Shared Services Network

Strengthen Your Business While Focusing on What is Most Important — the Children

Child Care Aware of Kansas was awarded a Child Care Quality Improvement and Support System grant from the Kansas Department for Children and Families to establish Shared Services for licensed Kansas child care programs. The overall goal of this opportunity is to support early care and education programs throughout the state to enhance the well-being, health, and development of young children.

We recognize the critical connections between supported, financially sound early care and education programs and their ability to be successful in providing affordable, high-quality early care and education to children in their communities.

Contact a Regional Community Consultant

Regional Community Consultants (RCC) work with early childhood professionals to reach shared goals and best practices. We pride ourselves on our compassion and integrity for child care professionals. We aim to support child care professionals and ensure they have the necessary resources to succeed in their businesses.

How Shared Services Support Providers

By participating in a Shared Service Network, child care providers benefit from services that cost less — and that are often more efficient — than what the programs could do on their own.

Regional Community Consultants provide compassionate, professional support with:

  • CLASS Observations and support in setting goals
  • Provider-driven technical assistance – virtual, in-person, or over the phone.
  • Access to Go NAPSACC
  • Access to 16+ hours of KDHE approved in-service training for providers at no cost.
    Connection to Shared Services Network Hubs
  • Opportunities for In-Person or Virtual Learning Community Meetings for child care providers to network and connect with other providers in their area are held monthly.
  • Access to Consumer Education
  • Coaching in Developmentally Appropriate Practices
  • Assistance in finding state and local resources
  • Serving as a point of contact between child care providers and community contacts

“At its core, Shared Services is a simple idea: organizations can reduce costs and improve the strength of management and the quality of services by sharing administrative functions with other organizations that provide the same types of services. By joining forces, [Early Childhood Education] programs are able to stay small, preserving intimacy is important to families, while also able to improve long term financial strength and management capacity and the ability to provide a high-quality service.”

Child Care Management Software

The foundation of most Shared Service Networks is child care management software, which can help providers communicate with families and staff; set up reminders; handle scheduling and calendars; manage billing, reporting, and enrollment; and much more. The software also helps providers determine where additional support is needed, such as janitorial, maintenance, or administrative services.

We have partnered with the companies below to offer this software to KDHE licensed providers at no cost. 

Learn more about these partners from the links below, or contact a Shared Services consultant

Our Child Care Management Software Partners

Elevate your early education platform with the #1 child care management platform on the market! Quick to set up, and even easier to use: Brightwheel is built to save you and your staff time. 

Your dream, all-in-one child care management system,
powerful, not overwhelming. Playground has every feature you need to effortlessly run an early child care program — from child management to HR.

Compare both partners here

Quick Links

Informational Webinar for Providers

Are you a licensed child care provider and want to learn more about the Shared Services Network? Watch the recording of the informational webinar explaining how the Shared Services Network can benefit your program. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about the Shared Services Network, Learning Communities, and Child Care Management Systems

Help is a Click Away

Need more assistance? Our friendly consultants are here to help you every step of the way. Contact a Regional Community Consultant today!

Shared Services Network Hubs

Hubs have the responsibility of managing provider-driven services to a group of child care programs. These entities are often based locally, serving a network of providers in the same community or region.

Benefits of Participating

5 Winter Recipe Ideas for Kids

5 Winter Recipe Ideas for Kids

With all the great reasons to incorporate seasonal foods into your program’s menu, it’s easy to see that seasonal recipes are good for your children’s mind and appetite!

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Why Equity is Key to Quality in Early Childhood Education

Many people, including educators, are becoming more aware of the impact of implicit bias in early childhood. These biases limit children’s opportunities to reach their full potential, and their learning is negatively impacted. Without addressing these biases, high-quality early childhood education isn’t possible.

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Kansas Department for Children and Families Logo

Funding provided by the Kansas Department for Children and Families