The Osage Nation Child Care Program (ONCCP) is here to assist eligible Native American families with the cost of child care for their children, but we provide much, much more. 

The ONCCP enables families the option of having a grandparent, aunt, or uncle to ability to be the child care provider.  This is an alternative to the daycare home or daycare centers typically available.  The daycare homes and daycare centers are still a choice when applying for assistance with our program, but the family provider is an additional option that is not available through the Oklahoma Department of Human Services Child Care Assistance program.

Education is also important to the ONCCP.  When we talk about education, it encompasses many different facets including, parenting skills, health and safety, CPR, First Aid, AED training, water safety, literacy, and much more.  We provide training to parents receiving assistance through our program, as well as providers who have contracted with our program.   Some of the trainings offered are mandatory for our providers, but others are optional.  The parenting skills curriculum we offer at this time is Nurturing Parenting and it is recognized by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS), Osage Nation Social Services, Osage Nation Tribal Court, as well as the Osage County Courts as a tool to assist parents enhance their parenting skills.

We also host training events for our providers during the course of the year.  At these trainings, we try to focus on fresh ideas for the providers to implement within their facilities.  The trainings focus on a wide range of topics, including: math, reading, storytelling, music, arts and crafts, physical activity, nutrition, health and safety, etc.  The providers are also privy to the use of the Osage Nation Book Mobile that is provided by the ONCCP, as well as the Resource Center.  These can and are intended to be tremendous assets to the providers.  They provide information, books, games, arts and crafts ideas, etc., that can be used in addition to their curriculum or even assist them in creating their own program of study.

The book mobile is used as a library on wheels and is accessible for the children in the facilities as well.  They are able to check out books and check them back in when the mobile unit visits the facility.

As you can see, the ONCCP is more than just an assistance program.  We are truly a service program that wants to serve the community.