| Summary of Arkansas' Work as Part of the Initiative (2003-2004):
Arkansas worked to establish a family child care provider network, especially to attract unregulated providers. They developed materials to provide information on replicating Project HELP, an initiative designed to place infants/toddlers with special needs in programs with typically developing children. They worked to strengthen training and ongoing support to caregivers that will work with special needs infants, training on identifying potential developmental problems, and training on how to initiate early intervention services on behalf of the children and their families.
Arkansas' Child Care and Development Fund Quality Infant/Toddler Earmark:
FY 2006:
The Federal CCDF Quality Infant and Toddler Earmark is $1,209,472.
The funds are used in the following ways to enhance the Arkansas infant and toddler child care system (additional funds may be used to support these activities):
- Family Connections, a packet of materials designed to connect families of infants and toddlers to their child care settings through activities based on the six developmental strands in the Arkansas Framework for Infant and Toddler Care.
- Posters that address the developmental strands and benchmarks appropriate for infants and toddlers, which are available to all programs.
- Continued support of all activities listed under FY 2004 below.
FY 2004:
The Federal CCDF Quality Infant and Toddler Earmark was $1,216,296.
The funds were used in the following ways to enhance the Arkansas infant and toddler child care system (additional funds may have been used to support these activities):
- Enhancement/Improvement Grants , which designate infant and toddler expansion and new development as priority areas.
- Scholarships for providers to obtain CPR training.
- Scholarships for staff in licensed child care programs to obtain their CDA.
- Technical Assistance/Consultation to infant toddler programs on request, through a contractual agreement with a university.
- Arkansas Framework for Infant and Toddler Care training, available statewide.
- Picture This: A Framework for Quality Care for Infants and Toddlers, a guide to illustrate the developmental learning strands for infants and toddlers is available for parents and providers.
- Revision and reprinting of the Healthy Children's Handbook, through the Healthy Child Care America project. The handbook is available to infant/toddler caregivers and is
used for all new directors of child care programs in New Director Orientation.
- Assistance to universities, community colleges and technical institutes in accessing funds through the Campus Child Care Act.
- Support to Family Child Care Associations in their efforts to extend professional
development to caregivers and expand care to infant/toddler age children.
- Child Care Specialist Certificate Infant/Toddler Endorsement.
- Caregiver Certificate Program module on Child Development Birth to Three.
- “Making First Experiences Count” training.
- Incentive Grants to promote Early Childhood Quality Approval/accreditation in programs caring for infants and toddlers.
- Right From Birth.
- Parents as Teachers.
|
