Child Care Aware of America Link by Child Care Aware® of America

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A membership publication of Child Care Aware速 of America September 2012

Does your agency need assistance in making quality improvements to meet national Best Practices standards? Join this self-paced program and assess your performance toward meeting national standards. The program will help your agency analyze: X Governance and management structure X Information and assessment practices X Public awareness and engagement activities X Parent, Provider, Employer and Community services Reviewing your performance toward best practices standards can lead to a continuous quality improvement plan

that can demonstrate to your customers your commitment to providing improved services. Child Care Aware速 of America offers 27 hours of pre-recorded online, on-demand trainings, and access to additional resources. A one-time fee of $600 provides all agency staff and board members access to the training and materials for up to 18 months.

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Contents

2012 National Child Care Policy Symposium: Child Care and Education: Unequal Opportunities

15 NACCRRA 25th Anniversary 17 Leaving Children to Chance: Child Care Aware® of America’s Ranking of State Standards and Oversight for Small Family Child Care Homes: 2012 Update

18 Parents and the High Cost of Child Care: 2012 Report

21 Child Care Aware® of America White Paper Outlines Need for Comprehensive Background Checks

25 Senator Mark Begich Sticks His Neck Out for Child Care During the Week of the Young Child

In Every Issue 4 Letter from Executive Director 24 What’s Happening in the States 28 Inside CCR&Rs 32 Child Care Aware® of America News

25 September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link 3

Letter From Our Executive Director Dear Members: A new name, a new look, and new policy initiatives and partnerships are helping bring consistent attention to our mission – advocating for quality, affordable child care for all children.

formerly naccrra

Our Child Care Aware® of America re-branding is nearly complete, with the unveiling of our new usa.childcareaware.org website URL coming soon. The re-branding allows us to create a national identity for our field and the issues we address every day. So far, nine states have joined the re-branding effort. National news media outlets, including CNN Money, reported on our annual child care cost analysis, Parents and the High Cost of Child Care, which was generated from information gathered by Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) State Network offices and local agencies. We have released several white papers in addition to our major reports. “Why Aren’t We Outraged? Children Dying in Child Care Across America,” “Background Checks: It is Time to Protect Children in Child Care” and “Effective Inspection Policies Promote Children’s Safety and Healthy Development in Child Care” have put our name in the news and brought our policy agenda to the forefront through new channels. The papers can be read and downloaded from our website. We’re also expanding our reach through partnerships with organizations like Working Mother Media. Keep an eye out for articles and other content produced by Child Care Aware® of America on the Working Mother website, www.workingmother.com. This is an exciting time for Child Care Aware® of America and our membership. Continue to check our website and our weekly eNews for updates on our expanding efforts as our nation’s leading voice for child care. Sincerely,

Ollie M. Smith Interim Executive Director

4 September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link

The 2012 National Policy Symposium

Child Care and Education:

Unequal Opportunities

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Race to the Top/Early Learning Panelists Plot Course for Better Child Care By Rosemary Kendall

Panelists in the Race to the Top/Early Learning Challenge Fund – Framework for the Future preSymposium session addressed strategies to strengthen the quality of child care and enhance states’ early learning systems. Marsha Thompson, Indiana Association for Child Care Resource and Referral, Indianapolis, Indiana; Janet Singerman, Child Care Resources Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina; Elizabeth Bonbright, Washington State Child Care Resource and Referral Network, Tacoma, Washington; Ann McCully, Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Sandy Myers, Think Small, St. Paul, Minnesota; Steve Rohde, Maryland Family Network, Baltimore, Maryland; Rolf Grafwallner, Maryland State Department of Education, Baltimore, Maryland; Miriam Calderon, Senior Advisor, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Deborah Spitz, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education and Ollie M. Smith, Child Care Aware® of America, discussed the first round of the Race to the Top Early Literacy Challenge Grant competition. The First Round: In 2011, the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services announced a $500-million, four-year Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge Grant competition. The competition encouraged states to raise the bar on quality for all early learning programs and to include more high-needs children in high-quality settings. The challenge was to: XXEstablish successful state systems. XXDescribe high-quality, accountable programs. XXPromote early learning and development outcomes

for children.

XXSupport a great early childhood education workforce.

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XXMeasure outcomes and progress.

In December 2011, grants averaging $50 million were awarded to nine states: California, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington. CCR&Rs are an important part of states’ Race to the Top plans. Representatives from Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina and Washington and session participants described the role CCR&Rs can play in Early Challenge Grant plans: XXParticipate in planning and implementation. XXSupport professional development. XXProvide programs with in-depth technical assistance

and organizing peer-to-peer meetings.

XXHouse databases that track information about

approved training, training organizations and individuals career progress.

XXIntegrate data and sharing data across systems. XXHouse state scholarship programs for child care

providers and CCR&R staff.

XXSupport infant and toddler specialists. XXHelp states hone in on selected communities. XXProvide a connection between schools and the

child care community.

XXShare resources with parents and provide parent

education.

XXSupport program self-assessments and assessment

of assessments.

XXAdminister subsidy programs.

XXFor more information, register and watch Child

Care Aware® of America’s Member Webinar “Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge Grants” (At A Glance, A Role for CCR&Rs) from January 25, 2012 at http://www.naccrra.org/publicpolicy/policy-webinars/member-webinars.

Since the Pre-Symposium session in March, the Departments have announced two more rounds of competition. XX2012, Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge

Grants: Round Two: In April 2012, the two Departments announced the next five highest scoring states from the first round competition (Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon and Wisconsin) were eligible to compete in the next round of the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge Grants. These states can apply for up to 50 percent of what they requested in their original application.

XX2012, Race to the Top District Competition: Round

Two: On August 12, the Department of Education announced $400 million for a new Race to the Top District competition. Local school districts (also called local education agencies or LEAs) may apply for a grant for all or a portion of their schools, for specific grades, or for subject bands. The deadline for letters of intent to apply are due August 30, and applications are due October 30. Grant awards will be made in December.

CCR&R Challenge: In Round Two, local school districts may include an early learning component, but there is no requirement to do so. CCR&Rs need to be at the table at the local and state level to make sure early learning in included as a key component of any plan. Early learning should not be ignored or left to chance. For more information, see the August 13 edition of Capitol Connection at http://www.naccrra.org/sites/ default/files/default_site_pages/2012/capcon_august_13.pdf.

