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. The lead agency makes this information available to providers, the general public and parents through the agency website, at intake, at the time of contract initiation, through provider meetings, through community resource centers, community-based meetings, the media including PSAs and newsletters as well as literature available at local social service centers and the lead agency’s main campus. This information is also made available through other community partners such as the Department of Education, the statewide resource and referral agency, and the University of Delaware's, Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood which also makes this information available to providers via their website, media campaigns and written literature. 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. This information is made available to parents, providers and the general public through MyChildDE, the state’s consumer education website. MyChildDE is divided into 3 major sections: FAMILIES, PROVIDERS and RESOURCES. The sections for FAMILIES and PROVIDERS have sub-sections tailored to each of these groups. The sub- sections have individual webpages with information written in plain language to highlight the needs of that group. Child Development is one of the sub-section topics that is repeated in both family and provider sections; they contain similar yet adjusted text. From those webpages, there are links to Delaware partner websites that highlight national child development best practices. There is information about CDC developmental milestones with definitions and common ages (Delaware Thrives). There are also links to websites with information about developmental screenings and who can do them, including child care providers and parents, and what tools to use with Delaware related details (Delaware Readiness Teams). The Lead Agency makes information available for parents, providers, and general public regarding developmental screening information through the following materials: I Am the Expert on My Child video informs and educates families on the purpose and importance of developmental screening and monitoring, Quick Start Guide on the Developmental Screening Resources website https://education.delaware.gov/families/birth-age-5/early_resources/developmental_screenings/ offers strategies for child care providers for successful parent and family engagement to complete developmental screening, Practice Activities created by Brookes Publishing are sent to families and child care providers when they complete the screenings, CDC Milestone Checklist are sent to families and child care providers when screenings are completed and is posted on the developmental screening website, Just in Time Parenting Newsletter is sent to families and child care providers when screenings are completed and sent from our partners from 211 Help Me Grow, Birth to Three Early Intervention Regional Programs, and LEAs. The RESOURCES section is an alphabetical list of most of the links throughout the MyChildDE website so that anyone in the general public can find more information and links. The information can also be obtained through CCDF implementing agencies including the Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families. This information can also be found on the websites of Delaware Stars, Delaware211, and Delaware Thrives. On these sites, parents, providers and the general public can find information regarding successful parent engagement, best practices and research concerning child development, how to access developmental screenings, etc. This information is also provided through community resource centers, community-based meetings, the media including PSAs and newsletters as well as literature available at local social service centers, pediatric doctor's offices and the lead agency’s main campus. The lead agency as well as its partners uses translation services in an effort to ensure that the information is tailored to a variety of audiences. 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: The lead agency has a statewide coordinated interagency early intervention program for children ages birth to 3.The program's mission is to enhance the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities or developmental delays and to enhance the capacity of their families to meet the needs of these young children. Social emotional development is among the developmental domains evaluated and assessed to determine eligibility for early intervention services. Children and families found eligible for early intervention supports may have access to social and emotional support and coaching. Professionals providing these supports include psychologists, mental health professionals, and early childhood educators, to name a few. Information regarding social-emotional/behavioral and early childhood mental health of young children is shared with parents through many agencies across the state and within various state agencies. Delaware's Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood Intervention (OECI), administers the statewide developmental screening initiative. A major component to this initiative is the collaborative effort between child care educators and parents in completing the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition, (ASQ-3) and the Ages and Stages: Social Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2). To support both child care providers and families, the OECI’s developmental screening team prepares and distributes educational documents that guide parents in completing screenings as well as follow up enrichment activities for parents and caregivers. The OECI supports child care providers in collaborating with families and improving data collection at the state level to track the impact of developmental screening. This data is used to inform