| Projects and Programs Funded by CCD |
 |
|
|
 |
| Center for Career Development in Childhood Care and Education |
|
|
|
Center for Career Development
|
The Oregon Center for Career Development in Childhood Care and Education (OCCD) provides leadership in the development and operation of integrated and statewide professional development standards and systems. OCCD promotes professional development to achieve high quality care and education for children and youth, and creates and supports training and education.
The Oregon Registry: Pathways for Professional Recognition in Childhood Care and Education is a voluntary, statewide program to document and recognize the professional achievements of people who work in the childhood care and education profession.
The Oregon Registry Trainer Program offers voluntary certification for trainers and adult educators in the childhood care and education profession. The Oregon Registry Trainer Program also offers support for trainers and adult educators as they enhance their adult education knowledge and skills and develop high quality community-based training sessions.
The Oregon Registry Trainer Program includes three types of certified trainers:
|
|
|
| Child Care Community Fund, Neighborhood House, Inc. |
|
Child Care Community Fund, Neighborhood House, Inc.
The Child Care Community Fund (CCCF), a program of Neighborhood House, Inc. is funded by the Child Care Division through the Child Care Contribution Tax Credit Program.
The CCCF is a new program that addresses child care quality and affordability and will serve families, child care providers and child care centers. Qualified families will receive child care subsidies to help pay for the costs of child care and providers and centers will be supported in their efforts to improve and strengthen the quality of child care. These efforts will be accomplished through the provision of:
- Child care subsidies for parents who are at 70% or below the Median Family Income for Oregon. Parents will pay no more than 10% of their gross income towards child care.
- Child care enhancement grants for participating family child care sites and centers- these grants will be used to help enhance child care environments and practices.
- Provider wage enhancement grants – child care providers who are advancing their level on the Oregon Registry will be eligible to receive wage enhancement grants.
- Professional development scholarships – child care providers will be able to access funds to help with professional development and education costs.
The CCCF will also provide monthly training/workshops for enrolled providers, regular home visits, and networking opportunities among family child care providers and child care center directors and staff. Parents will be screened for eligibility through an application process and once qualified will receive a monthly subsidy that will be paid directly to their child care provider.
For more information please contact the CCCF Program Manager, Marilyn States at (503) 524-3245 or at mstates@nhweb.org
|
|
|
| Child Care Enhancement Project, Lane County |
|
|
|
Child Care Enhancement Project, Lane County
|
Child Care Enhancement Pilot Project
The Child Care Enhancement Project is funded by the Child Care Division through the Child Care Contribution Tax Credit program.
The outcomes of the Child Care Enhancement Pilot Program are:
- Decrease parent cost of child care to 10 percent or less of family gross income
- Increase child care provider wages
- Increase child care provider access to professional development through scholarships, tuition reimbursement, or other enhancements
Lane Community College Lane Family Connections will be developing and coordinating the application process and disbursement of moneys to child care providers. Providers that meet specific criteria will be eligible to receive funds to support providing quality child care to low and moderate-income families. The amount of money to be disbursed to a participating provider will be based on the incomes of the families the provider serves, the child care fees the provider charges and the actual cost to the provider providing quality, affordable child care. Parents who are enrolled with participating child care providers will have a portion of their child care fees paid based on family income level and the child care fee charged.
Providers enrolled into the CCEP will agree to: provide care for at least an additional two years if they are a home based business, enroll on the Oregon Registry: Pathways to Professional Development, participate in the CCEP Child Care Network Association, develop a individualized training plan, monthly site visits from CCEP staff, obtain additional professional development opportunities and complete an assessment on their child care program. Providers will be supported through scholarships and tuition reimbursement and funds for program enhancements.
For more information on this program contact Lane Family Connections, Sue Norton, Director @ 541-463-3301/1-800-222-3290.
|
|
|
| Child Care Health Consultation |
|
|
|
Child Care Health Consultation
|
Child Care Health Consultation
The Child Care Health Consultation provides consultation services in Oregon through Demonstration Projects in 6 demographically and geographically diverse counties in East Multnomah, Lincoln, Jackson, Baker/Union, and Clackamas Counties. The vision of the Program is to develop "beacons of excellence" for the future development of child care health consultation services in the state. The Program has been providing consultation services to child care providers since March 2003, seeking to improve the physical, social and emotional health of young children through the following activities and services:
1. Providing child care health consultation services
2. Developing child health services
3. Increasing access to health care.
4. Demonstrating promising practices and effective service delivery through program evaluation
5. Collaborating in developing the early childhood system
An important key to delivery of services has been to develop close relationships with child care providers and early childhood and health care professionals by building on local early childhood system planning efforts, and by addressing needs and priorities identified by child care providers. The local projects were designed to serve children and families from populations that are known to have barriers to health care, such as low-income families, children with special needs, and families with language and cultural differences; and, include child care providers who serve infants and toddlers. All types of child care providers receive consultation services; however, specialized outreach has been designed to serve family child care providers due to the fact that most families use this type of care to meet some part of their child care needs.