Join Child Care Aware® of America’s Action Network How Can Child Care Aware® of America’s Policy Team Support your National, State and Local advocacy efforts? X Sign-up for weekly updates in Capitol Connection e-newsletter. X Access background one-pagers on pending legislation. X Receive support for coordinating media and social networking campaigns. X Set up an online Action Center to distribute petitions, letters and emails to your legislators. X Host Child Care Aware® of America’s training on “Taking Advocacy to the Next Level” in your state.

www.naccrra.org/policy #1559-0824

September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link 7

Making the Economic Case for Investing in Young Children By Rosemary Kendall

As the demand for employees with higher levels of skills grows, child care advocates must become comfortable making the economic case for investing in young children. At the Opening Session of the 2012 National Child Care Policy Symposium, Rob Grunewald, Associate Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis, challenged advocates to use language the business world understands to effectively promote child care and early education. Frame early learning investments as economic development. There are obvious short-run benefits to investing in child care: XXChild care allows parents to enter the workforce. XXReliable, accessible, affordable child care reduces

absenteeism and turnover.

XXStates need a high-quality, skilled workforce to

attract new employers. To keep businesses, there must be quality child care and education.

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In the long term, job growth will require higher levels of skills and education. Research about the importance of investing in young children’s quality care and education is convincing. Longitudinal studies based on quality early education show savings for individuals and taxpayers on costs for K-12 education, for welfare and for the justice system. They show an astonishing estimated return on investment: XXPerry Preschool —

»» Benefit-cost ratio = $16 to $1. »» Annual rate of return = 18 percent »» Public rate of return = 16 percent »» Heckman re-analysis = 10 percent XXAbecedarian Educational Child Care - benefit-cost

ratio = $4 to $1

XXChicago Child-Parent Center Program - benefit-

cost ratio = $10 to $1

XXElmira Prenatal/Early Infancy Project - benefit-cost

ratio = $5 to $1

Recruit business leaders as advocates. Child care leaders can define clear roles for business leaders: XXBuild awareness among peers, the public and

policymakers.

XXDevelop and demonstrate family friendly best

practices for employees.

XXVolunteer business expertise to early care and

education programs.

XXParticipate in policy development and advocacy.

Child care leaders can master successful strategies for recruiting business leaders: XXMake the pitch concise. XXBe clear about objectives and time commitment. XXInvolve another business leader in the “ask.” XXGive business leaders ownership.

Prepare to address tough allegations. Early childhood funding takes children away from their parents and puts them in government programs. XXEarly learning programs are voluntary — parents

choose whether to enroll their children and which program to use.

XXEarly learning programs are mostly for-profit and

nonprofit small businesses that hire thousands of employees every year.

XXNationally, receipts by child care settings serving

children under age 5 have been estimated at $50 billion — about one-third of 1 percent of total economic output (GDP) — and about one in every 100 U.S. workers makes a living in the early care and education industry.

XXActually, investing in early childhood leads to

cutting taxes and reducing the debt burden for our grandchildren.

XXWith investments in early learning, taxpayers

make out better than children due to reductions in remedial education and crime costs.

Early childhood programs don’t work; just look at the results of the Head Start study. XXThe vast majority of evidence from early learning

studies shows that high-quality investments in early learning programs are successful at preparing children to succeed in school.

XXWhile the recent study of Head Start did find

a number of positive effects on children’s school readiness, the effects did not persist through the end of first grade.

XXHowever, the response to this finding isn’t to cut

Head Start, but rather keep strengthening the program and other federal investments in early learning, such as child care subsidies, toward higher quality. In addition, many Head Start children make gains in Head Start only to enter schools that are in need of educational resources.

There are other pressing matters to attend to now; we can’t wait 10 to 20 years for these benefits. XXThe economic success the United States enjoys

today is built on the investments made in education decades ago.

XXThe most efficient means to boost the productivity

of the workforce and U.S. economy 15 to 20 years down the road is to invest in today’s youngest children, especially children from disadvantaged environments, our “high-return” children.

XXWithout these investments, we risk falling behind

other developed and developing countries that are making increased investments in education and early learning.

Resources for recruiting business leaders include ReadyNation (http://www.readynation.org), the Minnesota Early Learning Foundation (http://www. melf.us), and Minnesota Business for Early Learning (http://www.isyourchildready.com).

September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link 9

Challenges and Opportunities in Building the Early Child Care and Education Workforce By Rosemary Kendall

Panelists at the Plenary Session at the 2012 National Child Care Policy Symposium described the results of current research about building the early care and education workforce. Richard N. Brandon, recently retired as founding director of the Human Services Policy Center at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs; Deborah J. Cassidy, Director of the Division for Child Development in the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services; and Ivelisse Martinez-Beck, Child Care Research Coordinator in the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) described the related challenges and opportunities. Rick Brandon, Ph.D., presented a conceptual framework of the early care and education (ECE) workforce that includes the following components: XXECE Occupation – Individuals who are paid for

direct care/instruction of children, birth to age 5.

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XXECE Sector – Individuals who work for an

establishment that provides direct care and instruction for children birth to age 5.

XXECE Enterprise – Individuals whose work has a

direct impact on the nature of direct caregiving or instructional practice, including as CCR&R staff.

Facts about the ECE workforce: XXIt includes 2.2 million people - 3.5 percent of the

female workforce in the United States.

XXThe education attainment is lower than the general

population of parents.

XXWages are low and benefits are poor. They are

31 percent less than for women with comparable qualifications in other occupations.

XXJob turnover is high. XXIt is culturally diverse (unlike public school teachers).

XXFifty-one percent are center-based.1

XXDesigns modules focused on research-based practice.

XXTwelve percent are in formal family child care.1

XXIs of sufficient duration.

XXTwenty-seven percent are family members.1

XXInvolves collaborative problem solving.

XXEleven percent are paid friends and neighbors.1

XXConnects content to standards and assessment.

XXIt is 31 percent of prekindergarten-college education

XXHas methods for establishing proficiency.

staff. There are also 3.2 million unpaid providers, mostly relatives.1

XXThe median age is 39-47.2 XXIt is 90-98 percent female.2 Directors are 63 percent

female.2

XXForty-eight percent are married; 33 percent are never

married; 18 percent are formerly married.2

XXSixty-eight percent have children in the household.2

XXMeets the needs of a diverse workforce.

There needs to be continued research about the benefits of a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, a bachelor’s degree in any field, or teacher certification as well as a closer scrutiny of teacher education programs. Future research can also consider: XXLessons from other professions such as health care.

XXHousehold income is about $40,000 for a child care

XXBenefit-cost ratios of investing in better qualified and

XXDirectors are 81-85 percent non-Hispanic white;

XXMeasurement of the impact of market forces, public

worker; $68,000 for a prekindergarten teacher.

teachers are 75-80 percent non-Hispanic white; family child care providers are 68 percent nonHispanic white.2

Multiple strategies address low wages, including public funding (e.g., Head Start and the Department of Defense), scholarship and compensation initiatives, assistance with health insurance, and tax credits linked to quality. There are exciting possibilities for gathering new data. The National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE) study, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HSS), will provide rich data about the types of providers and the child care needs of families. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is exploring new ways of defining child care categories for the Standard Occupational Categories by 2018. Deborah J. Cassidy, Ph.D., noted that the ultimate goal of early childhood education is to promote child development. Professional development supports teachers’ acquisition of professional knowledge, skills and dispositions. Effective professional development:

adequately compensated staff.

policies and societal expectations.

