We started in 1980 as the Resource and Referral program serving all of Butte County. Our main source of funding comes from the State Department of Education, Child Development Division, we also have some local funding through Butte County Department of Employment & Social Services, Butte County Department of Behavioral Health and First 5 Butte County Children & Families Commission.

Resource & Referral or (R&Rs) are the link between parents, child care providers and a community’s success in expanding the number of children who are ready to begin school successfully. R&R’s not only provide child care referrals and community resource information to parents, they train child care providers and help child care business get started.

Child Care is one of the most important choices parents make. Each family has different needs. Helping families to better understand their choices and to find child care that is best for them is a major responsibility that we take very seriously. Parents of all incomes levels need help in identifying and finding quality child care options, where their children can be safe, healthy and develop to their fullest potential. The early years are critical because they lay the foundation for cognitive functioning; behavioral, social and self-regulatory skills and physical health. From birth to beginning school, children develop rapidly, ninety percent of brain development occurs by age 5, which means the setting in which child care is provided can have a life-long impact.

Valley Oak’s overall objective is to strengthen the quality of care within a community, to offer more quality choices to parents and provide a link to community resources that a family might need. We offer a variety of services including child care referrals, subsidy payments, consumer education, trainings and workshops for parents and child care providers, nutrition programs, a community resource lending library and A Safety Program which includes bike helmets and swim vest. We strive to offer services that are unique to our communities and meet local needs.

Valley Oak offers parents’ information about other programs and services they might need beyond child care. A Resource & Referral counselor might cover financial assistance to pay for child care, advocacy for increased funding for child care, licensing regulations, staff: child ratios, family support specific to a family’s needs, health & safety information, average price of child care, group size, provider education and general community resources available. R&Rs are a gateway to health care programs, making referrals to local and State Children’s Health Insurance Programs and mental health services. R&R’s can help you find a summer camp or other family-oriented activities in your community. Valley Oak provides a Toy & Book Resource Lending Library with a variety of educational toys, equipment and books for parents child care providers and of course children of all ages.