8.3 Coordination with Child Care Resource and Referral Systems

Lead Agencies may use CCDF funds to establish or support a system or network of local or regional child care resource and referral (CCR&R) organizations that is coordinated, to the extent determined by the Lead Agency, by a statewide public or private non-profit, community-based or regionally based, lead child care resource and referral organization (such as a statewide CCR&R network). If Lead Agencies use CCDF funds for local CCR&R organizations, the local or regional CCR&R organizations supported by those funds must, at the direction of the Lead Agency: • Provide parents in the State with consumer education information concerning the full range of child care options (including faith-based and community-based child care providers), analyzed by provider, including child care provided during non-traditional hours and through emergency child care centers, in their area. • To the extent practicable, work directly with families who receive assistance to offer the families support and assistance to make an informed decision about which child care providers they will use to ensure that the families are enrolling their children in the most appropriate child care setting that suits their needs and one that is of high quality (as determined by the Lead Agency). • Collect data and provide information on the coordination of services and supports, including services under Part B, Section 619 and Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. • Collect data and provide information on the supply of and demand for child care services in areas of the State and submit the information to the Lead Agency. • Work to establish partnerships with public agencies and private entities, including faith- based and community-based child care providers, to increase the supply and quality of child care services in the State and, as appropriate, coordinate their activities with the activities of the Lead Agency and local agencies that administer funds made available through CCDF. 8.3.1 Funding a system or network of CCR&R organization(s) Does the Lead Agency fund a system or network of local or regional CCR&R organization(s)? [ ] No. The Lead Agency does not fund a system or network of local or regional CCR&R organization(s) and has no plans to establish one. [ ] No, but the Lead Agency has plans to develop a system or network of local or regional CCR&R organization(s). [x] Yes. The Lead Agency funds a system or network of local or regional CCR&R organization(s) with all the responsibilities outlined above. If yes, describe the activities outlined above carried out by the CCR&R organization(s), as directed by the Lead Agency: Currently, the lead agency has an MOU with the Department of Education that outlines the coordination of CCDF programming. The Department of Education manages the state's resource and referral and consumer education website through a contract with Children and Families First (CFF). CFF is the private agency with the mission of helping all children facing adversity reach their full potential. This work is done through programming such as foster care and adoption, community schools, trauma intervention, Head Start, parent education, etc. CFF specifically provides families with information on a full range of child care options and works directly with families who receive child care assistance to offer the families support in making an informed decision about child care options in an effort to ensure families are enrolling their children in the most appropriate child care setting to suit their needs. At this time, different partnerships collect information with and on behalf of the Department of Education and Department of Health and Social Services so that the lead agencies can analyze this information as a whole; it is not just CFF, the state's CCR&R. -The Department of Education and Department of Health and Social Services collects data and provides information on the coordination of services and supports, including services under Part B, Section 619 and Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. -The Department of Education collects data and provides information on the supply of and demand for child care services in areas of the state. -The Department of Education, Health and Social Services, and Delaware Early Childhood Council work to establish partnerships with public agencies and private entities, including faith- based and community-based child care providers, to increase the supply and quality of child care services in the State and, as appropriate, coordinate their activities with these state agencies and advisory council.