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A membership publication of the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies Winter 2012

Child Care and Education: Unequal Opportunities The National Child Care Policy Symposium Sponsored by NACCRRA Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill | March 6-10, 2012

Session Highlights Research and Advocacy

Workforce and Professional Development

» What’s the Connection? Should Preschool be Coordinated with Public Schools and Head Start?

» Leadership Matters: Supporting systems for Professional Development and Quality Improvement

» Blending Head Start and CCDBG Funding for Better Outcomes for Children

» Data Sharing – Where It Worked and Why It Matters

» Keeping Child Care Issues in the News » Does the Lack of Definition for FCC Impact Policy Decisions for the Field?

» Work Life Benefits – Can Corporate America Lead Child Care? » Emergency Preparedness For more information or to register, visit www.naccrra.org

Licensing and Fee Assistance » License-Exempt Care – How do We Move Beyond It? » Models for Building Child Care Infrastructure in Low-Income Communities » State Efforts to Manage Child Care Fee Assistance Online » Licensing: Sanctions, Fines and Inspections What Works?

Save the Date ! NACCRRA’s 25th Anniversary Celebration Thursday, March 8, 2012 | 5:30 p.m. Reception 7 p.m. Dinner

#1342-1214

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Table of Contents

Emergency Preparedness for Child Care

Shared Responsibilty in Child Care: A Model for the Nation

Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Reauthorization Update

15 Leadership Matters 23 Connect with your Providers with Online Provider Services

In Every Issue 10 Congressional Update 14

NACCRRA Member Focus

20 NACCRRA News

Link is the official membership publication of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. The magazine is published twice each year. National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies 1515 N. Courthouse Road, 11th Floor, Arlington, VA 22201 | 703-341-4100 #1313-1121

Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link 3

May 11, 2012 An Annual Event To Celebrate Child Care Providers

For resources, gifts & celebtation ideas, visit

Emergency Preparedness Materials Launch New Format for Training Resources By: Beverly Schmalzried, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives

Increasingly, training is becoming one of the major services offered by CCR&Rs. To support agencies in that effort, NACCRRA has developed a multilayered curriculum for emergency preparedness training.

preparedness training for all types of child care programs, community agencies, educational institutions offering child care training, and other groups who should know about emergency preparedness for child care programs. It can be used by individual trainers or consultants to prepare the child care community for the different types of disasters and emergencies that can occur, including natural and technological disasters and attacks.

Designed to be delivered in time blocks ranging from one hour to one day, Emergency Preparedness for Child Care Programs: A Training Curriculum offers:

Topics covered include: Developing an Emergency Plan, Maintaining the Information Needed for Emergencies, Communicating with Families and Reuniting Children with Families, and Protecting Children and Adults with Special Needs and Chronic Conditions.

XXInstructional formats for different settings

and audiences

XXIcebreakers and warm-up activities geared

to the topic

XXPowerPoint slides with speaker notes XXGroup activities XXOne-on-one training or mentoring XXMaterials for providers XXDiscussion questions XXA glossary of relevant terms XXTrainer and participant handouts

The PowerPoint slides and speaker notes are also available on a CD and can be customized to meet your training needs.

The training materials are based on Protecting Children in Child Care During Emergencies: Recommended State and National Regulatory and Accreditation Standards for Family Child Care Homes and Child Care Centers and Supporting Rationale which was developed by NACCRRA and Save the Children, Domestic Emergencies Unit. The training guide should also be used in conjunction with the NACCRRA publication, Is Your Child Care Program Ready? that was written for directors, family child care providers and others operating child care programs. The complete training package, which includes the how-to guide, the CD containing PowerPoints, Speaker Notes and Protecting Children in Child Care During Emergencies, and a copy of Is Your Child Care Program Ready? can be purchased from NACCRRA by members for $35.95 (nonmembers: $44.95). Additional copies of Is Your Child Care Program Ready? can be purchased in bulk separately for distribution during training. For more information, visit www.naccrra.org/publications

The curriculum provides trainers with the content, tools and resources needed to conduct emergency

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Latest Report

Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

Latest Report

Shared Responsibility in Child Care: A Model for the Nation Compiled from staff reports

NACCRRA’s new report, Child Care: Like the Military, Is It Time for Shared Responsibility? reviews the evolution of child care in the United States and compares child care policies implemented by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Defense (DoD).