Ivelisse Martinez-Beck, Ph.D., described several ACF initiatives that support professional development: XXRace to the Top - Early Learning Challenge Grants. XXOffice of Child Care’s (OCC) Quality Performance

Report.

XXOCC’s National Center on Professional

Development and Workforce Initiatives.

XXOffice of Planning, Research and Evaluation’s

(OPRE) Professional Development and Workforce Workgroup.

XXOPRE’s National Survey of Early Care and Education.

Current information about OPRE research is at http:// www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/. Current information about the OCC research and professional development initiatives is at http://www. acfhhs.gov/programs/occ/. 1 2

XXDefines competencies by aligning standards

Source: Brandon, Stutman & Maroto, 2011 Source: Census data

across groups.

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Quality and Quantity: How Do We Achieve Both? By Rosemary Kendall

Most children in the United States do not have the opportunity to attend a quality child care program – so where does the discussion about child care quality and quantity begin? Child Care Aware® of America invited Dr. Walter S. Gilliam, Edward Zigler Center, Yale Child Study Center; Barbara Thompson, U.S. Department of Defense; Michael Olenick, Child Care Resource Center, Inc., Chatsworth, California; Sheila Hoyle, Southwestern Child Development Commission, Inc., Webster, North Carolina; Adele Robinson, National Association for the Education of Young Children; Harriet Dichter, Ounce of Prevention Fund, Chicago, Illinois; and Shannon Rudisill, Office of Child Care, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to discuss child care quality and quantity as part of the closing plenary session of the 2012 National Child Care Policy Symposium. The challenge, agreed the panelists, is to work to create systems that support child care. Public will needs to be created to increase the supply of affordable, accessible, quality child care. Research confirms that the years from birth though age 5 are important for children’s later development. Quality child care helps children, while poor care can negatively impact their school readiness and future opportunities. Suggestions from the panelists for improving quality and increasing supply included: 1. Be persistent and focused. North Carolina could take advantage of the Race to the Top Challenge because it built on previous statewide efforts. 2. Challenge existing federal and state-level funding streams to increase funding for child care. Work to invent new funding streams. 3. Learn from research and best practices in other states. 4. Build alliances with partners within the child care world. The State Military Child Care Liaison

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Pilot Project in 13 states works collaboratively to influence legislative changes in states. 5. Build alliances with business, health care, education and other groups that may have better financing and more power. 6. Use the research. Collect data to set markers, measure progress and know where to improve. 7. Integrate professional development, early learning standards and supports across programs. Use QRIS to move levels of quality. 8. Concentrate on efficiencies with public money. Integrate programs and governance. 9. Focus on leadership development at all levels. 10. Create public desire for quality child care. Motivate people to increase taxes for something they recognize is really great. 11. Let go of what used to work. Reach out to technology in new ways for educating consumers, making referrals, using data to support initiatives and documenting progress/success. The military child care system is a model for quality child care. It took visionary leadership, persistence and an Act of Congress to pass the Military Child Care Act that legislates federal funding for a quality child care system that supports the mission readiness of the military. The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is a federal funding stream that supports quality initiatives and access for children in low-income working families. The Office of Child Care is working on strategies to make states more accountable for the health, safety and development of children in all child care settings. Reauthorization of CCDBG is a key element of Child Care Aware® of America’s public policy agenda. Child Care Aware® of America’s vision is of a nation that supports the development and learning of all children. Working together, that vision can become a reality.

Parents @ Symposium Share Their Child Care Stories By Kim Kober

Parents @ Symposium has brought 75 parents to Capitol Hill to share their child care stories with Members of Congress since 2009. This year’s 15 parent advocates from 12 states met with staff at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including Deputy Secretary Bill Corr and Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families George Sheldon. Parents @ Symposium participants take part in advocacy training at the National Child Care Policy Symposium, and many return home to become advocacy leaders in their states and communities. Some of these parent advocates have testified about child care policies to their state legislatives bodies. Others have worked with the local news media to raise awareness about child care issues. The goal is to develop parent leaders in every state – to create parent teams that will work together to raise visibility for quality child care. Parent leaders lead state capitol days, work directly with state legislators and wage advocacy campaigns on Facebook and Twitter. These parents are spreading the message that all families should have access to safe, quality and affordable child care. This year, each parent shared a story that not only represented his or her own personal experience, but what other parents throughout the country are experiencing as well. The 2012 Parents @ Symposium scholarship recipients included: Ben Hammond, a father and a Fire Marshal from Arkansas, advocated for comprehensive background checks and inspections. Clarissa Doutherd, sponsored by Parent Voices in California, spoke for families receiving child care assistance. Le’Vaughn Johnson, of Michigan, advocated for background checks and inspections on behalf of her son, Quale, who died in a family child care home in Georgia. Kim and Bryan Engelman were sponsored by Child Care Aware® of Kansas. They advocated on behalf of

Some of the 2012 Parents @ Symposium (Left to Right): Bryan and Kim Engelman, Katie Olson, Jen Wright, Rebecca Dyal, Jennifer Scott, Ben Hammond, Heather McShane, Brittany Dougherty, Vicky Dougherty, Le’Vaughn Johnson and Lian Ferguson

their daughter Lexie, who died in a family child care home and whose tragic story was the catalyst behind the 2010 passage of Lexie’s Law in the Kansas state legislature. Katie Olson and Jennifer Scott represented White Earth Child Care in Minnesota and advocated for adjusting the rate of reimbursement for child care fee assistance to better meet the market rate and help increase the availability of quality child care for families. Jen Wright was sponsored by Child Care Aware® of Missouri and spoke on behalf of parents who should not have to choose between quality child care and affordable child care. Lian Ferguson, with Programs for Parents in New Jersey, spoke about how important continuity of care is for a child, and the important role that child care assistance plays in helping families access quality care. Saima Akthar, sponsored by the Early Care & Learning Council of New York, explained to her policymakers why it is important for child care policies to be straightforward and understandable so parents can make the best decisions for their families. (Continued on page 14)

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Heather McShane, sponsored by the Chenango County Child Care Coordinating Council (NY), represented parents who, like herself, work nontraditional hours and have few child care options.

Percentage of Meetings Addressing Topics/Issues

Lawrence Hall, sponsored by the Ohio Child Care Resource & Referral Network, lost his daughter Madelyne in an unlicensed family child care home. He spoke about how all child care providers caring for unrelated children should be licensed. Joni Pollin, sponsored by Delaware Child Development in Oklahoma, talked to Congress about making child care more affordable for all families. Vicky Dougherty, from Pennsylvania, spoke in memory of her son Warren, who was fatally injured in a child care home. Vicky advocates for licensing of all child care providers, including background checks, training and inspections. Rebecca Dyal, sponsored by the Tennessee Child Care Resource & Referral Network, advocated for high quality child care and early learning opportunities to help all children enter school ready to learn.

