9.2 Consumer Education Website

Lead Agencies must provide information to parents, the general public, and child care providers through a State or Territory website, which is consumer-friendly and easily accessible for families who speak languages other than English and persons with disabilities. The website must: • Include information to assist families in understanding the Lead Agency’s policies and procedures, including licensing child care providers; • Include monitoring and inspection reports for each provider and, if available, the quality of each provider; • Provide the aggregate number of deaths, serious injuries, and the number of cases of substantiated child abuse that have occurred in child care settings; • Include contact information for local CCR&R organizations to help families access additional information on finding child care; and • Include information on how parents can contact the Lead Agency and other organizations to better understand the information on the website. 9.2.1 Consumer-friendly website Does the Lead Agency ensure that its consumer education website is consumer- friendly and easily accessible? i. Provide the URL for the Lead Agency’s consumer education website homepage: https://mychildcareplan.org/; https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/child-care- licensing; https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/Additional-Resources/Research- and- Data/DSSDS/Child%20Care%20Facility%20Fatality%20Data.pdf; and https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/community-care- licensing/facility-search- welcome ii. Does the Lead Agency certify that the consumer education website ensures broad access to services for families who speak languages other than English? ☐ X Yes. ☐ No. If no, describe: Not applicable. iii. Does the Lead Agency certify that the consumer education website ensures broad access to services for persons with disabilities? ☐ X Yes. ☐ No. If no, describe: Not applicable. 9.2.2 Additional consumer education website links Provide the direct URL/website link for the following: i. Provide the direct URL/website link to how the Lead Agency licenses child care providers: The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Child Care Licensing Program webpage, for “Do I Need A License”, contains user-friendly resources, including an easy-to-watch video Understanding Licensed Care and License-exempt Care. The How to Become Licensed webpage includes a one- page document entitled “What is licensed exempt care?”, which outlines exemptions from licensing requirements for certain providers. The Public Information and Resources webpage provides a written overview for licensing, compliance, and enforcement of licensed child day care facilities. In addition, the Webpage has links to relevant information (e.g., laws and regulations) and a video entitled An Overview of Community Care Licensing. Additionally, the Becoming a Family Child Care Provider can be found on the My Child Care Plan Resources webpage. ii. Provide the direct URL/website link to the processes for conducting monitoring and inspections of child care providers: The Child Care Licensing Program Public Information and Resources webpage provides a written overview for licensing, compliance and enforcement of licensed child day care facilities. In addition, the webpage has links to relevant information (e.g., laws and regulations) and a video entitled "An Overview of Community Care Licensing". The MyChildCarePlan.org website also provides Licensing and Safety Resources. iii. Provide the direct URL/website link to the policies and procedures related to criminal background checks for staff members of child care providers: The Care Provider Management Webpage for Background check processes provides a written overview of policies and procedures for prospective child care licensees, providers, and staff. In addition, the Webpage has links to relevant information and FAQs. This webpage can also be accessed on the MyChildCarePlan.org webpage. Health and Safety Code section 1596.871(b)(1) addresses criminal record checks for prospective TrustLine providers, licensed child care providers, and staff in licensed child care facilities. iv. Provide the direct URL/website link to the offenses that prevent individuals from being employed by a child care provider: There is a Non-exemptible crimes list on CDSS’ Care Provider Management Branch Background Check Process webpage. 9.2.3 Searchable list of providers a. The consumer education website must include a list of all licensed providers searchable by ZIP code. i. Does the Lead Agency certify that the consumer education website includes a list of all licensed providers searchable by ZIP code? Yes. Not applicable X No. If no, describe: Health and Safety Code section 1596.86(b) protects the confidentiality of licensed small family day care home names, addresses, and identifying information. However, consumers may obtain information about small family day care homes in their area by contacting a California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) Child Care Licensing Program Regional Office or the Resource and Referral Network or by searching the MyChildCarePlan.org website. ii. Provide the direct URL/website link to the list of child care providers searchable by ZIP code: For a list of licensed child care centers and large family child care home providers searchable by ZIP code, please visit either the https://mychildcareplan.org/ website or CDSS’ Child Care Facility Search webpage. iii. In addition to the licensed child care providers that must be included in the searchable list, are there additional providers included in the Lead Agency’s searchable list of child care providers? Check all that apply: X License-exempt center-based CCDF providers. License-exempt family child care CCDF providers. X License-exempt non-CCDF providers. Relative CCDF child care providers. Other (e.g., summer camps, public pre-Kindergarten). Describe: Not applicable. b. Identify what additional (optional) information, if any, is available in the searchable results by ZIP code. Check the box when information is provided. Provider Information Available in Searchable Results Information All licensed providers License- exempt CCDF center- based providers License- exempt CCDF family child care home providers License- exempt non- CCDF providers Relative CCDF providers Contact information ☐ X ☐ X ☐ ☐ X ☐ Enrollment capacity ☐ X ☐ X ☐ ☐ X ☐ Hours, days, and months of operation ☐ X ☐ X ☐ ☐ X ☐ Provider education and training ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Languages spoken by the caregiver ☐ X ☐ X ☐ ☐ X ☐ Quality information ☐ X ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Monitoring reports ☐ X ☐ X ☐ ☐ ☐ Willingness to accept CCDF certificates ☐ X ☐ X ☐ ☐ ☐ Ages of children served ☐ X ☐ X ☐ ☐ X ☐ Specialization or training for certain populations ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Care provided during nontraditional hours ☐ X ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ c. Identify any other information searchable on the consumer education website for the child care provider type listed below and then, if checked, describe the searchable information included on the website. i. ☐ X All licensed providers. Describe: Enrollment availability, transportation services, meals offered, Special Needs experience (yes/no), program descriptions. ii. ☐ X License-exempt CCDF center-based providers. Describe: Enrollment availability, transportation services, meals offered, Special Needs experience (yes/no), program descriptions. iii. ☐ License-exempt CCDF family child care providers. Describe: Not applicable. iv. ☐ X License-exempt, non-CCDF providers. Describe: Enrollment availability, transportation services, meals offered, Special Needs experience (yes/no), program descriptions. v. ☐ Relative CCDF providers. Describe: Not applicable. vi. ☐ Other. Describe: Not applicable. 9.2.4 Provider-specific quality information Lead Agencies must identify specific quality information on each child care provider for whom they have this information. Provider-specific quality information must only be posted on the consumer education website if it is available for the individual child care provider. a. What specific quality information does the Lead Agency provide on the website? i. ☐ X Quality improvement system. ii. ☐ X National accreditation. iii. ☐ X Enhanced licensing system. iv. ☐ X Meeting Head Start/Early Head Start Program Performance Standards. v. ☐ X Meeting pre-Kindergarten quality requirements. vi. ☐ X School-age standards. vii. ☐ Quality framework or quality improvement system. viii. ☐ Other. Describe: Not applicable. b. For what types of child care providers is quality information available? i. ☐ X Licensed CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: Rating elements include Child Observation, Developmental and Health Screenings, Minimum Qualifications for Lead Teacher/Family Child Care Home Provider, Effective Teacher-Child Interactions, Ratios and Group Size, Program Environment, and Director Qualifications. ii. ☐ X Licensed non-CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: Rating elements include Child Observation, Developmental and Health Screenings, Minimum Qualifications for Lead Teacher/Family Child Care Home Provider, Effective Teacher-Child Interactions, Ratios and Group Size, Program Environment, and Director Qualifications. iii. ☐ License-exempt center-based CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: Not applicable. iv. ☐ License-exempt FCC CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: Not applicable. v. ☐ License-exempt non-CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: Not applicable. vi. ☐ Relative child care providers. Describe the quality information: Not applicable. vii. ☐ Other. Describe: Not applicable. 9.2.5 Aggregate data on serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated abuse Lead Agencies must post aggregate data on serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated cases of child abuse that have occurred in child care settings each year on the consumer education website. This aggregate data must include information about any child in the care of a provider eligible to receive CCDF, not just children receiving subsidies. This aggregate information on serious injuries and deaths must be separated by category of care (e.g., centers, family child care homes, and in-home care) and licensing status (i.e., licensed or license-exempt) for all eligible CCDF child care providers in the State/Territory. The information on instances of substantiated child abuse does not have to be organized by category of care or licensing status. Information must also include the total number of children in care by provider type and licensing status, so that families can better understand the data presented on serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated cases of abuse. a. Certify by checking below that the required elements are included in the Aggregate Data Report on serious incident data that have occurred in child care settings each year. i. ☐ The total number of serious injuries of children in care by provider category and licensing status. ii. ☐ X The total number of deaths of children in care by provider category and licensing status. iii. ☐ The total number of substantiated instances of child abuse in child care settings. iv. ☐ The total number of children in care by provider category and licensing status. v. If any of the above elements are not included, describe: California received a preliminary notice of non-compliance from Office of Child Care (OCC) on May 8, 2024, for this provision. The CDSS needs additional time to develop an implementation plan and may seek technical assistance from OCC. Currently the Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) Child Care Licensing Program does not have sufficient data systems to collect and post an aggregate data report regarding serious injuries or substantiated instances of child abuse that includes the total number of children in care by provider category/licensing status. The CCLD is currently updating its data functionality through its Facility Management System (FMS) project which is tentatively anticipated to be completed by October 2026. b. Certify by providing: i. The designated entity to which child care providers must submit reports of any serious injuries or deaths of children occurring in child care and describe how the Lead Agency obtains the aggregate data from the entity: California received a preliminary notice of non-compliance from Office of Child Care (OCC) on May 8, 2024, for this provision. The CDSS needs additional time to develop an implementation plan and may seek technical assistance from OCC. Licensed child care facilities submit reports of injuries or deaths to their local CCLD Child Care Licensing Regional Office that provides licensing oversight for the respective facility. The CCLD is currently updating its data functionality through its FMS project which is tentatively anticipated to be completed by October 2026. ii. The definition of “substantiated child abuse” used by the Lead Agency for this requirement: For licensed providers, "substantiated child abuse" includes physical injury inflicted upon a child by another person by other than accidental means, sexual abuse as defined in Penal Code section 11165.1, neglect as defined in Penal Code section 1165.2,or unlawful corporal punishment or injury as defined in Penal Code Section 11165.4, when the person responsible for the child’s welfare is a licensee, administrator, or employee of any facility licensed to care for children, or an administrator or employee of a public or private school or other institution or agency. (See Health and Safety Code sections 1596.99(f)(2) and 1597.58(f)(2).) iii. The definition of “serious injury” used by the Lead Agency for this requirement: For licensed providers, "serious injury" includes serious impairment of physical condition, including, but not limited to loss of consciousness, concussion, bone fracture, protracted loss or impairment of function of any bodily member or organ, a wound requiring extensive suturing, and serious disfigurement. (See California Health and Safety Code section 1596.8865(d).) c. Provide the direct URL/website link to the page where the aggregate number of serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated child abuse, and the total number of children in care by provider category and licensing status are posted. California received a preliminary notice of non-compliance from Office of Child Care (OCC) on May 8, 2024, for this provision. The CDSS needs additional time to develop an implementation plan and may seek technical assistance from OCC. The CDSS-CCLD Child Care Licensing Program does not have sufficient data systems to collect and post information regarding serious injuries or substantiated instances of child abuse for licensed child care facilities. However, the licensed facility inspection reports include this information at the facility level and is provided to the public on the Child Care Transparency webpage on the CDSS’ website at: the CDSS CCLD https://www.ccld.dss.ca.gov/carefacilitysearch/ Facility Search Welcome Page. The CCLD is currently updating its data functionality through its FMS project which is tentatively anticipated to be completed by October 2026. The aggregate data for reports regarding deaths in licensed facilities may be found at: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/Additional-Resources/Research-and- Data/DSSDS/Child%20Care%20Facility%20Fatality%20Data.pdf . 9.2.6 Contact information on referrals to local child care resource and referral organizations The Lead Agency consumer education website must include contact information on referrals to local CCR&R organizations. a. Does the consumer education website include contact information on referrals to local CCR&R organizations? ☐ X Yes. ☐ No. ☐ Not applicable. The Lead Agency does not have local CCR&R organizations. b. Provide the direct URL/website link to this information: Each of the following links provide information and resources about local resource and Referral Agencies: the Consumer Education website MyChildCarePlan.org, and California Department of Social Services; Resources for Parents , Resources for Providers. 9.2.7 Lead Agency contact information for parents The Lead Agency consumer and provider education website must include information on how parents can contact the Lead Agency or its designee and other programs that can help the parent understand information included on the website. a. Does the website provide directions on how parents can contact the Lead Agency or its designee and other programs to help them understand information included on the website? ☐ X Yes. ☐ No. b. Provide the direct URL/website link to this information: https://mychildcareplan.org/contact/ 9.2.8 Posting sliding fee scale, co-payment amount, and policies for waiving co-payments The consumer education website must include the sliding fee scale for parent co-payments, including the co-payment amount a family may expect to pay and policies for waiving co- payments. a. Does the Lead Agency certify that their consumer education website includes the sliding fee scale for parent co-payments, including the co-payment amount a family may expect to pay and policies for waiving co-payments? ☐ X Yes. ☐ No. b. Provide the direct URL/website link to the sliding fee scale. The FY 2024-25 Family Fee Schedule and a list of the families that are exempt from paying family fees can be found on the My Child Care Plan website here: https://mychildcareplan.org/resource/child-care-subsidies/.