Office for Children and Youth
 
Quality Enhancement Initiatives


   
For Child Care Related Statistics go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov
For Quality-Related Resource Tools go to: http://nccic.org Then click on desired category.

Partners in Quality Project OCY/Mississippi State University Early Childhood Institute

Selected licensed child care providers are asked to voluntarily participate in an evaluation of the quality of care offered in their respective facility. The evaluation instrument represents a nationally recognized, research based, rating tool. On-site technical assistance is provided specifically to address weaknesses noted by the evaluation.

Nurturing Homes OCY/Mississippi State University Cooperative Extension Service

Selected unlicensed child care providers are provided an opportunity to voluntarily participate in an evaluation of the quality of care offered in their respective setting. The evaluation instrument represents a nationally recognized, research based, rating tool. On-site technical assistance is provided specifically to address weaknesses noted by the evaluation.

OCY Credentialed Directors Project OCY/MS Forum on Children and Families

A 120-hour curriculum designed to train child care directors, assistant directors, and director designees in best practices in the field of early childhood education. Successful completion of the program results in the award of a state recognized credential, Credentialed Director (CD). Since its implementation (January 1996) a total of 2,049 child care professionals have successfully completed the training.

Mississippi State University Early Childhood Institute: MS Child Care Quality Step System (MCCQSS)

MCCQSS is a Quality Rating System (QRS) to access, improve and communicate the level of quality in licensed child care and education settings across the state. The MCCQSS is a quality improvement continuum which offers incentives and has five components: Administrative Policy, Professional Development, Learning Environments, Parent Involvement and Evaluation. The project is open to the East Central Planning & Development District Counties (Clarke, Jasper, Kemper, Lauderdale, Leake, Neshoba, Newton, Scott and Smith); the Golden Triangle Planning & Development District Counties (Oktibbeha, Choctaw, Clay, Webster, Lowndes, Noxubee and Winston); the North Central Planning & Development District Counties (Attala, Holmes, Yalobusha, Carroll, Grenada, Montgomery and Leflore) and the Northeast Mississippi Planning & Development District Counties (Alcorn, Prentiss, Tishomingo, Benton, Marshall and Tippah).

For more information on MCCQSS online go to www.earlychildhood.ms.state.edu and click on Mississippi Initiatives.

Project Prepare/OCY/University of Southern MS 

An evaluation-based training and technical assistance initiative for licensed child care center directors and providers in the use of best practice for serving all children, including those with high risk factors including disabilities, chronic health impairments, and special needs due to environmental factors.

Mississippi State University Cooperative Extension Services: Early Learning Guidelines (ELG)  

Provides a system of professional development training on the MS Early Learning Guidelines through workshops and one-on-one technical assistance with priority given to the counties participation in the pilot Mississippi Child Care Quality Step System (MCCQSS).

VOICES for MS Children, Inc.

Provides training and evaluation activities in the field of Early Childhood Education to child care providers, administrators, parents, licensed centers and family home provides. The training activities promote age-appropriate development practices with relevant and research based outcomes.

MS State Department of Health

Funding for this endeavor is provided to the Child Care Licensure Branch through the Mississippi Department of Health. This project supports training, technical assistance, and professional development activities.

Child Care Training Calendar

OCY compiles and distributes a comprehensive statewide training calendar to inform child care providers of various opportunities. These opportunities are sponsored through organizations statewide to assist with obtaining contact credit hours required for professional development through the licensure entity and are conducted in diverse locations across the state. The training calendar is mailed quarterly to all licensed child care centers for distribution to child care staff.

Consumer Information: Publications and Videos

OCY operates a toll-free statewide child care information hotline (1-800-877-8772) to assist parents with various questions and issues regarding child care. OCY also provides the latest information on ways to improve the quality of child care through the distribution of publications and a video lending library with over 200 topics to be checked out by child care staff for professional development.

United Way

The purpose of this Child Care Partnership Grant Program with United Way is to encourage local commitment to child care through community-generated financial resources that can be matched with Child Care and Development fund for families seeking emergency and/or protective services assistance.