Child Care Links, formerly called Resources for Family Development (RFD), was established in 1976 in response to the State of California’s interest in setting up innovative systems to deliver child care services.  Child Care Links is a not-for-profit tax exempt agency (501-C-3) serving Alameda County.  Child Care Links has grown from an initial budget of $150,000 in 1976 to over $32 million in 2001. Initially the agency was funded to serve the Livermore Valley only.

Over the years the service area has expanded and now Child Care Links has one or more of its programs in most cities in Alameda County. 

 
From its beginning in 1976, RFD/Child Care Links has been funded by the California Department of Education to deliver subsidized child care services to eligible families in Livermore, Pleasanton and Dublin. Prior to 1976, subsidized child care was available only in wholly subsidized child care centers. Since then, alternative systems, such as Child Care Links’ which is based on parent choice, have been established. In 1980, the agency’s service area for provision of child care subsidies through the California Department of Education was expanded to include Fremont, Union City and Newark and additional funding was granted.  Services for families needing short term respite care due to family emergencies were added in 1983. Currently Child Care Links receives both State, County, and local funds for this purpose.  


In 1989, the agency was funded by Alameda County Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN) to provide subsidies to TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families) families in job training programs. This program has been revised and expanded to meet the needs of Welfare Reform and is now called CalWORKs. Child Care Links provides services to participants in North and East County for this program.  


In 1992, the federal government approved a new source of funds for child care subsidies called the Child Development Block Grant and is to be used to provide child care for homeless and at risk families and teen parents. Child Care Links was funded through this source. At this point, the major source of Child Care Links funding became the Federal government rather than the state.  


Resource and Referral services have been provided under a contract with the California Department of Education since a few months after the agency was formed. Child Care Links has been providing referrals to licensed child care centers, family child care homes, and preschools as well as referrals to community resources since early 1977. By 1979, referral counselors had provided referrals to more than 1,000 families.  


Resource and referral services has also included provider training and recognition, Toy Lending Library, Substitute Registry and many other programs implemented to serve families and providers.  


In 1977, Child Care Links began providing partial reimbursement for food costs to 25 family child care homes in 6 cities. Those providers currently on the program today, offer meal and snacks that meet nutritional standards. Child Care Links staff continues to provide extensive information on nutrition and meal preparation. This program is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by the California Department of Education.  

About our founders 

Ruth Freis and Miriam Miller made many contributions to the child care field individually before teaming up to create Freis, Miller and Associates, Inc. in 1972. Together they provided consulting services and developed child care programs for institutions such as the North Carolina Department of Human Resources, Palo Alto Community Child Care, and Mid Peninsula Coalition for Housing.

Closer to home, Ruth and Miriam identified and acted on the needs of Livermore Valley parents and providers of care when they formed Valley Child Care. The two initiated a plan for a regional child care agency in the Tri-Valley, an area previously without publicly funded services. 

A local newspaper article in 1976 commented that their ideas sounded like a “pipe dream.” According to the article, this “pipe dream” included reasonably priced child care that would allow even low-income people to work; a centralized phone number so parents could find care as soon as they had a job; a lending library for providers; and a van to pick up kids after school. At this time Ruth and Miriam were applying for grants to fund their “pipe dream.”  

Their persistence paid off. Not long after the newspaper article was written, they were awarded a $150,000 grant from the State Department of Education. In addition to negotiating for other sources of public funding, they negotiated and administered contracts with the California State Department of Education for fee subsidies; a resource and referral program; a child care food program; training; and technical assistance. Together Fries and Miller became consultants to governmental agencies across the nation and lobbied for parental choice in child care.