When Child Care Faces a Challenge, the Go Team Is Here to Help

Child care is essential to Kansas families, businesses, and communities. When an unexpected challenge threatens a child care program, finding the right support can feel overwhelming. Where do you start? Who can help? What happens next? That’s where the Go Team from Child Care Aware of Kansas (CCAKS) comes in.

The Go Team is a rapid-response resource that helps child care providers, families, businesses, community leaders, and organizations navigate barriers to child care. Whether you’re facing an urgent situation or aren’t sure who to contact, the Go Team can help you find a path forward.

What Is the Go Team?

The Go Team connects people facing child care challenges with the right resources, partners, and support. By working alongside state agencies, local governments, child care programs, and community organizations, the team helps coordinate responses and move challenging situations toward solutions.

The goal is simple: Help people navigate child care challenges so programs, families, and communities can get the support they need.

“Go Team has shown that meaningful change happens when providers, state agencies, and community partners come together with a shared commitment to supporting children and families. Through collaboration, innovation, and a focus on solutions, we’ve built stronger connections, removed barriers, and created a more responsive child care system that benefits providers, employers, and communities across Kansas.”

Amanda poyser, director of family connections & community impact, child care aware of kansas

When Should You Reach Out?

Child care challenges can take many forms. Here are a few situations where the Go Team may be able to help:

When a Child Care Program Faces an Emergency

Unexpected events, such as a disaster or a health or safety concern, can disrupt a program’s operations and put its future at risk. The Go Team helps coordinate with state and local partners to stabilize situations and connect programs with appropriate resources.

Eligible licensed child care providers facing urgent emergency, disaster, health, or safety needs may also qualify for support through CCAKS’s Critical Operations Stipends Program.

When Local Rules Create Barriers to Child Care

Starting, operating, or expanding a child care program can involve navigating zoning rules, local ordinances, building codes, and permitting requirements. These processes can be difficult to work through without the right guidance.

The Go Team helps providers and community leaders navigate these challenges and connect with the appropriate resources.

When a Program Faces an Unexpected Closure

A sudden closure or unexpected hardship can affect everyone who depends on a child care program. Providers may need help navigating next steps, while families may suddenly need to find other care.

The Go Team helps manage these transitions and connect programs and families with support.

When Your Community Is Working to Address a Child Care Challenge

Sometimes, the challenge isn’t limited to one program. Community leaders, employers, and organizations may recognize a barrier to child care but aren’t sure how to address it or which partners should be involved.

The Go Team can help connect the people and resources needed to work toward a solution.

When You’re Not Sure Where to Turn

Not every challenge fits neatly into a category. You may have a question, run into an unexpected barrier, or simply need help figuring out who to contact.

That’s reason enough to reach out. You don’t need to have all the answers before asking for help.

How Does It Work?

Getting connected with the Go Team is straightforward.

1. Reach out. Submit the online form, email the Go Team, or call to explain what’s happening.

2. Connect with the right support. A Go Team member will review your situation and help identify the appropriate resources, agencies, or partners.

3. Take the next steps together. The team coordinates with the people who can help move the situation forward and follows up to help ensure the issue is addressed.

You don’t have to know exactly what kind of help you need before making contact. The Go Team will work with you to identify a practical next step.

Stronger Child Care Starts With Working Together

When child care programs are supported, families have more opportunities to find care, businesses have a stronger foundation for supporting their workforce, and communities are better positioned to grow and thrive.

Addressing child care challenges often takes collaboration. The Go Team helps bring the right people together so challenges don’t have to be faced alone. As Amanda Poyser, CCAKS’s Director of Family Connections & Community Impact, explains:

“Go Team has shown that meaningful change happens when providers, state agencies, and community partners come together with a shared commitment to supporting children and families. Through collaboration, innovation, and a focus on solutions, we’ve built stronger connections, removed barriers, and created a more responsive child care system that benefits providers, employers, and communities across Kansas.”

Facing a child care challenge? Start with the Go Team.

Visit the CCAKS Go Team webpage to learn more, submit a request for support, or find contact information.

• Email: goteam@ks.childcareaware.org
• Phone: 877-678-2548

Not sure if the Go Team can help? Reach out anyway! Let’s work together to strengthen child care across Kansas.