7.1 Quality Activities Needs Assessment
7.1.1 Needs assessment process and findings a. Describe the Lead Agency needs assessment process for expending CCDF funds on activities to improve the quality of child care, including the frequency of assessment, how a range of parents and providers were consulted, and how their views are incorporated: The Lead Agency uses a variety of data sources to assess needs for quality improvement activities including town hall meetings, administrative data, and feedback from support professionals. In 2021 Iowa's Governor formed a Child Care Task Force to assess supports needed to address the child care crisis. The final report and recommendations that were released near the end of 2021 have provided guidance for Lead Agency quality improvement initiatives. Additionally, in 2023 Lead Agency staff held a series of town hall meetings around the state for communities to discuss child care and the supports available for child care. The Lead Agency also reviews administrative data to determine trends in regulatory issues and in the child care assistance program. b. Describe the findings of the assessment, including any findings related to needs of different populations and types of providers, and if any overarching goals for quality improvement were identified: The Child Care taskforce made a total of 15 recommendations. Of those recommendations five pertained to the Lead Agency, since some recommendations (i.e. tax breaks) are outside of the Lead Agency's purview. The recommendations that related to the Lead Agency's work were: Develop a shared services model that will allow child care providers to access a statewide, web-based partnership platform for support on various business operations; Provide more flexibility in Child Care Assistance program requirements to help more working families and child care providers; Re-examine staffing restrictions and child-staff ratios to determine whether regulatory changes should be made; Continue to support child care workforce education programs including T.E.A.C.H and WAGE$ and leverage new opportunities to fill the gap for individuals interested in pursuing the child care profession; and Develop a central online hub for parents to quickly and easily find information regarding child care facilities, openings, and enrollment.