COSTA MESA : Directory Would List Day-Care Centers

An advisory group to the City Council decided Tuesday to ask the council for $250 to produce a new directory of day care centers and youth programs.

A directory was produced in 1991, but now contains some wrong information, said members of the Child Care and Youth Services Committee. Two of the committee members run day-care centers.

More than 60 programs are listed in the directory--including many that people run out of their homes. The new directory would list only state-licensed programs.

But member Patti Smith said people still need to double-check for a current license before picking a center.

The present directory tells whether programs serve lunch, provide transportation, are open weekends or have bilingual staff. There is also a parent checklist of questions to ask and information about child abuse and employer-sponsored child care. Committee members agreed to produce that information in English and Spanish for the new directory.

City Recreation Supervisor Trudy E. Nuzum said she will soon send out questionnaires to child-care centers on a list from the state Social Services Agency. She said child-care providers who want to make sure they are included may call her at (714) 754-5300.

The committee now has seven members but has room for another four. Nuzum said people may call her to learn how to apply. The deadline is Feb. 18.

One of the committee’s main goals this year is to start an intracity network. Members plan to hold a workshop this year to bring organizations together that provide similar services to children and young people.