Each child care health consultation project must address statewide goals, such as access to primary care, increased immunization, and the promotion of social and emotional development. In addition, projects identify local needs and design services to maximize the use of community resources. Projects must employ professionally qualified health consultants who are trained as specialists in child health within a holistic context. Consultants complete a statewide health consultation training based on the National Training Institute Child Health Consultation curriculum. Each project has formed a "core team" that includes the health consultant and a dedicated CCR&R staff person, who attends training and provides support to the CCHC. This program year each core team has expanded to include an early childhood mental health specialist.
For more information contact Dianna Pickett
|
|
|
| Child Care Quality Indicator's Project |
|
Child Care Quality Indicator's Project
Child Care Quality Indicator's Project
Parents, child care providers, kindergarten teachers, and other community members know that the quality of child care matters. National studies have found the quality of child care in America to be well below that which is needed to promote positive child outcomes. Little is known about the level of quality in Oregon and its communities. The first step in improving quality is to know where we are now.
The Quality of Care project will support efforts of child care providers, funders, and parents to improve child care. Community and state partners are launching an initiative to assess the level of quality in child care centers. Partners will pilot the initiative in Multnomah County and in one of Oregon's rural counties. The Oregon Child Care Resource and Referral Network will lead the initiative in partnership with the Oregon Child Care Division, the Oregon Child Care Research Partnership at Oregon State University, and others.
Researchers have identified "structural" indicators of quality that have been proven to improve child outcomes:
- Ratio of children per adult
- Group size
- Education or specialized training of teachers/caregivers
- Teacher compensation level
- Staff turnover or stability in caregiver-child relationships
- Accreditation
- Substantiated complaints
The Research Partnership will survey child care centers to establish levels of the seven indicators. The Network will create software to collect data on indicators from individual centers. Local resource and referral agencies will share the indicator information with parents, providers, and the community. There will be clear, easily understood explanations about 1) why each measure makes a difference, 2) the community average for each indicator, and 3) the standards (when they exist) set by national leaders in the field.
Access to information on quality indicators will help parents, providers, and the community:
Parents will have more information in making their child care choices. They will be able to use quality indicator reports to compare the different characteristics that affect child outcomes.
Child care providers will be able to compare themselves to others on these quality indicators. They will identify areas in which they are outstanding and others in which they want to improve. As such, it's a strategic planning, marketing and fundraising tool.
Community members and funders will have increased levels of accountability. Areas in need of investment will be clearer, and impacts of investments can be measured. The community will invest in child care centers with increased confidence that outcomes will improve.
For more information contact Heidi McGowan, Project Manager, (541)-753-6262.
|
|
|
| Child Care Research Partnership |
|
|
|
Child Care Research Partnership
|
Child Care Research Partnership
The mission of the Child Care Research Partnership is to ensure that basic information about childhood care and education in Oregon is current, accurate, and available on local, regional, and state levels and is accessible to all decision-makers.
The Oregon Child Care Research Partnership conducts research related to child care policy at the local and state levels. The Partnership also works on national-level research through participation in the Child Care Bureau’s Child Care Policy Research Consortium, a collaboration of child care policy researchers who work together to build the body of knowledge about child care at the state and national levels. The Child Care Bureau within the Administration for Children and Families of the federal Department of Health and Human Services is the organization that leads national efforts to inform child care policy through research.
Publications
Research Activities
|
|
|
| Commission on Children and Families |
|
|
|
Commission on Children and Families
|
The Oregon Commission on Children and Families (OCCF) facilitates the development of a local community plan for the children and families in each of Oregon’s 36 counties. In each community, the availability, quality and supply of child care is recognized as a key need. Federal child care funds distributed through the OCCF system address local child care needs as they are identified in the local plan and focus on continued development of an integrated system of early care and education in each county. These funds are not available to subsidize individual needs for child care.
Specifically the child care funds are dedicated to:
- Improving child care quality through the enhancement of a strong, integrated early childhood system in each county and in the state;
- Stabilizing the supply of child care, particularly, hard-to-find child care
- Supporting increased supply of child care for underserved populations, especially infant and toddler care, non-traditional hours care, care for special needs children, care for sick children, and out of school time care for school aged children;
- Providing training and scholarships for child care providers;
- Improving child care facilities to meet facility health and safety regulations and access for children with special needs;
- Supporting child care provider compensation initiatives;
- Funding health and mental health consultation to early care and education settings;
- Enhancing core child care resource and referral services;
- Supporting child care public information activities to inform and educate parents, providers, policymakers, business people and the general public about the impact of the earliest years on a child’s later success.
