Find Child Care
High-Quality Child Care Matters
Finding the right early care and education setting for your child is a big decision. High-quality child care is important to a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.
Finding and choosing the licensed child care, preschool or school-age only setting that is right for your child and family can be challenging. Great Start to Quality makes your search for licensed child care, preschool and school-age only programs easier, gives you tips to make an informed decision and the confidence of knowing you chose the care in your area that best suits your family’s needs.
Visit Great Start to Quality’s website to easily search for the best early learning setting for your child.
Is this the right place for my child?
Great Start to Quality has a guide to support parents when looking for child care and preschool options. Is this the right place for my child?
If you would like to talk to someone locally to discuss child care and preschool options, you can call Crystal Park at 616.256.3237
Get help paying for child care
Through the State of Michigan’s Child Development and Care program, you may be eligible to receive a subsidy to help you pay for child care. You can apply for the Child Development and Care program (and other state benefits) through the MI Bridges website. To learn more about program eligibility and how to apply, you can watch this 20-minute recorded webinar.
Interested in Becoming a Licensed Provider?
Child care providers have a profound impact on a child’s learning and development. Licensed child care in Michigan can take place in a family child care home (a private home licensed to care for up to 6 children at a time), a group child care home (a private home licensed to care for up to 12 children at a time), or a child care center (a facility, other than a private home, licensed to care for one or more children). License-exempt providers include relatives or providers caring for children in the child’s home.
Become Licensed To open a family child care home, group child care home, or child care center, you must apply for a license from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). To become a license-exempt provider, you must meet eligibility requirements and complete an application.
Offer High-Quality Chid Care Child care providers in Michigan are eligible to receive support from Great Start to Quality, Michigan’s child care quality rating, and improvement system. This program offers a free year-long quality improvement process for child care providers with the support of a quality improvement specialist. Great Start to Quality also provides free or low-cost professional development opportunities for child care providers across Michigan. You can search for training by visiting MiRegistry.
Get Reimbursed The State of Michigan’s Child Development and Care (CDC) Program reimburses child care providers who provide care to income-eligible families. Reimbursement rates increase for child care providers who have a higher star rating. License-exempt providers must complete the Great Start to Quality Orientation eligible to receives CDC reimbursements.
Further Your Education T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® MICHIGAN is a statewide scholarship program designed to help child care center teaching staff, preschool teachers, family child care providers, group homeowners, center directors, early childhood professionals, and administrators meet their professional development goals while continuing their current employment in regulated early childhood and school-age care settings
West Shore Community College offers an Early Childhood Education Certificate program and an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education.
Join Professional Networks Join the National Association for the Education of Young Children to gain access to national resources and connect with a network of early childhood professionals.