The Child Care Partnership Council provides a forum for the identification of local priorities for child care and early learning services and the development of policies and strategies to meet the priorities. It provides a community venue where the impact of state and federal child care and family policies, proposed legislation or regulation can be examined from multiple viewpoints.

The Council makes decisions on the local distribution of state child care funding.  It conducts a mandated community–wide needs assessment, followed by a county-wide strategic plan for child care services for all children, every five years.