families of their child's results, which also indicate whether the child and family would benefit in further evaluation, which is completed by the state's Birth to Three early intervention program. Furthermore, Delaware’s Department of Services for Children, Youth, and their Families, Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services provides behavior-focused early intervention and prevention services for children ages, as well as public behavioral healthcare to children and families statewide. The Department of Education, Children and Families First, the Parent Information Center, University of Delaware’s Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood, Delaware Thrives, Delaware 211, and other community partners also share information focused on social and emotional health. Some of the information shared incudes stages of child development, kindergarten readiness, age-appropriate behavioral expectations, and positive disciplinary strategies. The state provides information via direct communication, one on one consultation, and literature, which is placed in state and community agencies that support parents with young children and their families 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 lead agency in collaboration with the early learning community including the Office of Child Care Licensing, the Office of Early Learning, the Delaware Stars team, and the state’s Part C and Part B Coordinators developed the state’s best practice statement regarding suspension and expulsion of children from early learning programs. The statement requires all programs receiving CCDF funds to develop and implement an expulsion policy and provides guidance regarding the components of a comprehensive policy. The Office of Child Care Licensing include this initiative in the state’s licensing regulations in an effort to heighten awareness and ensure compliance. The best practice statement was shared with parents, providers and the public via an awareness campaign which began with an implementation memo and a keynote address on the topic at the state’s annual early care and education conference. There was also a plenary session on the topic. Conferees also received literature about suspension and expulsion in their conference bags. In addition, the lead agency worked with the University of DE to develop a mandatory training on suspension and expulsion for CCDF providers. Non-CCDF providers were encouraged to participate in this training. Information about suspension and expulsion can also be found on MyChildDE, the state’s consumer education website.er education 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: Delaware’s policy to prevent suspension and expulsion of children is applicable for children of all ages in child or youth care settings receiving CCDF. It will be updated to include children up through age 12 in child or youth care settings, since it currently only reads as for children up to five years. It can be found on our mychildde.org website here: https://www.mychildde.org/families/child-care-options/concerns-in-child- care/suspension-and-expulsion-statement/ Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Social Services Program, Policy and Development Unit, Purchase of Care Best Practice Statement for the Prevention of Expulsion and Suspension In Delaware Early Childhood Programs For the purpose of this statement, ￿Early Childhood Programs￿ shall mean all Delaware licensed child care programs participating in the Purchase of Care program, caring for children five years of age and younger. Background The early years of a child’s life are influenced by all experiences, both negative and positive. These years set the trajectory for relationships and successes that they will experience for the rest of their lives. Therefore, it should be of great concern to everyone in the early education field that recent national data indicates that children are being suspended or expelled from early education programs at alarmingly high rates. In the 2003 and 2004 school years, more than 5,000 pre-K students across the nation were expelled from state-funded programs. In addition, the research indicates that there are significant racial and gender disparities in this practice with African American males making up only 19% of preschool enrollment, but 45% of preschoolers suspended. [i] Young children who are expelled are 10 times more likely to drop out of high school, hold negative school attitudes and face incarceration than those who are not. [ii] The decision to suspend or expel a child from an early education program may not be based solely on the child’s behavior, however. Some other factors which often influence the decision to suspend or expel include program issues such as group sizes, child-teacher ratios, the availability of consultants to assist classroom teachers and support staff, the level of a teacher’s education, teacher depression, teacher job stress, etc. [iii] Further, when administered in a discriminatory manner, suspension and expulsion of children may violate Federal civil rights laws. Recipients of Federal financial assistance are obligated to administer student discipline without regard to race, color or national origin.