Day on the Hill Participants Build Momentum for Change By Grace Reef

There was much to discuss during Day on the Hill at the 2012 National Child Care Policy Symposium. In 2011, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Children and Families held two hearings regarding child care. The first compared the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), the law that allocates funds to the states for child care and sets the parameters for state child care programs, with the Military Child Care Act (MCCA), which guides the Department of Defense in operating its child care programs. The second hearing was about health and safety in child care. Day on the Hill was a great opportunity to build momentum based on those hearings and advocate for several pending bills to strengthen the quality of child care.

More than 200 meetings were held between Symposium 14 September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link attendees and Congressional Members’ offices.

Key Topics Raised: One way to demonstrate the coverage received for key issues in our Public Policy Agenda is to look at the percentage of Hill meetings in which each issue was raised as a topic for discussion. As the graph below shows, each issue was discussed at a majority of visits (each issue was discussed at more than half the visits). The above graph shows the percentage of meetings in which each issue was raised. Background checks were the most widely discussed issue, and were discussed in 98 percent of the meetings. While training was least mentioned, it was still raised in about 60 percent of meetings. Day on the Hill is enlightening – and fun. If you did not attend the 2012 National Child Care Policy Symposium, consider joining us at the next Symposium, April 10-13, 2013. There are many opportunities to discuss pending issues, attend interesting policy workshops, listen to policy speakers and ask questions, engage with your peers, meet new Hill staff or Members of Congress, or strengthen existing relationships with staff or Members of Congress. We need to continue to keep visibility high on Capitol Hill about child care.

NACCRRA notables past and present celebrate 25 years of child care advocacy (Left to Right): Michael Olenick, NACCRRA Board President; Elizabeth Bonbright, Executive Director of the Washington State Child Care Resource & Referral Network; Leadell Ediger, President, Child Care Aware of Kansas and former NACCRRA Board President; Linda K. Smith, former NACCRRA Executive Director; Marsha Thompson, Indiana Association for Child Care Resource and Referral; Marta T. Rosa, former NACCRRA Board President; Janet Singerman, Child Care Resources Inc.; and Duane Dennis, former NACCRRA Board member

NACCRRA 25th Anniversary NACCRRA celebrated its 25th anniversary in grand style with a cocktail reception, dinner and program during the 2012 National Child Care Policy Symposium. The event gave members the opportunity to reflect on a quarter century of accomplishments and set the stage for the future of child care. Since NACCRRA – now Child Care Aware® of America – was founded in 1987, the association has grown to become a leading advocate for early childhood development and has played an important role in shaping child care legislation and supporting the work of CCR&Rs. NACCRRA has been instrumental in leading research about national child care standards and oversight, providing training opportunities for the early childhood workforce,

and assisting military families in locating quality care. During the celebration, Elizabeth Bonbright, Executive Director of the Washington State Child Care Resource & Referral Network, was presented the 2012 Sandy Skolnik Award, given to an outstanding leader in the Child Care Resource and Referral field. Bonbright, Executive Director at the network since 1992, has tremendous vision, energy and drive and has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of child care. She has been a voice for child care policy at the local, state, and national level and has been a true inspiration for the field.

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Latest Reports

September 2012 | Child Care Aware速 of America Link

Parents want quality child care for their children, but the slow economic recovery and the high cost of child care makes paying for child care difficult for working families. In August, Child Care AwareÂŽ of America released Parents and the High Cost of Child Care: 2012 Report, which presents 2011 data about what parents pay for full-time child care. This document helps child care advocates describe the economic challenge working American families face in paying for child care. It also offers recommendations for states and the federal government to improve the affordability of child care. Parents and the High Cost of Child Care includes average fees for both family child care homes and child care centers for infants, 4-year-olds and school-age children in every state. The information was provided by State Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) Network offices and local agencies that maintain data about child care programs in the communities they serve, or it was drawn from the most recent state market rate surveys.

The facts are striking: XX In 2011, the average annual cost of full-time child care for an infant in a center ranged from about $4,600 in Mississippi to nearly $15,000 in Massachusetts. XX In 2011, the average annual cost of full-time child care for a 4-year-old in a center ranged from about $3,900 in Mississippi to nearly $11,700 in Massachusetts. XX In 2011, the average annual cost of before- and/or after-school center-based care for a school-age child ranged from about $1,950 in Mississippi to nearly $11,000 in New York.

Latest Reports

Parents and the High Cost of Child Care: 2012 Report XX In 2011, the average annual cost of care for an infant in a family child care home ranged from about $4,500 in South Carolina to nearly $10,400 in New York state. XX In 36 states, the average annual cost for center-based care for an infant was higher than one yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in-state tuition and related fees at a four-year public college. XX Even for 4-year-olds, the average annual cost of center-based care was higher than public college tuition and fees in 19 states and the District of Columbia. XX Center-based child care fees for two children (an infant and a 4-year-old) exceeded annual median rent payments in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As this report shows, safety, health and school readiness comes at a cost that many parents cannot afford. Many choose unlicensed options that may be less expensive but are of unknown quality. There is no check for basic health and safety standards and other practices that promote healthy child development in unlicensed care. The current approach to child care is not sufficient to ensure all children start school ready to learn. It cannot ensure that low-income children, especially those receiving public funding, are in quality care.

Child Care Financing Challenges In the United States, the cost of child care is largely borne by parents. Unlike the cost of higher education, there is no system of public financing to help make child care more affordable for families. Parents from all income levels, especially middle income parents, feel the pressure. The federal government provides grants to states through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). States use these funds to subsidize the monthly cost of child care for low-income working families. Unfortunately, tough economic decisions at the state level are cutting support for child care for these parents and their children. It is time for Congress and the states to design a system so that all families, not just wealthy ones, can afford quality care.

September 2012 | Child Care AwareÂŽ of America Link

Latest Reports

Child Care Aware® of America recommends that Congress: XX Require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to define minimally acceptable quality child care. XX Require the National Academy of Sciences to study the real cost of quality care and to offer recommendations to Congress for financing to support quality options for parents. XX Reauthorize CCDBG and add requirements to improve the quality of care.

Leaving Children to Chance: Child Care Aware® of America’s Ranking of State Standards and Oversight for Small Family Child Care Homes: 2012 Update By Rosemary Kendall

Each week, nearly 11 million children under age 5 are in some type of child care arrangement for an average of 35 hours. Nearly 15 percent of these children are in family child care homes.The 2012 Leaving Children to Chance report, released in March 2012, scores 51 states (including the District of Columbia) and the Department of Defense (DoD) on key aspects of their small family child care homes (homes where the provider cares for up to six children, including the providers’ own children younger than age 6, for compensation.)

