The Office of Child Care and Family Resources (OCCFR) at UW–Madison has received a Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Cigdem Unal, the director of OCCFR, is the author and principal investigator on the grant, which is for $875,828 over a four-year cycle.
The purpose of the grant is to alleviate some of the financial burden of childcare costs for student parents and to provide high-quality care to their children in the early stages of development. This support enables student parents to focus on their studies, increasing the likelihood of enrollment persistence and degree completion.
“This award is a difference maker in the lives of student parents,” said Teri Stratton, a development specialist for OCCFR. “High-quality childcare is costly, and most student parents live on a shoestring budget.”
The federal funding for child care expenses comes at a time when it is needed the most. Student parents consistently rate the high cost of high-quality campus child care as an obstacle to their academic success. CCAMPIS funding helps level the playing field as it gives families access to high-quality care for their children.
The Office of Child Care and Family Resources is administratively housed in the School of Education.