9.3 Increasing Engagement and Access to Information

Lead Agencies must collect and disseminate information about the full range of child care services to promote parental choice to parents of children eligible for CCDF, the general public, and child care providers. 9.3.1 Information about CCDF availability and eligibility Describe how the Lead Agency shares information with eligible parents, the general public, and child care providers about the availability of child care services provided through CCDF and other programs for which the family may be eligible. The description should include, at a minimum, what is provided (e.g., written materials, the website, and direct communications) and what approaches are used to tailor information to parents, the general public, and child care providers. OEC works with Arkansas Better Chance (the state’s Pre-K program), Head Start, and Child Care Aware to provide information to families regarding available resources. We share information to ensure families understand the availability of child care assistance and Pre-kindergarten Programs. If CCDF is unavailable or if a family is ineligible, staff work together to ensure that eligible families are served through Early Head Start, Head Start or the state’s Pre-K program where appropriate. Applications for child care assistance, child care information, and materials on how to choose a child care are shared. Information is shared with the general public using the OEC website. Information is shared with provider via the OEC website, a monthly provider call and OEC contractors. 9.3.2 Information about child care and other services available for parents Does the Lead Agency certify that it provides information described in 9.3.1 for the following required programs? • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. • Head Start and Early Head Start programs. • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). • Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) program. • Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). • Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). • Programs carried out under IDEA Part B, Section 619 and Part C. [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: 9.3.3 Consumer statement for parents receiving CCDF services Lead Agencies must provide parents receiving CCDF services with a consumer statement in hard copy or electronically that contains general information about the CCDF program and specific information about the child care provider they select. Please certify if the Lead Agency provides parents receiving CCDF services a consumer statement that contains the following 8 requirements: 1. Health and safety requirements met by the provider 2. Licensing or regulatory requirements met by the provider 3. Date the provider was last inspected 4. Any history of violations of these requirements 5. Any voluntary quality standards met by the provider 6. How CCDF subsidies are designed to promote equal access 7. How to submit a complaint through the hotline 8. How to contact a local resource and referral agency or other community-based organization to receive assistance in finding and enrolling in quality child care Does the Lead Agency provide to families, either in hard copy or electronically, a consumer statement that contains the required information about the provider they have selected, including the eight required elements above? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: 9.3.4 Informing families about best practices on child development Describe how the Lead Agency makes information available to parents, providers, and the general public on research and best practices concerning children’s development, including physical health and development, and information about successful parent and family engagement. At a minimum, the description should include what information is provided; how the information is provided; any distinct activities for sharing this information with parents, providers, the general public; and any partners in providing this information. Through the www.arbetterbeginnings.com website, OEC offers parents, providers, and the general public information about research and best practices concerning children’s development, including physical health and development, and information about successful parent and family engagement. In addition to the website, OEC disseminates information through a monthly electronic newsletter and through press and media. 9.3.5 Unlimited parental access to their children Does the Lead Agency have procedures to ensure that parents have unlimited access to their children whenever their children are in the care of a provider who receives CCDF funds: [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: 9.3.6 Informing families about best practices in social and emotional health Describe how the Lead Agency shares information with families, providers, and the general public regarding the social-emotional and behavioral and mental health of young children, including positive behavioral intervention and support models based on research and best practices for those from birth to school age: Information is available on the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) website regarding social/emotional development and behavior challenges. If a provider is experiencing behavioral challenges, a referral can be made to Arkansas’s Behavior Help Support System at https://behaviorhelponline.org/. Information regarding the Behavior Help Support System can be found at https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/office-of-early-childhood/behavior- help. Once a referral is made to the Behavior Help Support System, OEC will assign the case to a Technical Assistance provider (A-State Childhood Services) or an Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation provider (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences ￿ Project PLAY) which will provide the support to the classroom and referring agency. Communication regarding the Behavior Help Support system is done via email, on the child care billing website, and at provider trainings. Additionally, there is a parent training module on this topic as part of the CCDF required parent trainings. OEC has adopted the Center on Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Pyramid Model focused on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children aged birth to five (5). OEC has contracted with multiple partners to develop aid to providers on the implementation of the Pyramid Model. Through our contracted partners OEC offers professional development such as: TIPS, Naptime Academy, Pre-K SEL, Strengthening Families and Caring Conversations Cafes focused on building parent/provider relationships. Additionally, OEC has made a contracted investment in the ARRAY Social Emotional Learning continuum. The ARRAY continuum was developed to coach programs and build the systemic capacity of programs to better implement early childhood mental health practices. As of April 2024, the ARRAY continuum has launched in all four regions of the state. Arkansas will pay a special needs differential rate for qualifying children receiving BehaviorHelp Support services or a child in the Foster Care System, if the child meets the criteria listed under Arkansas’s updated definition of ￿Children with special needs￿. Additionally, OEC will designate a team from members of the existing BehaviorHelp Support System to review requests made by child care facilities. This will allow children to safely remain in continuous care without undue interruptions to service, as this rate will help to fund the extra resources necessary to ensure the child maintains placement. 9.3.7 Policies on the prevention of the suspension and expulsion of children a. The Lead Agency must have policies to prevent the suspension and expulsion of children from birth to age 5 in child care and other early childhood programs receiving CCDF funds. Describe those policies and how those policies are shared with families, providers, and the general public: The Arkansas Department of Education and the Office of Early Childhood (ADE/OEC) discourages the use of suspensions or expulsions of children from programs receiving CCDF Funding. It is also recommended that centers not discriminate against children based on their funding stream (i.e., the expulsion of private pay or other children). These regulations were put in place to ensure all children have access to early childhood education. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in termination from the CCDF Program. ADE/OEC utilizes the Behavior Help system to assist centers who are experiencing challenging behaviors or classroom management issues. Any center in the state can use this system at any time. There is no cost to the center to access Behavior Help. Any center which refers a child to Behavior Help is not allowed to suspend or expel that child from their center without the approval of ADE/OEC. This information is shared with parents at initial application, in addition it is listed on the application for child care assistance. Child care providers are informed about requirements for prevention of suspension and expulsion via the CCDF Program Participant Agreement. This information is also available on the OEC website. b. Describe what policies, if any, the Lead Agency has to prevent the suspension and expulsion of school-age children from child or youth care settings receiving CCDF funds: The policies mentioned in 9.3.7 also apply to school-aged children attending any type of child or youth care setting in which CCDF funds voucher are accepted