Child Care Bungalows and Business Development Program at Abbott Northwestern Hospital

The YWCA, Abbott Northwestern Hospital, and the City of Minneapolis have partnered to build and operate an innovative multicultural child care facility serving the neighborhood as well as employees of Allina and Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

In addition to English based child care for Infants through school-age children, this program offers Somali and Spanish language immersion child care. The child care "Bungalows" feature a family setting with infants though school age children in the same group. Experienced child care providers provide high quality child care within a Somali and Latino cultural context. A very important part of this care is immersion in Somali or Spanish language. Children are also exposed to English with a goal of raising bi-lingual children.

The language specific child care bungalows providers are receiving 'on the job training' to eventually provide high quality licensed care in their own homes. They are learning: the laws of the State of Minnesota, licensing, child care subsidies, tax policies for home child care providers and how to make child care a viable business. The goal is to assist new Americans in establishing successful child care businesses in the community.

For more information, please contact Program Manager, Jim Nicholie at 612-863-0971 or email him at .