Venice area child care providers who achieve a three, four or five star level are exceeding the basic requirements for child care and are providing quality early learning environments for the children of Sarasota County.  
 
Providers who achieve a four or five star level are providing and maintaining high levels of quality child care. Providers who achieve a three star level are providing consistently good quality child care in all areas. Providers who achieve a two star level are recognized for providing quality above state licensing requirements and have demonstrated that they are actively taking steps to improve quality. Providers who achieve a one star level meet basic licensing standards but as part of the program are invested in pursuing steps to improve quality.
 
All parents should visit at least 3 different sites to determine the best fit for their child. This guide is one tool to help with that process and parents should discuss with the provider their respective strengths and areas for improvement noted in their star level report.

Note: Gold Seal Certified sites are awarded a plus (+)

Not every child care provider is listed on the Look for the Stars website. Some reasons a provider may not be listed include:

• Provider chose not to participate
• Provider wanted to participate, but did not have the opportunity to participate this year
• Provider was assessed but chose to opt out of participation
• Provider has a Class 1 licensing violation within the past year and is ineligible for participation this year

Parents can contact the Early Learning Coalition’s Child Care Resource and Referral service for information on why a provider is not on the list at 941.556.1600 ext. 6 or mail@earlylearningcoalitionsarasota.org.

Child Care Resource and Referral is a source of information on resources available for parents and can also provide a personalized list of child care options based on parents’ individual needs. including ages served, hours of operation, program enhancements, and other program information. Contact Child Care Resource and Referral at 941.556.1600 ext. 6 or mail@earlylearningcoalitionsarasota.org.

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) website is another resource, with a feature that allows parents to search for child care provider based on specific criteria.

Rollover the icon for more information about a provider, where available.