Government Dollars Spent on Child Care The federal government’s response to issues in the child care market has led to two very different approaches by federal agencies in the disbursement of funds to purchase child care services.

A National Approach to Quality Child Care Consideration of the military child care system as a model for the nation is relevant because in many ways the military services are a microcosm of American society. Many military jobs reflect civilian ones and military bases function like small cities. DoD’s model shows that it is possible to achieve the goals of child development, support a parents’ ability to work, and provide parental choice. Throughout the evolution of the Military Child Care program, one feature has distinguished the program from civilian ones - a focus on enforcing basic standards and building upon this foundation. The four basic aspects of the military model are: 1. The establishment and enforcement of basic standards; 2. Workforce preparation, training and wages;

Through HHS, under the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), states are free to set minimum child care standards and establish oversight policies to monitor those standards. The Act does not require minimum health and safety standards or minimum training requirements and background checks for child care providers. CCDBG only requires that states establish licensing policies – however weak or ineffective those policies might be. Therefore, state laws vary greatly. There is no requirement that CCDBG dollars be used for licensed care and as a result, more than 20 percent of children whose care is paid for with CCDBG funds are in unlicensed care. In nine states, 35 percent or more of these children are in unlicensed care.

Training is a condition of employment. It’s competency based and providers must demonstrate that they understand the training.

Through DoD, under the Military Child Care Act, children assisted with public dollars must be in settings that meet basic health and safety standards, with providers who have completed minimum training requirements and background checks, and all care is regularly inspected to ensure that children are safe and in settings that comply with basic requirements. DoD dollars support on- and off-installation child care. When DoD dollars are spent to assist military families in civilian communities, at a minimum, such care must be licensed and inspected at least once a year.

Just as with the evolution of the military’s child care system, the United States needs a national approach to financing child care that provides thoughtful, intentional and sequential change in the current patchwork of programs and provides a foundation on which quality can be achieved.

3. A focus on parent engagement; and 4. The development of a financing model that ensures universal and affordable access.

The distinction between the military use of federal funds and the way CCDBG funds are expended is critical. In the military model, funds are paid directly to the program and thereby provide a stable source of funding. In most state models, vouchers are withdrawn as soon as the child withdraws, leaving the programs challenged to sustain services.

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Latest Report

Continued from page 7

NACCRRA Recommends: XX All child care paid for with public funds should meet a level of quality that ensures children are safe, healthy and learning. And, make child care quality improvement a national priority.

XX Congress should authorize the investment of public funds for infrastructure in low-income and rural communities where high poverty rates have been consistent over decades.

XX Congress should define minimally acceptable levels of quality below which states may not use federal funds to purchase care.

XX Congress should recognize the impact of child care on the future economic health of the United States and begin a gradual shift from a privately financed system of care that excludes many of America’s working families to one that assumes a “shared public/parent responsibility” and recognizes the long-term economic benefits to society.

XX Congress should make infrastructure development (Quality Rating Improvement Systems- QRIS) a national goal and support efforts to adequately finance these efforts.

Participating in NACCRRA Quality Assurance not only strengthened every function in our organization, it also modeled the rigor in maintaining the high program quality that we encourage among child care programs in our region. – Carla Hibbard, Director, Steuben Child Care Program, Bath, N.Y.

Best Practices Self Study and NACCRRA Quality Assurance These two programs offer local and state CCR&Rs the opportunity to strive for excellence in the field of child care resource and referral.

Best Practices Self Study: NACCRRA training and consultation on the expectations in Best Practices; includes a self assessment and quality improvement plan and over 25 hours of online, on-demand training

NACCRRA Quality Assurance: NACCRRA direct assessment of service delivery as well as review and feedback on documents prior to final submission for voluntary, certification as an agency meeting the highest standards for CCR&R Learn more at http://www.naccrra.org/programs/qap National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies | 1515 N. Courthouse Road, 11th Floor, Arlington, VA 22201 | Phone (703) 341-4100 Fax (703) 341-4101 | www.naccrra.org © 2011 NACCRRA

Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

Congress passed legislation in August 2011 to create a bipartisan bicameral super committee to recommend specific measures to reduce the federal deficit by $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years. As Congress met to consider deficit reduction proposals, NACCRRA joined with Every Child Matters to release the report, State Budget Cuts: America’s Kids Pay the Price, 2011 Update, and remind Members that the role of federal government should be to protect and prioritize children. Instead, the October 2011 report emphasized, the cuts enacted in 2011 hurt families with children and additional federal deficit reduction proposals would occur on top those already enacted. The report, updated from 2010, illustrated that the majority of states are making deep budget cuts in the areas of public education, health care, child care, and other key areas affecting the well-being of children. For example, Arizona cancelled child care support for low-income families, denying 13,000 children assistance. Florida cut $69 million from child care, affecting nearly 15,000 children. Illinois cut $269.4 million from education.

New Webinar Opportunities from the Child Care Aware Training Academy™ The Business of Family Child Care: Train-theTrainer Series

These sessions-ranging from Business Planning for New Providers to Money Management and Retirement—deliver practical instructions on how to explain complex business issues in clear, understandable language.

Nebraska completely defunded its early childhood program and Wyoming cut 1,300 children from Head Start and eliminated about 320 Head Start jobs. The report made four recommendations to help children and families during these challenging economic times: XX Promote Tax Fairness. Wall Street bond brokers should not pay a lower tax rate than teachers, policemen, and firemen. Children’s programs should not be cut until the wealthiest in this nation pay taxes at the same rate as the majority. XX Close Tax Loopholes. Eliminate tax breaks for oil and gas companies, hedge fund billionaires and corporate jets. XX Protect Children. Provide $100 billion in aid to states so that they do not have to cut children’s health care, reduce child protection, close schools, fire teachers, crowd classrooms, and eliminate preschool. XX Invest in Kids. Launch a 10-year Invest-in-Kids Agenda that fully funds child abuse prevention and treatment programs, provides Head Start and preschool to all eligible children, provides access to affordable child care for all working families, and guarantees health insurance for every child. The report made the point that while the recession may technically be over, unemployment remains high, consumer confidence is low, and the demand for government services for families in need continues to rise. The full report is available for viewing on our website: http://www.naccrra.org/publications.

FCC Tax Update : Train-the-Trainer Webinar Series

Participants will learn about the new 100 percnt depreciation rule, the reduction of the Social Security tax rate, new eligibility limits for the Saver’s Tax Credit, the new Voluntary Classification Settlement Program, as well as the new standard meal allowance and standard mileage rates. Training FUNdamentals: Using Adult Learning Principles to Improve Training Presentations

Participants will learn how to create and deliver effective, dynamic presentations to diverse audiences. To register, visit http://naccrra.smarthorizons.org/ccrr/

Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

Latest Report

America’s Children Pay the Price in State Budget Cuts for 2011

Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

Inside CCR&Rs Congressional Update

By: Grace Reef, Chief of Public Policy

A solid foundation was built in 2011 to begin consideration of Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) reauthorization. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held two hearings to review basic issues related to strengthening our nation’s premier child care law. Linda K. Smith, NACCRRA’s former Executive Director, testified at the June 9 Senate HELP Subcommittee on Children hearing, “Getting the Most Bang for the Buck: Quality Early Education and Care.” Comparing the Military Child Care Act with CCDBG. Smith emphasized three major differences. The Military Child Care Act (MCCA) calls for background checks, minimum training and inspections; CCDBG does not.

Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) asked Smith a host of questions and by the end of the hearing, he wanted to know:

“Why shouldn’t civilian kids get what military kids get? Why should civilian kids be any less safe? The Chairwoman of the Committee, Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), concluded the hearing by saying that she thought the framework for any CCDBG reauthorization effort should include the military child care act requirements as a base. Continue on page 12 Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

Congressional Update

Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Reauthorization Update

Inside CCR&Rs Congressional Update

Continued from page 11

The Senate HELP Subcommittee on Children’s hearing “Examining Quality and Safety in Child Care: Giving Working Families Security, Confidence, and Peace of Mind,” held September 9, touched on all of NACCRRA’s priority issues: background checks, inspections and trainings. It was energizing to hear the Senators discussing the need for health and safety protections for children, and it appeared there was consensus to address these issues in reauthorization. We are encouraged that the Senate will seek to pass a reauthorization bill in 2012. NACCRRA will build on the momentum from the hearings and seek to keep Senators pushing forward on the need to strengthen CCDBG. As continued follow-up to the hearings, Members of Congress need to hear from us and from parents. They need to know that now is the time for CCDBG reauthorization. This is essential to laying the groundwork so the bill can pass in 2012. To urge your Senators and Representatives in Congress to reauthorize CCDBG, visit NACCRRA’s action center at http:// capwiz.com/naccrra/home/. Here you can send a letter about the need for reauthorization, required background checks and minimum training for child care providers.

