Providers

Do you operate a child care center or family child care home in Louisville, KY?

If YES, Thrive by 5 Louisville is sharing information with child care centers and family child care homes about how to prepare to participate in pilot programs focused on workforce recruitment, improving facilities, and providing financial assistance for families.

HOW TO PREPARE

Reach out to Child Care Aware (hans.petersen@uky.edu) or the Family Child Care Network (fccn@4cforkids.com) for free coaching and technical assistance to engage in ongoing program quality enhancement through participation in Kentucky ALL STARS.

Fill out the interest form below for child care providers.

Being selected for participation in Thrive by 5 Louisville’s pilot programs will be dependent on many factors. Expect to hear from a Thrive representative in Spring 2025 with more information.

Provider FAQ

Q: How can early education/child care centers and family child care homes prepare for participation in Thrive By 5 Louisville?

A: Early learning/child care programs and family child care homes must first be regulated by Kentucky’s Division of Child Care. Interested programs should contact their local quality coach to set up free, individualized technical assistance to support ongoing program enhancement in the KY All STARS program. Interested child care centers should email Hans.Petersen@uky.edu in the Jefferson Office of Child Care Aware of Kentucky. Interested family child care homes should contact their 4-C Family Child Care Network Specialist at fccn@4cforkids.com

Q: How can early education/child care centers and family child care homes prepare for participation in Thrive By 5 Louisville?

A: Early learning/child care programs and family child care homes must first be regulated by Kentucky’s Division of Child Care. Interested programs should contact their local quality coach to set up free, individualized technical assistance to support ongoing program enhancement in the KY All STARS program. Interested child care centers who do not know who their Child Care Aware Quality Coach is should email hans.petersen@uky.edu. Interested family child care homes should contact their 4-C Family Child Care Network Specialist at fccn@4cforkids.com

Q: How will Thrive By 5 Louisville support programs to participate in continuous quality improvement?

A: By encouraging them to work with local organizations that provide free training and technical assistance for quality improvement through participation in the KY All STARS program. Child care centers should email Hans.Petersen@uky.edu to get connected with their Quality Coach. Family child care homes seeking higher quality should contact their 4-C Family Child Care Network specialist at fccn@4cforkids.com.

Q: When will more information about participation in Thrive by 5 Louisville be available? 

A: Spring 2025

Q: What opportunities will directors and teachers have to support the work of  Thrive By 5 Louisville? 

A: One option is to participate in the Thrive by 5 Louisville Advisory Council, made up of some 30 members representing diverse sectors within Louisville’s early childhood ecosystem and appointed by the Thrive by 5 Louisville Board. The Advisory Council provides recommendations and insights to guide the strategic direction of Thrive by 5 Louisville. By participating on Board committees—including Workforce, Facilities, and Community Engagement/Fundraising—the Advisory Council offers valuable input on programmatic issues, funding guidance, and solutions to support Louisville’s early childhood landscape.  

Thrive by 5 Louisville seeks to include underrepresented voices within the Advisory Council. To ensure participation from individuals who might not otherwise be able to afford the time or expense, members may apply and qualify to receive stipends for their time and expertise when participating in Advisory Council meetings and Thrive by 5 Louisville Committee meetings.

Q: Is Bezos Academy a part of Thrive By 5 Louisville? 

A: Bezos Academy is not connected to Thrive By 5 Louisville but is a part of our city’s efforts to make high quality early learning/ child care accessible to all 3- and 4-year-old children in Louisville. Bezos Academy offers tuition-free, full day, year-round, Montessori-inspired preschool for 3- to 5-year-old children whose families earn less than 400% of the Federal Poverty Level – about $124,800 per year for a family of four. Admission to all Bezos Academy preschools is lottery-based.