Department of Social Work ReceivedGrant to Establish Lower Eastern Shore Regional Child Care Resource and Referral Center.

SALISBURY, MD--The Department of Social Work at Salisbury State University recently received $229,094 from the Maryland Committee for Children to establish the Lower Eastern Shore Regional Child Care Resource and Referral Center in Salisbury. Supported by the Maryland General Assembly, the Governor's Office and the Maryland Department of Human Resources, the Maryland Committee for Children instituted 13 Regional Child Care Resource Centers throughout Maryland.

An assessment of human service needs on the Lower Eastern Shore listed child care as the second most needed service in the three-county region. As the most sparsely populated region in the state, large distances between providers have made it difficult to find convenient and appropriate child care without referral assistance.

"The mission of the Child Care Resource and Referral Center is consistent with the University mission, providing necessary resources to families, employees and child care providers in Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties," said Dr. Marvin Tossey, SSU Social Work Department chair who will oversee the operations. The Resource and Referral Child Care Center will work closely with the Office of Child Care Administration and Wor-Wic Community College in an effort to expand and enhance the child care service delivery system.

The core services of the Resource and Referral Center will include: resource and referral services and counseling for parents; technical assistance to child care providers; resource development activities to expand regional child care resources including center-based and family child care; child care training opportunities; data collection to document regional child care supply and demand; identification and analysis of gaps in service delivery; public education efforts designed to enhance regional awareness of the needs of the child care community; participation in network-wide public education efforts; and recruitment for the participation of communities in planning delivery system improvements. Home providers and child care based centers will also receive training and technical assistance from skilled professionals in an effort to improve child care facilities within the three counties.

It is anticipated that the Regional Child Care Resource and Referral Center, located at 217 Milford Street, Salisbury, will be operational by December 1. For further information contact Tossey at 410-543-6304.