A new Parent Aware Equity Report (PDF) shows that many diverse child care providers in Minnesota continue to experience barriers to pursuing and maintaining Parent Aware ratings.  

The report, which the 2021 Minnesota Legislature mandated, shows that access to technology and internet services needed to complete the Parent Aware rating process remains a major barrier for many Black, Indigenous and other people of color (BIPOC) as well as Greater Minnesota child care providers. 

Providers also said that Parent Aware-approved curriculum, materials and information do not adequately include or recognize cultural and tribal differences and norms, and that definitions of what constitutes quality child care do not recognize the varying forms this can take across cultures. The report also shows that language barriers prevented many providers from joining Parent Aware or from completing the rating process.

Child care providers also noted what is working well for them and could be expanded. These include:

• Grants
• Develop, Parent Aware’s online data system
• In-person trainings and additional support from relationship-based professional development specialists, especially those who are BIPOC, bi- or multi-lingual, and from the same cultural backgrounds or communities as providers. 

The Minnesota Department of Human Services is working on implementing both short-term and long-term strategies to remove these barriers and improve equity for child care providers in Minnesota.