Child Care in Osceola County

Resources exist to assist parents who are looking for child care, for those considering starting a child care center or for any existing providers. In 2021, the Osceola County Child Care steering committee worked on a strategic plan to help address child care challenges. If you are looking for child care training or resources not shown on this page, or need assistance, please contact the Osceola County Economic Development Commission.

Osceola County Child Care Initiative Fund

The Osceola County Child Care Initiative Fund will help address a variety of challenges facing the child care industry in Osceola County. The goals of the fund are to support existing Osceola County child care providers, provide incentive funds for new providers, and help toward capital improvements for existing child care centers and help toward the purchase and construction of a new center.

The Osceola County Child Care Initiative Fund has been created as a subfund of the Community Foundation of Osceola County, which is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines. The Child Care Steering Committee will serve as fund advisors and they will determine potential uses and help secure funds. A primary goal of our Child Care Strategic Plan is to create 140 additional spaces in Osceola County. The intention of the child care initiative fund is to support efforts to help meet that goal.

Donations can be made at any time online, or by check:

State programs:

Governor's Child Care Task Force report  is found here. Many recommendations were made to assist parents, businesses and providers. Current programs announced include:

  • DHS will start providing Recruitment and Retention Bonuses to support the child care system and its employees. Each individual child care employee will need to submit their own application. Click here for the application and more info. Recruitment and Retention Bonuses FAQ
  • Creation of a “Best Place for Working Parents” designation 
  • Additional $10 million in funding for the Child Care Challenge Grant Program
  • $100,000 for integrated model of child care and preschool learning opportunities
  • $200 million for funding stabilization grants for financial loss due to the pandemic
    The Iowa Department of Human Services is providing up to $200 million in federal funding to assist eligible childcare providers who can verify financial loss due to the pandemic. This will ensure that Iowa providers are stable, can support expansion, and continue to serve the needs of Iowa’s working families.  
  • Implementation of a childcare management system - This statewide, web-based platform will enable providers to leverage a shared services model for many business operations such as administrative tasks, group purchasing, and professional development. 

Child Care Resources for Parents

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921 1st St NE
Sibley, Iowa, 51249-1447
Phone: 712 754-2166

Bright Beginnings of Osceola County

Bright Beginnings of Osceola County provides day care for children six weeks through 12 years of age. The center is open Monday through Friday from 6am-6pm year round. In addition to providing day care, the center offers nursery school and preschool for children ages 3-5.

Bright Beginnings works closely with the Sibley-Ocheyedan Schools, Sibley Public Library, Sibley Recreation Department, and local nursing homes to ensure that each child will grow physically, emotionally, and socially within the community. A weekly newsletter, parent group, and open communications are just a few of the ways Bright Beginnings ensures that parents can share in their child's day.

While some age groups may require a waiting list, other ages may not. Please call the center to find out availability! Need childcare for the summer? Bright Beginnings was developed as a service for working parents in our community.

Bright Beginnings Website
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  • If you need childcare and cannot find a provider, please contact the Iowa Child Care Resource & Referral on 855-244-5301 to speak to a parent specialist. You can also check here for the DHS Childcare Availability tracking website.
  • Reginaceli's Family Daycare is a Sibley-based child development home. Call (712)461-2254 to check on availability.
  • Click HERE for info on 2021 Child Tax Credit and Advance Child Tax Credit Payments

Child Care Resources for Providers

Interested in opening a child care program? Get in touch with Iowa Child Care Resource & Referral!

Local child care consultants can share insight into what requirements you will need to have. For Osceola County, call 712-330-6896. You may also click here for info on how to become a child development home https://iowaccrr.org/providers/cdh/how/

Licensure & Registration
Iowa has three types of child care; licensed centers, registered child development home providers and child care home providers that are not registered.

  • Licensed Centers - These are businesses that typically care for dozens of children. There are about 1,500 of them in Iowa. Use the “find childcare” tab to find a center near you. Centers are required to follow a long list of requirements and they receive at least one unannounced monitoring visit annually from DHS consultants. The most recent consultant report is located on each center’s listing.
  • Child Development Homes - About 2,800 people provide regulated child care in their homes. Any person providing child care in their home can apply to be registered. Those serving more than 5 children are required to register. The Department seeks to visit all child development homes at least once per fiscal year.
  • Child Care Homes - People who provide childcare in their own homes and who care for five or fewer children are not required to be registered but have the option to do so.

