5.8 Exemptions for Relative Providers

Lead Agencies may exempt relatives (defined in CCDF regulations as grandparents, great- grandparents, siblings if living in a separate residence, aunts, and uncles) from certain health and safety requirements. This exception applies only if the individual cares only for relative children. 5.8.1 Exemptions for relative providers Does the Lead Agency exempt any federally defined relative providers from licensing requirements, the CCDF health and safety standards, preservice/orientation training, ongoing training, inspections, or background checks? [ ] No. [x] Yes. If yes, which type of relatives do you exempt, and from what requirements (licensing requirements, CCDF health and safety standards, preservice/orientation training, ongoing training, inspections, and/or background checks) do you exempt them? The Office of Early Childhood exempts relatives which are defined as related to the child by blood, marriage, or adoption and are at least 20 years or older. Relative is defined in Pub L. 113-186 and regulation, 45 CFR Part § 98.41 (a) as grandmother/grandfather, great grandmother/grandfather, aunt/ uncle, and sibling. In regard to siblings, based on Care 4 Kids regulation, Sec. 17b-749-12 (a) (4) (D), only siblings living outside of the child’s home would considered eligible. The eligible relative would be exempt from becoming licensed and there are no annual inspections of their home. All eligible relatives are also exempt from completing the required annual CCDF health and safety training requirements. Relatives are required to complete a Preservice Provider Orientation training prior to caring for a subsidy child. Further, unlicensed relative providers are exempt from the fingerprint-based criminal registry check (a name and date or birth check is completed), FBI fingerprint check and national sex offender registry check. Unlicensed relatives, in addition to the name and date of birth State criminal history check, a state sex offender registry search is completed as well as a child abuse and neglect registry check. 6 Support for a Skilled, Qualified, and Compensated Child Care Workforce A skilled child care workforce with adequate wages and benefits underpins a stable high-quality child care system that is accessible and reliable for working parents and that meets their needs and promotes equal access. Positive interactions between children and caregivers provide the cornerstone of quality child care experiences. Responsive caregiving and rich interactions support healthy socio-emotional, cognitive, and physical development in children. Strategies that successfully support the child care workforce address key challenges, including low wages, poor benefits, and difficult job conditions. Lead Agencies can help mitigate some of these challenges through various CCDF policies, including through ongoing professional development and supports for all provider types and embedded in the payment policies and practices covered in Section 4. Lead Agencies must have a framework for training, professional development, and post-secondary education. They must also incorporate health and safety training into their professional development. Lead Agencies should also implement policies that focus on improving wages and access to benefits for the child care workforce. When implemented as a cohesive approach, the initiatives support the recruitment and retention of a qualified and effective child care workforce, and improve opportunities for caregivers, teachers, and directors to advance on their progression of training, professional development, and postsecondary education. This section addresses Lead Agency efforts to support the child care workforce, the components and implementation of the professional development framework, and early learning and developmental guidelines.