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12.01.2025
Navigating Child Care in Nevada: How The Children’s Cabinet Helps Families Find the Right Fit
Finding child care is one of the most important decisions a parent can make. Whether you’re returning to work, working non-traditional hours, or simply searching for a safe and nurturing place for your child to learn and grow, the process can feel overwhelming.
Families often wonder: Where do I start? How do I know what quality care looks like? Can I afford it?
The good news is that families don’t have to figure it out alone. The Children’s Cabinet, together with Nevada Child Care Resource & Referral, provides free tools, guidance, and support to help parents navigate child care with confidence. From finding licensed providers to applying for financial assistance, these services help ensure every Nevada child has access to a strong start.
Finding Child Care Made Simple
The Children’s Cabinet offers a variety of resources to help parents begin their child care search. Nevada’s statewide Licensed Child Care Search Portal, which allows families to explore providers based on their needs. Parents can search by location, hours, program type, language, and more.
Each provider listed is licensed and monitored by the state, giving families peace of mind.
Families can access the portal through:
🔗 Nevada Child Care Resource & Referral – Parent Resources
https://www.nevadachildcare.org/parent-resources/
The portal also includes Silver State Stars QRIS quality ratings, which help parents understand the level of quality a provider offers. These ratings look at important factors like caregiver-child interactions, classroom environment, and learning activities.
To learn more or get help, parents can visit The Children’s Cabinet’s child care search page:
🔗 The Children’s Cabinet – Finding Child Care
https://www.childrenscabinet.org/who-we-serve/i-am-a-parent/finding-child-care/
For families who want more personalized support, The Children’s Cabinet’s Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) team is available one-on-one. Staff members can talk through your family’s needs, explain child care terms and licensing rules, and provide a customized list of providers.
Parents can also email us directly at [email protected] or complete the online referral form!
Visiting Programs and Knowing What to Ask
Once families have a list of potential providers, the next step is visiting the programs. The Children’s Cabinet encourages parents to tour at least two or three child care centers or family child care homes whenever possible. Seeing a program in person gives families a clear look at how caregivers interact with children, how the space feels, and whether it matches their child’s needs.
During these visits, parents are encouraged to ask questions such as:
- What is your daily schedule like?
- How do you support social-emotional development?
- What safety procedures do you have in place?
- How do you communicate with parents about their child’s day?
- What training and experience do your teachers have?
Families can also check inspection records and licensing information using the state’s child care resources listed on the CCR&R website. There is a link within the portal that will direct them to the Child Care Licensing website, where they can view inspection records and licensing information.
🔗 Nevada Child Care Resource & Referral – Parent Resources
https://www.nevadachildcare.org/parent-resources/
Understanding Financial Assistance for Child Care
For many families, cost is one of the biggest barriers to accessing child care. Nevada’s Child Care Subsidy Program, administered by The Children’s Cabinet serves families living in all counties in Nevada other than Clark, Lincoln and Nye County. Families living in Clark, Lincoln, or Nye Counties can contact the Child Care and Development Program at [email protected].
More information on the subsidy can be found here:
🔗 Nevada Child Care Subsidy Assistance
https://www.nevadachildcare.org/child-care-subsidy-assistance/
🔗 The Children’s Cabinet – Child Care Financial Assistance
https://www.childrenscabinet.org/who-we-serve/i-am-a-parent/child-care-financial-assistance/
The subsidy program helps cover a portion of the child care costs, and payments go directly to the provider. Subsidy support is also available for families who use trusted family, friends, and neighbor (FFN) caregivers. These caregivers may need to complete training or meet certain state requirements, and The Children’s Cabinet can guide families through each step.
Why Child Care Matters in the Early Years
The first five years of life are filled with rapid growth. Quality child care environments support development across all domains—social, emotional, cognitive, and physical. Early learning experiences help children:
- Build communication skills
- Develop early literacy and numeracy
- Learn to regulate emotions
- Explore creativity and problem-solving
- Strengthen independence
When parents feel supported in making child care decisions, children benefit. The Children’s Cabinet and Nevada Child Care Resource & Referral work to ensure families have access not only to information, but also to the confidence needed to choose care that meets their child’s needs.
Works Cited:
The Children’s Cabinet. “Finding Child Care.” The Children’s Cabinet.
https://www.childrenscabinet.org/who-we-serve/i-am-a-parent/finding-child-care/
Nevada Child Care Resource & Referral. “Parent Resources.” Nevada Child Care.
https://www.nevadachildcare.org/parent-resources/
Nevada Child Care Resource & Referral. “Child Care Subsidy Assistance.” Nevada Child Care.
https://www.nevadachildcare.org/child-care-subsidy-assistance/
