Child Care Bureau: Laws, Policies, Program Instructions, and Allocations

Quality Expansion Activities

Related Items: FY 2001 CCDF Final Allocations and Earmarks

Innovative Programs in Infant/Toddler Child Care

INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS IN INFANT/TODDLER CHILD CARE

CALIFORNIA:

In 1985, the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network (network) and the BankAmerica Foundation developed the Child Care Initiative Project (CCIP) to address the shortage of licensed high quality child care in California communities. CCIP successfully developed infant/toddler caregiver recruitment and training projects throughout the state. In an effort to expand these infant/toddler care projects in the state, California's FY 97-98 budget targeted $500,000 of CCDBG funds to increase the supply of licensed family child care homes to provide infant/toddler care and child care during non-traditional hours. Nine new project sites will be developed to recruit child care providers, with an estimated average of 20-35 new providers recruited at each site and more than 60 providers given training and support. West/Ed will provide the training and consultation to these new projects on infant/toddler care.

Additionally, California is using a portion of its CCDBG funds to train Temporary Assistance to Needy Families recipients as child care providers. The California Department of Education will begin these two year pilot training projects in three different areas of the state. The educational component will include instruction on how to provide infant care, mildly sick child care, and child care during non-traditional hours. Requirements for participation include a minimum age of 18 years old, a demonstration of intentionality of becoming a child care provider, and assessment of the candidates' suitability in the profession and training needs. The goal is for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families recipients to complete 24 units in early childhood education and 16 units in general education, in order for the participant to qualify for a Child Development Teacher Permit at the end of the program.

HAWAII:

Hawaii developed a collaborative system of statewide services for the inclusion of infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities and other special needs into natural settings of child care and preschool services in their communities. The target group is all infants and toddlers in Hawaii eligible under Part H of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, who met the eligibility criteria under the CCDBG, and whose parents were in school or working and desired child care for their children. Hawaii's Department of Human Services and Department of Health are collaborating on this effort. The project is funded from October 15, 1996 - May 31, 1998.

MICHIGAN:

To encourage the expansion of infant care, the Michigan Family Independence Agency funded a pilot project in Jackson County in January, 1997. Child care providers were recruited in areas accessible to low-income families to care for infants (under 12 months). Child Care Network, a resource and referral agency serving Jackson County, was the lead agency for this pilot. Their initial goal was to recruit 40 individuals in low-income areas and provide them with equipment and training to become providers. The equipment includes one high chair, one playpen, one crib (including mattress and bedding), and one set of infant toys. Training includes CPR/First Aid training; basic child care training (15 hours focused on child development, safety, health/nutrition and professionalism in child care); and advanced child care training (10 hours focused on infant and toddler development, stress management, and special needs child care).

Statewide recruitment efforts for increasing infant care providers was funded by Michigan's Family Independence Agency in October, 1997. The Michigan 4C Association, the state resource and referral organization, coordinates this project. The goal is to recruit 510 new providers who have created at least one space for an infant from a low-income family. Recruitment strategies include conducting outreach information sessions to inform potential providers about the need for more infant care and what is involved in becoming a regulated care provider; conducting a media outreach campaign, inviting potential providers in the community to care for infants; providing assistance in obtaining the appropriate certificate for regulation; recruiting providers who are already licensed or registered and encouraging them to care for at least one additional infant; and attending provider orientation sessions conducted by the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services, Division of Child Day Care Licensing, speaking about the need for more infant care providers.

The Michigan 4C Association also administers the Enhanced Quality Improvement Program (EQUIP) for the Family Independence Agency. This statewide program awards grants ranging from $500 to $4,999 to child care centers, family homes, group homes, and local 4C agencies to improve the quality of child care to low-income families, increase parental choice, provide consumer education, and increase capacity and availability of child care. Special consideration is given to those proposals that increase the number of infant care slots, odd-hour care, and care for children with special needs.

OREGON:

Using CCDGB money, Oregon developed a collaborative pilot project between the Oregon Child Care Division, Adult and Family Services and the State Commission on Children and Families to increase the supply of quality infant/toddler care in group child care homes. Local partnerships were created to develop local strategies, including funding for training, equipment, and licensing fees. Two licensing staff from the Child Care Division provided technical assistance and support to participants, facilitated provider and community networking, and familiarized communities with licensing standards and goals. The State Commission on Children and Families provided project oversight. The pilot began in early 1997 and ended on December 31, 1997. It is estimated that an additional 20-30 group child care homes have opened or are now serving infants and toddlers as a result of the pilot projects, increasing the number of infant/toddler slots in the state by 40-60.

SOUTH DAKOTA:

In late 1996, South Dakota received a planning grant to develop a state infant-toddler training initiative. Regional and tribal public information meetings were held to determine needs as well as strengths and weaknesses in their current system and to provide input to the planning of the project from a grassroots approach. After 9 months of planning, the Bush Foundation awarded the state $2.1 million for a three year project, the South Dakota Infant/Toddler Training Initiative. The state Office of Child Care Services is managing the project, and the five regional Early Childhood Enrichment Programs (Child Care Resource and Referral's) have contracts to coordinate the training in the regions.

Through the Initiative, up to 75 individuals will be trained to use the West/Ed Infant-Toddler curriculum. The first "train the trainer" event will be held in early May, 1998, and the final training will be held in June, 1999. Each trainer is expected to complete West/Ed's four training modules and become certified as a West/Ed trainer. Once trained, these individuals must provide a minimum of 10 actual hours of training per module to caregivers in their communities. With the addition of these 75 trainers, South Dakota will have at least 100 infant/toddler trainers serving the regions by 1999.

South Dakota is supplementing the Bush Foundation grant with CCDF funds for administration and coordination of the project; infant/toddler resources for providers; and the purchase of West/Ed video sets for at least 30 areas in the State for easy access by the trainers.

Related Items: FY 2001 CCDF Final Allocations and Earmarks