Advocacy Works When CCR&Rs and parents ramp up their local advocacy efforts, great gains can be made. Here are a few examples: XXAlaska: Stephanie Berglund, CEO of Alaska’s

thread, and other thread staff invited Senator Mark Begich to a child care program and as follow up, secured Senator Begich as a co-sponsor of S. 581 the Child Care Protection Act, which would require a comprehensive background check for child care providers.

XXArkansas: Ben Hammond, Arkansas parent advocate,

did a fantastic job leading a presentation for the Child Care Aware® Parent Network (CCAPN) monthly webinar, Fire Safety: Protecting Our Children, on October 12, 2011. A link to the recording is located at: http://www.ccaparentnetwork. org/ccapn-webinars.php. Hammond was also one of the parents featured on CNN Money, speaking about how the cost of child care has affected his family.

Join NACCRRA’s Action Network How Can NACCRRA’s Policy Team Support your National, State and Local advocacy efforts? ➤ Sign-up for weekly updates in Capitol Connection e-newsletter. ➤ Access background one-pagers on pending legislation. ➤ Receive support for coordinating media and social networking campaigns. ➤ Set up an online Action Center to distribute petitions, Letters and emails to your legislators.

www.naccrra.org/policy #1214-0801

Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

XXPennsylvania: Parent advocate Vicky Dougherty

XXKansas: Parent advocates Alecia and Steve Patrick

To learn more about how you can help be CCR&R advocate or engage a parent advocate in your state, contact Kim Kober, kim.kober@naccrra.org

Indiana, and Indiana parent leader, Casey Williams, held meetings with the district staff of Representative Andre Carson and Senator Richard Lugar to discuss the importance of pending background check legislation. Carson sponsored H.R. 1711 the Child Care Criminal Background Check Act of 2011. met with Senator Pat Robertsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; district office to share the story about their young daughter who tragically died in a child care setting and to tell Roberts why supporting pending background check legislation is critical to childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safety. Their efforts helped convince Roberts to co-sponsor background check legislation S. 581.

met with the district office staffs of Senator Robert Casey and Representative Patrick Toomey to talk about how her baby died in a child care setting with a defective crib and to ask them to support pending background check legislation (S. 581 and H.R. 1711/ H.R. 1726).

A community for those who want to strengthen the quality of child care. Join us and our network of parent advocates to receive monthly e-newsletters, free webinars and networking opportunities.

www.CCAParentNetwork.org

Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

Congressional Update

XXIndiana: Emily Barrow, of Child Care Answers in

NACCRRA Member Focus

Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

NACCRRA Member Focus

NACCRRA Member Focus: Leadership Matters Member Submission

Taking Charge of Change Cohort 19 participants.

The McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University is dedicated to building the leadership capacity of the early childhood workforce. The activities of the McCormick Center encompass four areas: XX Professional development to increase the knowledge and competency of early childhood leaders; XX Evaluation to measure and improve the quality of early learning programs; XX Research to enhance the knowledge base on key workforce and professional development issues; and XX Public awareness to promote greater understanding of the critical role of early childhood leaders in the provision of quality services for children and families Founded in 1985, the McCormick Center builds on National Louis Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 125-year history of

accomplishments in the field of early childhood education. From its founding as a vital force in the kindergarten movement of the 1880s, National Louis University (NLU) remains rooted in educational progressivism and dedicated to advocacy for children and social change. The McCormick Center is committed to those same ideals. The overarching goal of the Center is to improve the quality of early childhood education nationwide. In the area of professional development, our faculty provide training and technical assistance to equip program leaders with the knowledge and skills they need to administer exemplary early childhood programs. In the area of evaluation, our assessors use valid and reliable tools to measure and monitor program practices, providing helpful feedback to guide quality improvement efforts. Through research on important and timely topics, our staff provide data that help policymakers make informed decisions about early childhood policy and practice. And in the area of public awareness, the Center serves as a voice for practitioners by advocating for better Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

