State and Territory Child Care Consumer Education Website: Self-Assessment Checklist

This checklist is designed to be utilized as a self-assessment tool by states and territories as they review their child care consumer education website for 1) alignment with CCDF consumer education website requirements; 2) recommendations within the preamble to the CCDF Final Rule; and 3) additional best practice considerations for user-friendly website design. The items within each section of the checklist reference the regulatory requirements within the CCDBG Act of 2014 and the CCDF Final Rule at 45 C.F.R. 98.33.

The tool can also be used to track the state or territory’s progress with its design and implementation of the child care consumer education website. Some of the consumer education information may be provided by offering a link to child care licensing, child care resource and referral (CCR&R) agencies, the child care subsidy website, and other state or territory government departments, offices, or agencies that offer the required child care consumer education information. The tool can also be helpful to document the URLs and links to other sites providing consumer education.

Several appendixes are included that provide definitions, an action plan tool, and best practices.