Accreditation Information

The Kern County Network for Children (KCNC) has received local, state, and national recognition over the past seventeen years for initiating and sustaining collaborative partnerships benefiting children and families. KCNC has taken pride in developing and implementing local community collaboratives and integrated service delivery models that are rooted in research and based on best practices. In an effort to promote excellence and ongoing improvement, KCNC has developed an accreditation process for newly emerging and established community collaboratives. Currently, twenty community collaboratives have successfully completed the Accreditation process.

Accreditation (willingly submitting to self-study and evaluation) will build commitment and foster a deeper understanding of community collaborative efforts among group members, area residents, service partners, funders, and policy makers. The accreditation process is also designed to promote a uniform child well-being agenda throughout the county. The ultimate goal of this process is to measurably improve outcomes for all children and their families. The KCNC invites all of Kern’s community collaboratives to apply for accreditation.

There are two types of accreditation offered by Kern County Network for Children:

• Local Community Collaborative Accreditation
  This accreditation is for groups that have brought together individuals who: share a common concern for children and families in a specific geographical area, are focused on issues identified by their own community members, and have engaged key partners that can assist the community in making positive changes.
• Local Community Collaborative with Integrated Services Accreditation
  This accreditation is for groups as described above that are also utilizing an integrated service delivery system for providing families with multi-disciplinary, strength-based case management and support services.

This accreditation process will provide community groups with the following benefits:

1. Public recognition throughout the county as a proactive, engaged community collaborative that has agreed to uphold KCNC’s standards of excellence.
2. Opportunities for regular communication and partnership with other collaboratives.
3. Access to public policy makers, service providers, and others devoted to improving child well-being.
4. Hands-on training and education in the provision of child and family services.
5. Leadership development opportunities for grassroots leaders and community volunteers.
6. Technical assistance in community development, strategic planning, service delivery, program administration, as well as research and evaluation.
7. Grant writing and sustainability assistance.
8. Improved communication with public agencies offering child and family services.
9. Enhanced credibility with potential funders, new collaborative partners, and local policy makers.