NACCRRA Member Focus

Participants Michelle Stephens, Jena Blacketer, Ann Rosen, Nicole Plowick, Deborah Alexander, and Elaine Harlan engage in one of the many activities at Taking Charge of Change training at the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.

working conditions and compensation, supporting emerging leaders from under-represented groups, and strengthening professional standards for the workforce. Target audiences for the McCormick Center’s initiatives include early childhood practitioners (administrators of center-based programs, family child care providers, and emerging leaders in the field) as well as those who support early childhood practitioners (technical assistance specialists, researchers, college instructors, school principals, organizational consultants, and policymakers). The Center’s work supports the full range of early learning programs including for-profit and nonprofit, public and private, part-day and full-day, Head Start/ Early Head Start, and faith-based programs.

Key initiatives include: Aim4Excellence. This online director credential includes nine self-paced online modules that directors across the country can access via the Internet. Modules cover the basics of early childhood program administration and are equivalent to one semester hour each. Aim4Excellence is the first national director credential recognized by NAEYC that meets the management training requirement for center administrators seeking center accreditation. More than 500 participants nationwide are currently enrolled. 16

Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

Taking Charge of Change (TCC). This leadership training initiative focuses on individual, organizational, and systematic change and the director’s role as change agent. The 10-month training provides a comprehensive integrated model for improving the quality of early childhood programs. Participants work with a mentor as they implement a program improvement plan at their respective centers. Taking Charge of Change Train-the-Trainer. This goal of this initiative is to develop a cadre of informed and experienced trainers who can implement the components of the Taking Charge of Change training model to support the leadership development of center directors in other states. Leadership Connections. This annual conference brings together more than 500 early childhood leaders from across the country to hear inspiring keynote speakers, attend a public policy forum, take part in skill-building sessions, and network with other professionals. This year’s conference is scheduled for May 17–19, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. Program Administration Scale (PAS) Training and Certification. The PAS was developed to measure, monitor, and improve the quality of leadership and management practices in center-based early care and education programs. The McCormick Center offers four

NACCRRA Member Focus

Assessor Training participant, Tiffany LaSage, learns about the Business Administration Scale rating system.

different types of PAS training ranging from a brief two-hour overview to a four-day intensive reliability training for assessors. The Center also administers a certification system for PAS assessors and generates computerized profiles for each program assessed. Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS) Training and Certification. The BAS measures the quality of family child care business practices in family child care homes. The design of the instrument and scoring rules are similar to the PAS. The McCormick Center offers three levels of BAS training ranging from a brief two-hour overview to a three-day intensive reliability training for assessors seeking certification. Organizational Climate Assessments. The McCormick Center provides organizational climate assessments using the Early Childhood Work Environment Survey (ECWES) for programs across the country. The resulting Work Environment Profile serves as a useful framework for improving the quality of work life for staff. The McCormick Center is committed to building public awareness of the importance of strong leadership in early childhood programs. Administrators of early childhood programs are the “gatekeepers to quality,” setting the standards and expectations for others in

their organizations. In a number of powerful ways, directors influence the climate of their programs both as a workplace for the teaching staff and as an educational and nurturing environment for children and families. In order to build comprehensive early learning and development systems, states must address the need for early childhood leadership development. To assure that community-based early learning programs are able to develop, improve, and sustain sound administrative practices, policymakers need to: XX Support the use of the CCDF quality set-aside funds and Head Start training and technical assistance dollars for director leadership training and coaching of program leaders. XX Encourage institutions of higher education to expand early childhood administration courses and degree programs. XX Create incentives for early childhood administrators to enhance their professional qualifications and attain a state or national director credential. XX Ensure that organizational measures of program administration are included in system reform efforts such as quality rating and improvement systems.

Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

Inside Supporting OurCCR&Rs Troops

By: Bonnie Storm, Director of Respite Care

The Cofer family in San Antonio, Texas, was the first Air Force family to receive a new NACCRRA service: Air Force Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Respite Care. The Cofers, who have two sons with special needs, are among the 18,000 Air Force families who have family members enrolled in the EFMP. These Families need respite care, but finding and affording it can present significant challenges. EFMP Respite Care is designed for active duty Airmen who have children diagnosed with moderate or severe special needs and are enrolled in the EFMP. Respite care is provided to eligible families at no cost to the family. Families can select various options for respite care. Care can be in licensed family child care homes, licensed child care centers, special needs centers, or with special in-home providers who have received comprehensive background checks as well as pre-service and in-service training. According to Dianna Hills, HQ United States Air Force EFMP Program Manager: “The Air Force recognized that parents with special needs children needed respite care, and worked with NACCRRA to create a program. Care for special needs children can be a full-time job which is physically and emotionally challenging. The Respite Care program provides parents the opportunity to rest and rejuvenate with the peace of mind knowing their children will be well cared for. The Respite care program is just one more way the Air Force is caring for and developing resilient Airmen.” This program began in March 2011 when NACCRRA partnered with HQ Air Force to provide respite care for families in seven geographical areas. Under this contract, eligible families may receive up to 20 hours of respite care per month for each eligible child, depending on their condition and deployment status.

The geographical areas are: »» Charleston, South Carolina »» Colorado Springs, Colorado »» Hampton, Virginia »» Honolulu, Hawaii »» National Capital Region »» San Antonio, Texas »» Tacoma, Washington NACCRRA works with local CCR&Rs and other agencies to recruit, train, screen and monitor providers in their areas and to provide families with enhanced referrals to providers with the skills and training to care for special needs children. To apply, families call the Child Care Aware® (CCA) toll-free hotline at 1-800-224-2246. CCA will connect the family to a partner agency in the family’s area. The agency and family will work together to select a provider who meets the family’s needs. Here’s what Mrs. Cofer had to say about respite care and its importance to her family: “Air Force EFMP Respite Care is a program that has been so helpful to my family. My husband and I really treasure the EFMP Respite program. It gives us a much needed break. We can enjoy our time together because we’re confident our two boys are happy, content and well cared for by a well trained and vetted respite care worker. The EFMP respite care program gives us a few hours of relaxation and peace of mind knowing our children are in competent hands.”

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Supporting Our Troops

Air Force Initiates Its Exceptional Family Member Program Respite Care

NACCRRA News

Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

NACCRRA News

NACCRRA and Members Step Up For Kids! Compiled from staff reports

Increasing public awareness and emphasizing the importance of making the needs of American children a national political and policy priority, Every Child Matters Educational Fund (ECMEF) issues an annual challenge to state and local community partners and organizations: host a fun event that has a central message about the welfare of children. The Step Up for Kids nationwide campaign and the District of Columbia event continues to accept that challenge. This year was a great success! Parents, children, and community leaders attended the third annual Washington, D.C. event, which was held on October 15, 2011, Step Up for Kids Day. Upon entering, attendees were greeted by Every Child Matters staff and given a scavenger hunt sheet. The sheet included different child-related programs in square blocks, and participants had to go table to table to find the “funding” for these different programs. When participants arrived at the different tables, they had to figure out what children’s program each table represented. When they guessed the right program, a coin-shaped sticker was placed on the block that included the corresponding program. Midway through the scavenger hunt, the speaking program began, followed by several songs from a local teen band called Ladle Fight and the distribution of prizes for completing the scavenger hunt.

Highlights included: XX Face painting for the children (and adults) XX A magician playing games and performing magic XX Ladle Fight (a local teen band) entertaining the crowd with pop/rock songs XX Healthy snacks and goodies provided by Whole Foods and Every Child Matters XX Featured speakers—Dr. Nicole Lang (Washington Pediatric Center), Councilman Tommy Wells, Glenn Hopkins (President/CEO, Hopkins House), and Jessica Davis (Parent Activist)—discussed the importance of investing in children and making them a national priority

Top Photo: NACCRRA public policy associates Samantha McGuire and Jasmine Smith joined the local teen band sensation, Ladle Fight, at Step Up for Kids DC in 2011. Bottom: Children took advantage of the array of activities during the Step Up event, including face painting!