The Oregon Commission on Children and Families works closely with child care partners across the state; staff from the State Commission convenes the Early Childhood Team and the Steering Committee and participates in the Child Care and Education Coordinating Council and its sub committees. The goal of the Commission’s work in child care is to provide communities with resources and capacity to meet the needs of families.
|
|
|
| Department of Human Services, Integrated Child Care Program |
|
|
|
Department of Human Services
|
Child care
Overview
Parent information
Provider information
Publications & data
|
|
|
| Inclusive Child Care Program |
|
|
|
Inclusive Child Care Program
|
The Inclusive Child Care Program serves families of children from birth through 17 years of age who:
- Have physical, developmental, mental, emotional, behavioral, or medical disabilities; and
- Need extra supports to be cared for in typical child care settings.
The "supplemental" child care subsidy: Most children with disabilities are in typical child care settings with little or no accommodation. However, some children do require extra supports for safe and appropriate care. These supports or accommodations may involve added costs to child care providers and parents. The Inclusive Child Care Program subsidy helps pay for extra supports in child care that are related to a child’s special needs.
The subsidy amount is different for each child. It is based on the child’s individual needs in his or her specific child care setting.
Here are some examples:
- If a child requires exceptionally close care or supervision the subsidy could help the child’s provider are for a smaller number of children.
- The program could help pay for a ramp so that a child care setting is accessible to a child in a wheel chair.
Do families pay for care?
Yes, families pay the provider’s customary fees. The subsidy pays for those things that cannot reasonably be covered within the provider’s basic rates.
Which families are eligible for the child care subsidy?
- To be eligible, a family’s income must be less than 85% of Oregon’s median income.
- Parents must use the subsidy for child care while they are employed, in school, or attending employment-related training programs.
|
|
|
| Oregon ASK ( After School for Kids ) |
|
Oregon ASK is a collaboration of public and private organizations and community members who seek to address common issues and concerns across all out-of-school time services - child care, recreation, education and youth development.
Oregon ASK Mission:
To support, expand and advocate for quality out-of-school time programs and activities for children, youth, and families throughout Oregon.
Oregon ASK Vision:
All Oregon children, youth and families will have access to quality out-of-school time options within their communities. All services will enhance children's positive development and future opportunities, while keeping them safe from harm. All programs, services and activities will be of high quality and will contribute to strong communities and schools.
Oregon ASK Goals:
- Develop, gather and share resources, including information and technical assistance, which support and sustain high quality out-of-school time programs.
- Promote professional development, program standards, child/youth outcomes, best practices, and program evaluation.
- Affect policy and strengthen public will at both state and local levels.
- Communicate effectively with and provide meaningful ways of involvement for partners, stakeholders, consumers, beneficiaries and champions.
|
|
|
| Oregon Child Care Resource and Referral Network |
|
|
|
Oregon Child Care Resource and Referral Network
|
The Oregon Child Care Resource and Referral Network (OCCRRN) is a statewide network of 17 community based child care resource and referral agencies that work to improve the quality, accessibility, and affordability of child care for all Oregon families.
- We provide training, technical assistance, and support to member agencies.
- We initiate projects to build quality child care.
- We inform policy makers, businesses and the public on child care related issues.
- We advocate for child care professionals and for families with children.
- We connect parents with child care resource and referral agencies throughout the state.
To search for child care online, click here
To find the Resource and Referral agency in your area, click here
|
|
|
| Oregon Family Child Care Network |
|
The Oregon Family Child Care Network (OFCCN) The mission of OFCCN is to promote an effective exchange of information between family child care providers and other childhood care and education system partners in order to enhance the quality of care for children in Oregon.
OFCCN
- is managed by family child care provider volunteers acting as a communication link between family child care providers and agencies throughout the state of Oregon.
- is funded through a voluntary provider contribution of a portion of licensing fees.
- gathers provider voices through the use of surveys, personal conversations, and provider participation at community meetings, conferences, and retreats.
- works with local communities, organizations, agencies, legislators, and other childhood care and education partners.
- distributes a newsletter three times per year to all registered and certified family child care providers in Oregon.
|
|
|
| Targeted High Risk Populations |
|
|
|
Targeted High Risk Populations
|
Targeted High Risk Populations
Parents identified for targeted high risk services include:
a) parents engaged in migrant and seasonal farmwork;
b) teen parents enrolled in high school completion or GED programs;
c) parents participating in state-approved women-specific substance abuse treatment programs; and
d) children with disabilities who need access to child care.
Parents identified for targeted, high risk services have access to child care through contracts with community based programs. Parents requesting their own choice of care may receive a certificate to purchase another option.
For more information, contact Janet Price
|
|
|
| Teen Parent Program, Department of Education |
|
The Oregon Department of Education provides grants to school districts for both the Start-Up and Enhancement of high school based Teen Parent and Child Development programs. Funds for the program come from federal Child Care and Development Block Grant through Oregon Child Care Division. Definitions for these programs are found on our website here.
|
|
|
| Virtual Degree Project |
|
Virtual Degree Project
The Virtual Degree Project is an innovative strategy to increase the accessibility for child care professionals to continue their education and receive college credit in exchange for experience.
Click here for more information.
|
|
| |
|
|