For additional information click here: Provider Child Care Requirements.

Other helpful resources:

  • Funding Opportunities Available to Child Care Programs -the following funding opportunities are being made available to child care providers affected by the COVID-19 crisis.:
    • Stabilization Grants
    • CCA Absent Day Billing
    • Investing in Iowa’s Child Care (IICC) Funding Program
    • Statewide WAGE$ Contract
    • Childcare Recruitment and Retention Bonus Program - More info.
  • The Child Care Challenge Fund supports regional and community projects to establish local child care facilities and increase the availability of quality, affordable child care for working Iowans. The purpose of the Child Care Challenge Grant fund is to encourage and enable businesses, nonprofit organizations, and consortiums to establish local child care facilities and increase the availability of quality, affordable child care for working Iowans. To support this work, the fund will award competitive grants to support community and regional initiatives.
  • DHS will start providing Recruitment and Retention Bonuses to support the child care system and its employees. Each individual child care employee will need to submit their own application.  Recruitment and Retention Bonuses FAQ
  • CPR/First Aid Training:
    • Sibley Ambulance can do first aid CPR training for daycare providers. Providers can take the course on line and then test out the skill with Sibley Ambulance at a cost of $20.00 More info: Call Sande on 712-461-1283, or email sibleyambulance@premieronline.net
    • Northwest Iowa Community College (NCC) also offers First a First Aid & CPR for Childcare Course - click HERE for a flyer.
      • The Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid Course will teach rescuers the knowledge and psychomotor skills they’ll need to recognize emergencies at the work site and provide proper first aid. The training will center on bleeding, head injury, fainting, diabetes, heart attacks, burns, and other types of medical or trauma emergencies. The American Heart Association Curriculum includes video-based training for consistency among the training. This course also provides training on Adult and Pediatric CPR and AED. Fee: $50.
      • For info, call Kevin Miller, Emergency Services Education Coordinator, Northwest Iowa Community College at 712-324-5061 (ext 231)
  • CCR&R has made a commitment to offer high-quality, foundational professional development opportunities to child care providers in various settings. For face-to-face training options, please connect with your CCR&R Child Care Consultant or Regional Training Specialist. CCR&R also offers no-cost, interactive webinars for early childhood professionals. It is now easier than ever to improve your business and the quality of services for children. Click here for info.
  • ISU Extension and Outreach Human Science Resources:
    • Child Care Provider Training - Learn about healthy, affordable food choices and physical activities you can offer for children in your care. Topics available related to nutrition, finance, and family life. Learn more here.
    • NW IA Child Care Provider Trainings 2021-2022
  • Child Care WAGE$® IOWA (WAGE$) is a salary supplement program offered by Iowa AEYC. As with T.E.A.C.H. IOWA, WAGE$ is a licensed program of Child Care Services Association. WAGE$ offers salary supplements (also called stipends) to the early care and education workforce, based on the individual's level of formal education and commitment to their program. Click here to view the WAGE$ Informational Booklet.
  • Any child care provider that has a need for furniture should contact Angie Mitchell at UDMO to see if their needs can be met by current inventory. Please contact Angie on 712-330-3346.

Child Care Resources for Employers

In November 2021, Iowa released the Governor's Child Care Task Force report, found here. Many recommendations were made to assist parents, businesses and providers. Current programs announced include:

  • Creation of a “Best Place for Working Parents” designation 
    • The State of Iowa presents a program to recognize employers’ investments in child care, help attract working parents, encourage competition and ensure continued investment in Iowa families. Take the first‑of‑its‑kind business self‑assessment to determine whether your business qualifies for a Best Place for Working Parents® designation award.

If you are an employer looking to share info with current or potential employees, please click HERE for info you can provide, or HERE for a flyer you can hang up or hand out to staff.

Child Care Flyer