Several organizations worked together to lead the charge in their state. In Alaska, thread, a NACCRRA member agency, organized the state’s Step Up for Kids activities. thread partnered with Stroller Strides Anchorage for Step Up and Take a Jog for Kids at the University Center Mall on October 4, 2011. Families, friends, partners, and supporters in Anchorage stepped up for the kids in their lives by participating in this event, which helped raise awareness about issues and legislation affecting children’s health and early learning. As part of the event festivities, thread gave away 40 strollers to the first 40 attendees. Child Care Answers, another NACCRRA member agency, co-organized the Step Up for Kids campaign for the state of Indiana. On October 15, 2011, community leaders, parents, kids and others rallied to the Capitol and concluded with family friendly activities. Parent Leader, Casey Williams, from Indiana shared her story as part of the speaking program. To recieve more information about this campaign and how you can participate in 2012, please visit the Every Child Matters’ website: http://everychildmatters.org/ national-activities/step-up-for-kids or contact Alaina Kaczmarski at akaczmarski@everychildmatters.org.

Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

NACCRRA News

Begin Planning for Provider Appreciation Day 2012 This year, Provider Appreciation Day will be celebrated on May 11, 2012. This national event, held annually the Friday before Mother’s Day, is a day to recognize and show appreciation for child care providers, teachers, school-age program staff, child care center directors and staff, and all those who work with children in a variety of ways and are responsible for their education and care. As a national sponsor of this event, NACCRRA is committed to making sure Provider Appreciation Day 2012 is a success. NACCRRA encourages you to consider planning individual recognition

and appreciation events or joining forces with local child care agencies, community business and government leaders, or other organizations within your community to plan larger recognition events. To help you with planning, NACCRRA created a website full of information and resources for your use - www.providerappreciationday.org. You will find a timeline for action, a sample press release, a myriad of state celebration ideas, and testimonials from leaders in the field. You will also find an online storefront where you can purchase special Provider Appreciation Day products and promotional materials. Start planning for Provider Appreciation Day 2012 now. Let’s make this year’s event one to remember for the millions of child care providers across the country.

Calling All Photogenic Children! Would you like to see your child, grandchild, niece, nephew or other young relatives appear in NACCRRA publications? We are currently seeking photos of children birth to age 5 for use in upcoming NACCRRA publications. If you would like to submit photos please note the following guidelines: ➤➤ ONLY digital images will be accepted. ➤➤ Photos should not show any logos, book titles, etc. ➤➤ MINIMUM resolution is 1024 x 768. The highest possible resolution setting is preferred. This is usually by “SuperFine” or “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. ➤➤ Leave images unchanged in their original JPEG (.jpg) file format. ➤➤ Please submit only high-quality images that have sufficient lighting and show all principle objects that are centered and clearly in focus. ➤➤ Email photos to photos@naccrra.org. Once we have received your photos we will contact you to follow up on photo release forms.

Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

NACCRRA Data Services has recently released Online Provider Services (OPS), a tool that helps your agency use the Internet to better connect with your providers as well as keeping your NACCRRAware database current and up-to-date. The following tips suggest some Best Practices for agencies configuring their OPS Provider Portal.

Selecting Fields and Field Configuration: Shaping Your OPS Provider Portal Providers can review and update their NACCRRAware data via OPS at any time. Your agency can allow providers to review/update almost any field in NACCRRAware via the OPS Provider Portal. Your agency can also control which values within a field providers can view and update. We suggest that, before configuring an OPS profile, your agency should invest time reviewing the fields in your NACCRRAware database and ask the following questions: XX How does my agency use this field or value? XX Is data critical to parents seeking child care? Is it critical to my reports? XX How can I make the name of the field /field value clearer to the provider? XX Is this field or value on my agency’s current Provider Update forms (if applicable)?

Approval Required: Ensuring Accurate Updates In addition to selecting fields to share with providers, your agency can choose to approve providers’ updates before they are entered into NACCRRAware or allow the provider’s changes go directly into your NACCRRAware database. Approving providers’ changes requires a little more work on for you but also gives you more control over your NACCRRAware data. Some questions to think about as you decide whether or not to approve changes made by a provider: XX Is this information on the facility’s license? XX Is there documentation that verifies what the provider has posted/updated? XX Does the field relate to certifications such as CDA or First Aid/CPR? XX Does the field have greater/legal implications?