September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link

Parent choice in child care is a national policy objective. But, when the only choice parents have is among poor quality settings, that is not a real choice. From the research, it is clear that quality care makes a difference. Now is the time for policymakers to promote quality choices for all parents. For a complete list of recommendations and for more information about Parents and the High Cost of Child Care: 2012 Report please visit http://www.naccrra.org/about-child-care/cost-ofchild-care.

Key Findings Progress has been made in many states since the 2010 report, but more progress is needed. XX The average score was 69, which was 46 percent of possible points. Using a standard grading scale across American classrooms, this would be a failing grade. XX Scores for the Top 10 states ranged from 86 to 120. Of these states, Oklahoma earned a “B;” Washington, Kansas and Delaware and DoD earned a “C;” Maryland, Alabama, the District of Columbia and Colorado earned a “D;” and the 10th state, Massachusetts, earned an “F” (as do all remaining states). XX Sixteen states scored zero in this report. Eight scored zero because they do not inspect family child care homes before licensing (Iowa, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and West Virginia). Eight others scored zero because they either allow more than six children in the home before requiring a license or do not license small family child care homes (Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio, South Dakota and Virginia). XX The biggest change over the past two years to improve the quality of care occurred in Kansas. Kansas scored 111 points in this report and is ranked 3rd, compared to a score of zero in the 2010 report.

Latest Reports

XX Background checks: Only nine states conduct a comprehensive background check, which includes a check of federal and state criminal records using fingerprints, a check of the child abuse registry and the sex offender registry. Only 18 states check the sex offender registry. XX Training: Four states require 40 or more hours of initial training. In 13 states, there are no hours of initial training required for providers operating small family child care homes. XX Health and Safety: Only 15 states address each of 10 basic health requirements and 10 basic safety requirements as experts recommend.

XX Inspections: Even the strongest program requirements are undercut by ineffective monitoring. Eight states issue a license to family child care providers without an inspection. Only 26 states plus the DoD conduct inspections at least annually. The federally funded Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) does not require subsidies to be used in licensed care. About 19 percent of children whose care is paid for through CCDBG are in unlicensed settings (about 322,000 children). It is time to strengthen CCDBG and state licensing requirements.

September 2012 | Child Care Aware速 of America Link

Inside CCR&Rs Congressional Update

September 2012 | Child Care Aware速 of America Link

Congressional Update

Child Care Aware® of America White Paper Outlines Need for Comprehensive Background Checks By Tracey Schaefer

Background Checks: It is Time to Protect Children in Care, a Child Care Aware® of America white paper, reveals startling data that underscores the necessity of background checks for licensed child care providers in order to safeguard children. Released in July, the white paper outlines the elements of background checks – checks of fingerprints, criminal history and child abuse and sex offender registries – needed to ensure that children are safe in child care settings. The report includes state-by-state background check requirements for child care providers.

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), the federal law that allocates funds to states for child care and sets the parameters for state child care laws, does not require a background check for child care providers. As a result, state background check requirements vary greatly. According to the paper, only 11 states require a comprehensive background check before allowing individuals to work in child care centers. Only nine states require a comprehensive check before granting a child care license to people operating child care programs out of their homes. (Continued on page 22)

September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link

Inside CCR&Rs Congressional Update

The white paper cites three studies that demonstrate the importance of requiring a background check. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) study matching Social Security numbers to state employment databases revealed 24 cases where registered sex offenders were working in child care programs. In selecting 10 cases to review in more detail, GAO found that at least seven cases involved offenders who previously had targeted children and in three of the cases, the offenders used their access to children at the programs to offend again. A study of the Federal Child Safety Pilot Program found that of 30,000 background checks conducted on individuals who sought to volunteer with children, 6.4 percent had criminal records. A 2010 U.S. Department of Justice report found that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) processed 77,213 criminal history background checks on volunteers who sought to work with children. NCMEC found 1,409 individuals had committed an offense barring their ability to volunteer with children. States vary with regard to background check requirements for child care providers, but they all have the capability to require a comprehensive check. According to the Department of Justice report, 49 states and the District of Columbia have enacted statutes authorizing national fingerprint-based criminal history background checks on one or more categories of people who work or volunteer with children. The average processing time for a live-scan (digital fingerprint) submission is one day. On average, states charge about $20 for the screenings with the FBI charging between $18 and $24. “It’s a modest cost when compared to the risk involved where children could be abused or worse by someone who is hired to ensure their safety,” said Ollie M. Smith, Interim Executive Director of Child Care Aware® of America. “Children should be safe in child care.”

September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link

North Carolina Child Care Expert Janet Singerman Testifies Before Senate Committee on Important Role of Child Care Resource and Referral By Grace Reef

Senators heard from experts about current systems designed to promote quality care as well as the overall need for access to affordable, quality child care during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children and Families hearing. Janet Singerman, President of Child Care Resources, Inc., Charlotte, N.C., testified about the role of Child Care Resource and Referral, the structure of the North Carolina system (a tiered quality rating system, Smart Start, the North Carolina pre-k program, T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$, as well as the professional development system within the state). Singerman was introduced by Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), the Chairwoman of the Subcommittee, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), the ranking member of the Subcommittee, and Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC), a fellow subcommittee member from North Carolina. The CCDBG Reauthorization: Helping to Meet the Child Care Needs of American Families hearing was held July 26, 2012. A webcast of the hearing is available on the subcommittee site. The testimony from each of the witnesses is available on the page as well. Linda K. Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary and Inter-Departmental Liaison for Early Childhood Development, Administration on Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, testified on behalf of the Obama Administration.

Capitol Connection Update By Grace Reef

Each week, Child Care Aware® of America’s policy team distributes Capitol Connection, an electronic newsletter detailing what’s happening in Congress and the Administration with regard to early childhood legislation or Administration initiatives. New this year: Congressional Budget Watch: This new section of Capitol Connection reports on the latest budget news and provides additional context for when we need to take action! Here you’ll find the latest news from the Congressional Budget Office, the appropriations process, and learn who is leading which issues on the budget front. Congressional Bill Watch: If your Members of Congress have introduced legislation that you would like to help get cosponsors for, or increase awareness about, contact Grace Reef, Child Care Aware® of America’s Chief of Policy and

Senate Committee staff are working on a draft bill and told advocates that they hope to move a bill through the Senate this fall. Child Care Aware® of America staff have been working closely with the Committee.