[iv] This research demonstrates that this is, in fact, what is occurring and is the impetus for the joint policy statement on suspension and expulsion in early childhood programs from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Dept. of Education. States are now required to heighten awareness and are strongly encouraged to develop a statewide suspension and expulsion policy. Also, each state must document in its Child Care and Development Fund State Plan how it intends to address this issue. Delaware is committed to ensuring that all of our children receive the best early education possible by using a proactive and systemic approach to building resilience, and finding alternatives to preschool suspension and expulsion. Using this as a foundation, Delaware has developed this ￿Best Practice Statement for the Prevention of Expulsion and Suspension from Early Childhood Programs￿. Definitions [v] Expulsion-terminating enrollment of a child or family in the regular group setting because of a challenging behavior or a health condition. Suspension-all other reductions in the amount of time a child may be in attendance of the regular group setting, either by requiring the child to cease attendance for a particular period of time or reducing the number of days or amount of time that a child may attend. Best Practice Statement This Best Practice Statement applies to all children in early childhood programs, and is designed to prevent, severely limit and ultimately eliminate the use of expulsion, suspension and other exclusionary discipline practices due to children’s challenging behaviors. All Delaware licensed child care programs serving children five years of age and younger and who accept Purchase of Care families are required to develop and implement a suspension and expulsion policy with the understanding that these exclusionary measures are to be used only as a last resort in these cases: 1. There is a determination of a serious safety threat and 2. A detailed progression of intermediate interventions for the child or others has been implemented and documented. Part B and Part C Inclusion When a child with an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or an Individualized Education Program (IEP) exhibits persistent challenging behaviors, special considerations are enacted due to procedural safeguards and due process rights ensured under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Parts C and B. Documentation may be required by the IFSP or IEP teams detailing attempts to address the behaviors and alternate placement plans developed to ensure continuation of special education and related services. The policy is to be clearly communicated to staff upon hire and families upon enrollment. A comprehensive policy should include but is not limited to: 1. Preventive guidance and discipline practices: Programs must develop and clearly communicate appropriate social-emotional and behavioral health promotion practices, discipline and intervention procedures. These practices should include a systematic, uniform process for managing challenging behavior prior to the use of an exclusionary method. This must include communication with a parent regarding the behavior, and could include consultation with a school counselor when appropriate or consultation with an early childhood mental health specialist, etc. 2. Development of an Expulsion and Suspension Policy: Programs must develop and clearly communicate its policy on this method of discipline in its parent and staff handbooks. The focus should be on inclusion and positive collaboration with families. Program staff and families should be made aware that such a policy exists and specifically what it entails. Program staff and families should be aware that this practice is a last resort after all supports have been exhausted including the use of an early childhood mental health professionals. 3. Staff training and support: Program staff should be trained to provide social and emotional nurturing and redirection for each individual child, particularly those who present challenging behaviors. Trainings should include topics such as developmentally appropriate behavior, cultural responsiveness, family engagement, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Trauma Informed Care, and evidence-based practices. These trainings should be provided on an ongoing basis. Staff should be encouraged to use online/free resources. Program staff should have access to additional supports such as early childhood mental health consultants, and, if available school counselors. Finally, programs should remain compliant with Delacare Regulations including appropriate staff-to-child ratios to reduce teacher burn out and/or stress. 4. Data Collection: Programs should begin to collect baseline data to determine program goals and ensure fairness, equity and continuous quality improvement. Data should be monitored at least annually to assess progress and modify practices as necessary. Some examples of useful data include: *Number of behavior incidents reported by race, gender and age *Number of suspensions/expulsions reported by race, gender and age *Number of behavior referrals reported by teacher 5. Set Goals for Improvement: Based on data collected, programs should set realistic goals for improvement. Some goals could be: *Provide annual professional development on cultural responsiveness *Adopt a program-wide positive behavior intervention in one year *Reduce the number of suspension and expulsions by 50% within a year [i] Gilliam, W.S. (2005). Prekindergartners left behind: Expulsion rates in state prekindergarten systems. New York, NY: Foundation for Child Development. [ii] Lamont, J.H. Devore, C.D., Allison, M., Ancona, R., Barnett, S.E., Gunther, R., and, Young, T. (2013) Out-of-Time suspension and expulsion. Pediatrics, 131(3), e1000-e1007. [iii] What Could Make Less Sense Than Expelling a Preschooler? By Walter S. Gilliam, https://psychologybenefits.org/2014/12/13/preschool-expulsions/ [iv] Department of Education Office of Civil Rights and DOJ, Dear Colleague Letter on the Nondiscriminatory Administration of School Discipline, at 3-4(2014), www.ed.gov/ocr/letters/colleague-201401-title-vi.pdf [v] American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education. 2011. Caring for our children: National health and safety performance standards; Guidelines for early care and education programs. 3rd Edition. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; Washington, DC: American Public Health Association. Also available at http://nrckids.org.