Before approving an update, we strongly suggest that your agency require providers to submit backup documentation to verify the changes made. Sources such as your state’s licensing/quality rating improvement scale (QRIS) website and accreditation organization websites will be excellent resources for you to verify changes in information. Other documents that you may require from a provider can include, but are not limited to copies of: XX QRIS documentation XX A provider’s License XX CPR/First Aid Certificate XX CDA Certificate XX Accreditation Certificate XX Fire and Safety Inspection Report

Creating Profiles: Reaching the Right Providers Agencies have the ability to configure and use multiple OPS profiles. While a provider can only be assigned to one profile at a time your agency can determine how to make those assignments. Some options to consider are: XX Types of Care – Create one profile that is relevant to Child Care Centers, one profile for Family Child Care Homes, one for School Age Programs, etc. XX Physical Location – Create a profile for different counties, cities, ZIP codes, etc. This may be helpful for those agencies that share a regional database. XX Types of Update – Create an exhaustive profile for annual updates and a more simplified profile for quarterly vacancy/fee checks

Universal Header/Footer: Branding your Agency Your agency can upload its logo to the header of the OPS Provider Portal and enter text in the footer. We recommend that your agency include its contact information in the profile so providers can easily contact you with any needs they may have. Tool Tips/More Info: Guiding Your Providers through the OPS Provider Portal While NACCRRA has developed general search screens to help providers navigate through the Provider Portal, your agency will need to develop Tool Tips (which are brief field tags that define a field) and the More Information section (a place where you can enter detailed instructions about how to update information) Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

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Connect with your Providers with Online Provider Services

NACCRRA News

so that providers can get clear instructions and answer questions accurately. You will want to define terms, clarify lingo, clearly explain acronyms, etc., so providers will be able to understand the information they are reviewing and updating.

other resources via the OPS provider portal. You will need to determine if electronic copies of documents/ forms are appropriate for each scenario. In addition to supporting documentation, providers can upload items such as their marketing materials.

Attachments: Connecting with Providers Your agency can choose to share forms and resources with providers via Attachments to the OPS Provider Portal. You may want to post resources on the portal so providers have easy access to the information they need. Examples include but are not limited to:

Concluding Thoughts XX Talk with other agencies in your state to determine if there are any statewide best practices that need to be established and followed.

XX Training Calendars and Registration Forms XX Technical Assistance/Grant Applications XX Links to important websites such as your state’s licensing agency, NAEYC, NAFCC, etc. XX Technical Assistance Tip Sheets (for example, How To Address Biting) XX Your agency’s newsletters

Provider Uploads: Learning More about Your Providers Providers can upload supporting documentation and

XX After setting up your OPS Provider Profile, it’s a good idea to test drive it yourself to make sure everything looks and functions the way you want it to. XX When you’re finished with your own testing, we recommend you pilot the OPS Provider Profile with a handful of providers who have a strong relationship with your agency. Ask providers with varying degrees of technology skills to test the profile(s) you have created to ensure that everything is clear and easy to use and understand. XX Create a tip sheet for providers. Use the Provider Help Screens as a reference and add additional tips based on your agency’s customization.

NACCRRA’s Suite of Data Services is a variety of integrated, user-friendly applications and services that facilitate the work of CCR&Rs. The applications and services include: NACCRRAware - generates child care referrals and reports, and manages provider, client, and community data. Training Tracking - manages, tracks and reports on community-based trainings for child care providers. Technical Assistance Management - manages, tracks and reports on technical assistance, mentoring and coaching of child care providers. Child Care Online - provides a “virtual” tour of child care programs, complete with pictures and descriptions, to help customers learn more about a particular child care provider. Online Training Calendar - provides, via TTAM, the ability to create local, regional and statewide training calendars and allow training participants to register for training online.

All applications and services are available through a single point of access with a single yearly program fee. NACCRRA Data Services Help Desk at 1-866-789-7590 or NDSHelpDesk@naccrra.org

Winter 2012 | NACCRRA Link

Online Provider Services – allows providers to review and update their NACCRRAware data online. Also allows agencies to upload files, forms, training calendars and other pertinent information for providers to access online. Online Referral Module (replaces the Internet Mask Module) – The new online Referral provides for web mapping and gives agencies more flexibility with configuring fields, including an option to translate the online referral into other languages. Online Credit Card Payment Processing – Training participants can register for trainings via TTAM’s Online Training Calendar and pay for the training online via credit card. Child Care Aware Training AcademyTM– Will now be integrated with NACCRRA TTAM’s data management system, allowing CCR&Rs to easily track training data connected to participants utilizing NACCRRA’s Training AcademyTM.