7.2 Use of Quality Set-Aside Funds

Lead Agencies must use a portion of their CCDF expenditures for activities designed to improve the quality of child care services and to increase parental options for and access to high-quality child care. They must use the quality set-aside funds on at least one of 10 activities described in CCDF and the quality activities must be aligned with a Statewide or Territory-wide assessment of the State's or Territory’s need to carry out such services and care. 7.2.1 Quality improvement activities a. Describe how the Lead Agency will make its Quality Progress Report (ACF – 218) and expenditure reports, available to the public. Provide a link if available. Once accepted by the Office of Childcare, the final Quality Progress Report is shared under the Department for Children and Families economic and employment services childcare and early education webpage, which is available to the public. https://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/Child_Care/Child-care-and-early- education.aspx b. Identify Lead Agency plans, if any, to spend CCDF funds for each of the following quality improvement activities. If an activity is checked “yes”, describe the Lead Agency’s current and/or future plans for this activity. i. Supporting the training and professional development of the child care workforce, including birth to five and school-age providers. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. Lead Agency’s Child Care Workforce Professional Development agreement has the following required outcomes; Improve the skills and knowledge of the future and existing workforce; Demonstrate availability to work with all early childhood care and education professionals and local, regional, and state-level agencies and organizations; Offer coaching, consultation, professional development advising and planning, and technical assistance; Coordinate and collaborate a network of services to support Department for Children and Families’ CCDF quality programs, including but not limited to, Links to Quality, the Kansas quality rating improvement system, and Infant-Toddler Specialist Network. These services are expected to continue as funds allow. ii. Developing, maintaining, or implementing early learning and developmental guidelines. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Lead agency’s Child Care Workforce Professional Development agreement does assist in the implementation of early learning and developmental guidelines by requiring they provide ongoing training in the priority training topics of Kansas Early Learning Standards as determined by CCDBG regulations. Within that agreement, they must also align professional development with Kansas Family Engagement and Partnership Standards, and Kansas Core Competencies. The Lead Agency’s Infant- Toddler Specialist Network agreement requires promotion of the use of the Kansas Early Learning Standards. These services are expected to continue as funds allow. iii. Developing, implementing, or enhancing a quality improvement system. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. Lead Agency’s Child Care Quality Initiative System agreement has the following required outcomes; Improve the quality and support the future and existing workforce; Demonstrate availability to work with all early childhood care and education professionals, and local, regional, and state-level agencies and organizations; Offer coaching, consultation, mentoring, peer to peer technical assistance, advising and technical assistance; Coordinate and collaborate a network of services to support Department for Children and Families’ CCDF quality programs, including but not limited to, Child Care Health Consultant Network, and Infant-Toddler Specialist Network; Support stabilization of the child care sector in Kansas through improved business practices, improved quality of care, and connection of support services to children to improve their social and emotional development. These services are expected to continue as funds allow. iv. Improving the supply and quality of child care services for infants and toddlers. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. Lead agency’s Infant- Toddler Specialist Network agreement has the following required outcomes; Increase the number of infants and toddlers reached; Improve the skills and knowledge of the existing workforce; Demonstrate availability to work with all infant and toddler programs; Offer coaching, consultation, professional development advising, and technical assistance; Assist in partnerships between programs such as Early Head Start and licensed child care; Coordinate and collaborate a network of services to support Department for Children and Families’ CCDF quality programs, including but not limited to, Links to Quality, the Kansas quality rating improvement system, and Child Care Workforce Professional Development. Lead agency’s Kansas Early Head Start Child Care Partnerships provided services to Kansas children through the Kansas Early Head Start program, delivered by Kansas Early Head Start grantees. Kansas Early Head Start provides comprehensive services to child care partner programs that exhibit need, desire to participate, and have willingness to follow enhanced program regulations and requirements related to quality Kansas Early Head Start services including those related to child development, continuity of care, parent involvement, and professional development. Kansas Early Head Start offers parents opportunities for individual and parental growth, as well as support in identifying and meeting goals, including a goal of self-sufficiency. Kansas Early Head Start programs offer family strengthening and father engagement activities and education. Kansas Early Head Start programs also provide financial literacy and health literacy education. These services are expected to continue as funds allow. v. Establishing or expanding a statewide system of CCR&R services. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. Lead agency’s Child Care Resource and Referral Consumer Education agreement services include providing customized referrals to families for child care, consumer education on what to look for in quality child care, resources to providers to encourage quality improvement and meet family’s needs, and outreach and partnership with businesses and community organizations to build capacity for high-quality child care programs. These services are expected to continue as funds allow. vi. Facilitating compliance with Lead Agency child care licensing, monitoring, inspection and health and safety standards. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x]Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Lead agency’s Interagency agreement with Kansas Department of Health and Environment for Health, Safety and Increased Quality in Child Care oversees the health and safety of children in child care settings through the establishment of licensing requirements and standards and the monitoring and enforcement of policies and practices. These services are expected to continue. vii. Evaluating and assessing the quality and effectiveness of child care services within the State/Territory. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Lead agency’s Interagency agreement with Kansas Department of Health and Environment for Health, Safety and Increased Quality in Child Care utilizes data from the web- based survey tool to pull information for most frequent violations per region or county. Non- compliance data is provided to licensing specialists. Some counties use this information to build specific training or to guide further training topics in their contracted county. These services are expected to continue. viii. Accreditation support. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The lead agency’s Child Care Workforce Professional Development agreement requires establishment of procedures and criteria for financial incentives and scholarships for early childhood care and education professionals seeking accreditation. These services are expected to continue as funds allow. ix. Supporting State/Territory or local efforts to develop high-quality program standards relating to health, mental health, nutrition, physical activity, and physical development. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Lead agency’s Child Care Quality Initiative System agreement includes the administration of Links to Quality. Links to Quality’s Health and Safety Link, which is still in development, includes quality standards for health nutrition, and safety of child care settings and physical activity and physical development in child care settings. The Learning and Development Link includes quality standards for learning environment, teacher/provider-child relationships, and teacher/provider instructional practices. The Family Partnership Link includes quality standards for family partnership and family strengthening. Finally, the Program Administration Link includes quality standards for business related practices. These services are expected to continue as funds allow. x. Other activities determined by the Lead Agency to improve the quality of child care services and the measurement of outcomes related to improved provider preparedness, child safety, child well-being, or kindergarten entry. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. 8 Lead Agency Coordination and Partnerships to Support Service Delivery Coordination and partnerships help ensure that the Lead Agency’s efforts accomplish CCDF goals effectively, leverage other resources, and avoid duplication of effort. Such coordination and partnerships can help families better access child care, can assist in providing consumer education to parents, and can be used to improve child care quality and the stability of child care providers. Such coordination can also be particularly helpful in the aftermath of disasters when the provision of emergency child care services and the rebuilding and restoring of child care infrastructure are an essential part of ensuring the well-being of children and families in recovering communities. This section identifies who the Lead Agency collaborates with to implement services, how match and maintenance-of-effort (MOE) funds are used, coordination with child care resource and referral (CCR&R) systems, and efforts for disaster preparedness and response plans to support continuity of operations in response to emergencies.