the Special Education Highway A Parent’s Guide to a Successful Journey