Evaluation, at Grace.Reef@naccrra.org with any bill information. Policy staff will review your bill and promote it in Capitol Connection and on Child Care Aware® of America’s online action center to garner additional support. State Capitol Connection: If child care is hot in your state, send a brief paragraph to Michelle Noth, Child Care Aware® of America’s Senior State and Local Policy Advisor, at Michelle.Noth@naccrra.org For inclusion in the state section of Capitol Connection: If enough material is received, the policy staff will send a separate email – “State Capitol Connection” – to share the information with the membership. In addition, if your CCR&R was mentioned in the news, send a link to Michelle and we will include it in the news section of Capitol Connection. If you aren’t receiving Capitol Connection, visit http://capwiz.com/naccrra/mlm/signup/ today and stay informed.

September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link

Congressional Update

Following the hearing, Singerman met with the staff of Representative John Kline (R-MN), Chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, the House Committee with jurisdiction over CCDBG. She also met with the staff of Senator Hagan.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Happenining in the States

September 2012 | Child Care AwareÂŽ of America Link

What’s Happenining in the States

Senator Mark Begich Sticks His Neck Out for Child Care During the Week of the Young Child By Grace Reef

(Left to Right) Former Senior Policy and Parent Advocacy Advisor Kim Kober, Chief of Policy and Evaluation Grace Reef, Fairfax County, Va. 8th grader Ryan Green, and Senator Begich

Child Care Aware® of America and thread, Alaska’s Child Care Resource and Referral organization, honored Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) for his work on behalf of young children during this year’s Week of the Young Child™. Senator Begich was presented with the “Sticking Your Neck Out for Child Care” award, which is presented to Members of Congress who have introduced innovative legislation that would directly impact children in child care settings throughout the country. “We are pleased to join with thread to commend the work of Senator Mark Begich,” said Ollie M. Smith, Interim Executive Director of Child Care Aware® of America. “Senator Begich is a leader for young children. He understands the importance of the earliest years in a child’s life and how important those years are to laying a foundation for future growth and development.” In March, Senator Begich introduced three bills that would strengthen early childhood education. The

first bill, S. 2180, the Tax Relief for Early Educators Act, would offer up to $3,000 in tax credits to early childhood educators and increase the child care tax credit so more parents can afford to put their children in quality child care programs. A second bill, S. 2181, the Preparing and Re-investing in Early Education Act, would create a new student loan forgiveness program for graduates of associate’s or bachelor’s degree programs in early education. Lastly, S. 2182, the Child Care Public-Private Partnership Act, would establish a program to provide child care through business partnerships. Matched 50/50 (50 percent from private sector businesses and 50 percent from federal funding), this program would expand the supply of affordable, quality child care for working parents. “Senator Begich is clearly looking for creative solutions to strengthen the quality of care,” said Smith. “Children should be safe in child care and in a setting that promotes their healthy development.” (Continued on page 26)

September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link

What’s Happenining in the States

Also in March, Child Care Aware of America released a report, Leaving Children to Chance: 2012 Update. “The report shows that states vary greatly with regard to their child care licensing policies,” said Smith. “But, most states have weak protections for children.” “During the Week of the Young Child™, I’m proud to join with Child Care Aware of America® in commending Senator Begich,” said Stephanie Berglund, thread’s CEO. “It’s really refreshing to see policymakers push aside politics to look out for children. I’m hopeful that the Senate can move forward on these bills.” The annual Week of the Young Child™ focuses public attention on the needs of young children and their families and recognizes the early childhood programs and services that provide for young children. The Week of the Young Child™ was first established in 1971 in recognition of the fact that the early childhood years lay the foundation for a child’s future success in school and in life. The theme for the Week of the Young Child™ 2012 was “Early Years are Learning Years.”

Parent Advocates in the News By Kim Kober

Child Care Aware® of America Parent Leaders have been raising awareness about the importance of safe, quality and affordable child care across the country. Jacqueline Boatwright’s fight to pass the Anthony DeJuan Boatwright Act received national media attention this past spring when her son, Anthony DeJuan, passed away as a result of an accident that occurred 10 years ago. When Anthony DeJuan was only 14 months old, he fell into a bucket of water at his child care program in Georgia and suffered a severe brain injury that left him on a ventilator for the remainder of his life. Boatwright is working with Representative Jon Barrow, who introduced the Anthony DeJuan Boatwright Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. It would require child care providers to notify parents if they do not carry liability insurance. Casey Williams of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been working with Child Care Resource and Referral agencies, Child Care Answers, staff and local media to raise awareness about the dangers of unlicensed child care ministries in Indiana. Williams chose a churchsponsored child care program in Indianapolis for her young daughter, not knowing that child care centers 26

September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link

operated by ministries were exempt from licensing. She began to have doubts about the quality of care when she learned about the high employee turnover rate and an incident in which police were called to the center. After contacting the Family and Social Services administration, Williams learned that the center’s owner had a felony conviction. Concerned for the safety of her child, she removed her daughter from the center. Williams continues to fight to shut down the child care program and raise awareness among other parents in Indiana. Shelley Blecha, of Imperial, Missouri, was interviewed along with Child Care Aware® of Missouri Executive Director Carol Scott, as part of an investigative piece for the St. Louis Post Dispatch that revealed a weak child care regulatory system in the state that allows providers to skirt the law, avoid investigation and continue watching children. Blecha talked about the death of her son, Nathan, in an unlicensed family child care home as well as the deaths of 53 other young children who died in Missouri child care programs over a 55-month period. Clarissa Doutherd, of Oakland, California, was featured in an MSNBC article about how the rising cost of child care can have a negative impact on women’s careers. Doutherd was forced to quit her job when her child care subsidy was dropped and she could not afford the cost of full time child care for her son, Xavier. The subsidy was terminated after budget cuts last year. Parents @ Symposium 2012 attendees Heather McShane and Saima Akhtar, both of New York, were recognized in an article about the Month of the Young Child. McShane, a mother of three, college student and intern for the Child Care Resource and Referral agency, the Child Care Coordinating Council, organized activities throughout the month to help raise awareness in Norwich, New York, about the importance of quality early childhood education. Parent and lawyer Akhtar was invited as a guest speaker at the Child Care Provider Appreciation Dinner organized by McShane. The efforts of Kim and Bryan Engelman and Alecia and Steve Patrick were recognized by the media in Kansas as the final stages of Lexie’s Law were implemented in March. Lexie’s Law strengthens licensing requirements for all providers in Kansas caring for unrelated children. The law is named in memory of Lexie Engelman who died after getting trapped between a crib and a pole at a child care program in Kansas. The Engelmans and the Patricks worked with state policymakers to pass the law in 2010.

What’s Happenining in the States

Link Calling All Photogenic Children!

Would you like to see your child, grandchild, niece, nephew or other young relatives appear in Child Care Aware® of America publications? We are currently seeking photos of children birth to age 5 for use in upcoming Child Care Aware® of America publications. If you would like to submit photos please note the following guidelines: XX ONLY digital images. XX No logos, book titles, etc. XX MINIMUM resolution is 300 dpi, size 1560 x 2140. “SuperFine” or Use the “Large” on the settings in your digital camera. Refer to your camera’s users manual to learn the correct settings to achieve this level of resolution. XX Leave images unchanged in their original JPEG (.jpg) file format. XX Please submit only high-quality images that have sufficient lighting and show all principle objects that are centered and clearly in focus. XX Email photos to photos@naccrra.org. Once we have received your photos we will contact you to follow up on photo release forms.

