Cultivating Well-Being for a Diverse Community

As part of its mission to cultivate child, family, and community well-being, Child Care Resource Center works to reach and connect with a diverse population of people in ways that respect their unique cultures. Because culturally appropriate communication is critical to developing trust among those it serves, CCRC’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion division actively educates and informs staff on these important issues and supports agency-wide DEI efforts in the community.

CCRC was founded in 1976 by a group of women in the San Fernando Valley who wanted to find a way for families to access affordable child care. Since then, the agency has expanded throughout northern Los Angeles County and the entirety of San Bernardino County. The agency now employs over 1,000 staff.

Understanding the way race and culture affect families is key to effectively serving those who live in CCRC’s service area. In LA County, the population is 49% Latino and 9% Black; in San Bernardino County, the population is 51% Latino and 8% Black. Likewise, CCRC’s staff is comprised of over 65% Latino, 8% Black, and 4% Asian. CCRC actively works to maintain a staff that is representative of the 50,000 children, families, and providers it serves. One of the agency’s highest priorities is the enrollment of families in subsidized child care, which is available to a family of four earning up to $7,900 per month. To effectively reach families of all racial identities and backgrounds, the agency provides information and direct support in several different languages and through meetings with diverse staff.

In the community, CCRC integrates DEI into services provided for children, families, and child care providers including interpretation services and translated information for families, safe and inclusive classroom settings, bias training for staff, teachers and providers, and community events that provide culturally appropriate resources. Through these opportunities for children and families, CCRC staff incorporate diverse representations and awareness through books, videos, art, and toys, along with interactions and attitude of staff.

CCRC participated in last year’s Los Angeles Business Journal panel, where DEI issues in child care, early learning and family resources were discussed. For this award, CCRC’s entry outlined the agency’s DEI strategic plan, including staff engagement opportunities, and their DEI Division’s work to advance these issues and work toward equitable outcomes.

“What I love about DEI work, is that it takes the commitment of all our leaders to truly make a change,” said CCRC DEI director Sarah Toutant. “Being nominated for this award is a testament to our collective commitment as an agency to be intentional, use our voices to advocate for equity, and pave the way for a future that is inclusive and just. I am excited for the future of DEI work at CCRC.”

CCRC’s establishment of an anti-racist task force in June 2020 and the development of a DEI Division in January 2022 is part of its promise to uplift and empower all members of its staff and community. Now known as the DEI council, the task force conducted a racial climate survey and hosted programs and events, including the development of five employee networks designed to empower staff to connect with other staff of shared backgrounds and cultures. Internally, CCRC has provided DEI educational books to all employees, hosted a company-wide DEI panel as well as monthly events, began creating a DEI committee on its Board, provided DEI education and resources to external providers, and created customized DEI action plans for its many different divisions.

As a civic leader in the national space, the agency presented best equity-minded practices at the National Black Childhood Development Institute in Washington DC.

The agency’s DEI division has outlined various community engagement efforts and will continue developing programs that support the identities of families and child care providers.

‘Being nominated for this award is a testament to our collective commitment as an agency to be intentional, use our voices to advocate for equity, and pave the way for a future that is inclusive and just. I am excited for the future of DEI work at CCRC.’