September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link

Inside CCR&Rs

September 2012 | Child Care Aware速 of America Link

Inside CCR&Rs

Minnesota CCR&R’s Innovative Health Program Honored by Let’s Move! Child Care By Tracey Schaefer

(Left to Right) Sonya Fischer, North Dakota CCR&R Professional Development Coordinator, and Sam Kass, White House Assistant Chef and Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives, at the May 9 awards ceremony

The Lakes & Prairies CCR&R in Moorhead, Minnesota has been recognized by the Let’s Move! Child Care initiative for its exceptional efforts to promote healthy lifestyles in child care homes and centers. The CCR&R was honored for its GoFar Childcare campaign, an innovative program that provides early childhood professionals with tools and resources to promote healthy eating and exercise for children. Designed to increase children’s health through hands-on learning and fun activities, the program has reached some 1,200 young people in the CCR&R’s service area of Cass County, North Dakota and Clay County, Minnesota. Through GoFar Childcare, the CCR&R provides training relating to the five Let’s Move! Child Care goal areas – Physical Activity, Screen Time, Food, Beverages and Infant Feeding. Toolkits supporting

physical activity were distributed to child care providers and an ad campaign ran on local television stations. Healthy living information was published in e-newsletters, on the CCR&R website and on Facebook. The GoFar program also provides incentives to encourage child care providers to participate in the Let’s Move! Child Care campaign. The award was presented to the CCR&R during a May 9 ceremony in Washington, D.C., where First Lady Michelle Obama recognized states, communities, early childhood programs and networks for exceptional work promoting and implementing the goals of the nationwide Let’s Move! call-to-action. Providers from all states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands are participating in Let’s Move! Child Care. More than 7,000 have signed to participate. Launched in June 2011, Let’s Move! Child (Continued on page 30)

September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link

Inside CCR&Rs

Care was an outgrowth of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative, which is dedicated to solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation. To learn more, visit www.healthykidshealthyfuture.org. To find out more about Minnesota’s GoFar Childcare program, visit the program’s website at http://www. gofarkids.com/childcare.php.

Child Care Training and Technical Assistance: Improving the Quality of Child Care By Rosemary Kendall

Child Care Training and Technical Assistance: Improving the Quality of Child Care, a recently released White Paper from Child Care Aware® of America, highlights the leading role played by Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (CCR&Rs) in strengthening the quality of child care through trainings offered throughout the states.

Child Care Training and Technical Assistance: Improving the Quality of Child Care White Paper, May 2012

Introduction The nation’s Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (CCR&Rs) are the nation’s infrastructure for improving the quality of child care. Training and technical assistance are the major quality improvement activities that are delivered by CCR&Rs making a difference every day in the quality of child care1 for America’s working families. This brief provides an overview of the importance of training and technical assistance to improve the quality of child care. This brief also demonstrates the important role played by the nation’s Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (CCR&Rs) in providing these essential quality supports for the child care workforce. Also included are the findings from Child Care Aware® of America’s 2011 CCR&R Profile Survey and State Network Survey that focus on quality improvement services--training and technical assistance-delivered by local CCR&Rs and State Networks.

Child care quality matters Research conducted during the past 20 years has shown the phenomenal growth of the human brain from the prenatal period through age 5. During this time, children make significant gains in their social, emotional, physical and cognitive development. The quality of care that children receive, both at home and in child care, affects brain development and contributes to school readiness.2 Nearly 11 million children under age 5 are in some type of child care arrangement each week while their mothers work.3 These children spend, on average, 35 hours a week in child care.4 The quality of the child care environment is critical to the development that takes place in the early years.

Researchers have identified the education and training of child care providers as one of the most important components of a quality child care setting. Research has shown

that providing training has a greater impact on program quality than any other program improvement activity.5 Low education and minimal training leave the early childhood workforce underprepared for its responsibilities. Twenty-two percent of the child care workforce does not hold a high school degree, compared to 18 percent of the general population. Slightly more than one-fifth have taken some college courses, but not completed a degree, lower than the general population (about 27 percent); slightly less than one- fifth have a college degree, less than adults overall (nearly 30 percent).6

Training and technical assistance have an impact on the quality of care With low educational requirements for child care providers–and the resulting low wages and high turnover– the training and on-site technical assistance CCR&Rs provide to the child care workforce can be a critical element in strengthening the quality of care. A growing body of research shows that training for child care providers can improve the quality of early childhood programs.

Training affects child care providers’ behavior and the quality of interactions with children. Better trained providers are more likely to promote children’s positive growth and development. Training that is linked to child care providers’ experience level, current teaching and learning activities in their classrooms, and opportunities for continued learning can make a difference in the quality of care and in the lives of children.7

CCR&Rs comprise the nation’s infrastructure for the delivery of training and technical assistance. They serve a diverse array of providers in a variety of settings and use methods that fit providers’ needs. The training CCR&Rs offer meets multiple goals: XXHelping child care providers meet licensing

requirements.

XXImproving program quality by strengthening the

knowledge and skills of providers.

XXMeeting high standards required for accreditation or

quality rating systems.

Onsite technical assistance offered by CCR&Rs helps translate knowledge and newly developed skills into practice.

September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link

In the fall of 2011, Child Care Aware® of America surveyed State Network agencies and CCR&R member agencies. Child Care Training and Technical Assistance: Improving the Quality of Child Care documents what CCR&Rs reported about their training and technical assistance services for child care providers. CCR&Rs are at the forefront of training initiatives. XXMore than 97 percent of CCR&Rs offer training,

and 93 percent offer technical assistance.

XXCCR&Rs serve child care providers working in a

wide variety of settings, including centers, family child care homes, Head Start, and school-age programs. They provide training for part-day preschool programs, faith-based programs, licenseexempt and unlicensed programs, and for relative care providers.

XXCCR&Rs cover a broad range of topics in training,

including basic orientation, health and safety, child development and guidance, child abuse recognition/ reporting, early childhood curriculums, business practices, compliance with licensing requirements, and advanced topics such as meeting quality rating improvement system standards and accreditation.

XXTraining is most often offered in classrooms or

on-site at child care programs, but some CCR&Rs offer training online, in self-paced formats or in blended learning formats that combine two or more strategies.

XXSeventy percent of CCR&Rs support providers

in obtaining certificates or credentials, half offer continuing education units (CEUs), and 23 percent offer college credit.

CCR&Rs offer technical assistance in a wide variety of areas. Most frequently, CCR&Rs offer on-site consultation, coaching, mentoring and advising. Technical assistance may be offered to respond to licensing referrals, to help providers obtain a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, and to support child care centers and family child care homes in achieving accreditation or higher quality rating tiers.

Inside CCR&Rs

Ninety-three percent of CCR&Rs provide on-site technical assistance. About half of CCR&Rs offer technical assistance over multiple visits within programs. XXNearly two-thirds of CCR&Rs use formal assessments

of provider quality as a reflection of their effectiveness. They measure changes in: »» Environmental rating scale scores. »» Quality rating system tiers. »» Achievement of accreditation. »» Achievement of a CDA credential.

XXCCR&Rs also play a key role in the implementation

of state Quality Rating Improvement Systems.

»» In 60 percent of states, CCR&Rs offer provider orientation to QRIS.

XXIn about half the states, CCR&Rs administer

early childhood workforce professional development programs (T.E.A.C.H.®, WAGE$, etc).

Training and technical assistance make a difference in the quality of care. Working together, CCR&Rs and Child Care Aware® of America have the capacity to deliver, track and assess training and technical assistance for child care providers – leading the way to improve the quality of child care through accountable quality investments. To view the document and to register and watch Child Care Aware® of America’s Member Webinar from May 2012, “White Paper: Child Care Training & Technical Assistance: Improving the Quality of Child Care,” go to http://www.naccrra.org/public-policy/policywebinars/member-webinars.

»» In 35 percent of states, CCR&Rs conduct quality assessments that form the baseline or contribute to the assignment of quality levels.

September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link

Child Care Aware速 of America News

September 2012 | Child Care Aware速 of America Link

Child Care Aware® of America News

Child Care Aware® of America Re-Branding Reflects Broad Activities and Single Mission By Jonathan Sper

Board President Michael Olenick announces details of the Child Care Aware® of America rebranding during the 2012 National Child Care Policy Symposium

Participation is increasing as the Child Care Aware® brand takes hold across the country. Why are so many CCR&Rs, State Networks and even NACCRRA changing their names? It’s all about brand recognition and putting the mission squarely out in front. The new name instantly tells people what type of organization we are. Also, as our businesses becomes more and more focused on services well outside the traditional roles of CCR&R, it helps to have a name that is reflective of our broad activities and single mission – that everything we do is about providing better care for children. Having a common name nationwide allows us all to develop a national identity for our field and the issues we address every day. Soon, when you travel from state to state or visit the Washington, D.C., region, the only name you’ll need to know to manage all things child care-related is Child Care Aware®. Phase 2 of the branding campaign is in full swing. In addition to Kansas and Missouri, five more states –

representing 31 regional re-brands – are in various stages of re-branding to Child Care Aware® of their region. Welcome and congratulations go out to Washington, Virginia and Kentucky, who have renamed their state networks and all of the regional CCR&Rs within their states. The five CCR&Rs in Arkansas have all joined the re-brand movement as well. Finally, the state network of New Hampshire has voted to re-brand. Be on the lookout for more Child Care Child Care Aware® logos to appear as the marketing and branding efforts in these states take hold. NACCRRA announced its own move to become Child Care Aware® of America at the 2012 National Child Care Policy Symposium. You’ll notice the change on our website, www.naccrra.org, in the weekly electronic newsletter, eNews and beyond. Look for the transition to complete over the September 2012 with the NACCRRA name phasing out and Child Care Aware® of America taking its place.

September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link

Child Care Aware® of America News

Child Care Aware® of America and Francis Institute Partner for Training Course

The Francis Institute for Child and Youth Development is located on the Penn Valley Campus of Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City, Missouri.

By Sobia Nawaz

For more than 20 years, Resource Center specialists have provided training and technical assistance to child care, school-age and youth programs in the Greater Kansas City area. Six years ago they began work on a project that eventually became Strengths-Based Coaching®, a two-day, 12-hour live training. Child Care Aware® of America entered into a partnership with Francis Institute to combine Strengths-Based Coaching® and Child Care Aware® of America’s “Best Practice for Technical Assistance Providers” into Improving the Quality of Child Care Programs through Coaching.

Child Care Aware® of America, in partnership with the Francis Institute for Child and Youth, are preparing to present a sixth cohort of the blended online training course Improving the Quality of Child Care Programs through Coaching. The course begins October 18, 2012. Improving the Quality of Child Care Programs through Coaching combines self-paced online sessions with webinar sessions that allow participants to interact with course facilitators and each other. Each self-paced online session is followed by one or more webinars. The webinar sessions provide opportunities for participants to work through case studies using the skills and techniques presented in the self-paced online sessions. The Francis Institute Resource Center provides facilitators for each webinar session who model strategies and provide information, support and encouragement for participants. The facilitators also share their knowledge and experiences from many years of providing technical assistance to programs and people, serving children from birth to age 21. Each participant also receives a workbook to support their learning. The course awards CEU credits for the six self-paced online sessions. Here is some of the feedback from participants in the first four cohorts: “I love the modeling. It is always nice to hear examples to show how to implement the ideas and beliefs that we have learned.” “[The webinar facilitator] is very specific and helps us to integrate the ideas by asking reflective questions.” “Webinars [provide] time to apply what we learned. Also, [we were able to] discuss, brainstorm, problem solve and connect with others.” “[The] webinars are very interactive. We weren’t just parroting back [or repeating everything we learned in our self-paced lesson], but we had to think about how to actually apply what we learned in the self-paced work.”

September 2012 | Child Care Aware® of America Link

Joy Humbarger and Terrell Mann, Professional Development Specialists with the Resource Center, implemented the conversion of the live training and Child Care Aware® of America Best Practice to the online course. They, along with fellow Resource Center specialists, also serve as facilitators for the webinars. Child Care Aware® of America provided expertise in instructional design in the synchronous format as well as all of the technical support. Humbarger holds a Master of Science degree in Early Childhood Education and began her career as a family child care provider. She has worked with children birth to kindergarten-age both as a teacher and as a director for over 25 years. She currently provides coaching, consultation and training for early childhood professionals in family child care, child care centers, and school-age and youth programs and for those who serve as leaders and technical assistance providers. Terrell holds both a Master of Education in Child Study and a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology. She has worked with children birth through 12th grade as a regular education teacher, a special education teacher, and director for over 30 years. She currently provides coaching, consultation and training for early childhood professionals and school-age and youth program professionals, and for those who support them. Visit http://naccrra.smarthorizons.org/ccrr/training/ webinars/webinar17.html to learn more about this course and join the next cohort.

Become a Child Care Aware® of America Member Child Care Aware® of America membership provides you:

h Advocacy tools and resources so you can make an impact on child care issues. h Access to high-quality training to advance your career. h Discounts on conferences that feature the latest trends in the child care field.

Join today www.naccrra.org/members Join the most important movement in America – improving the quality of care for all children