8.4 Public-Private Partnerships

Lead Agencies must demonstrate how they encourage partnerships among other public agencies, Tribal organizations, private entities, faith-based organizations, businesses, or organizations that promote business involvement, and/or community-based organizations to leverage existing service delivery (i.e., cooperative agreement among providers to pool resources to pay for shared fixed costs and operation) to leverage existing child care and early education service delivery systems and to increase the supply and quality of child care services for children younger than age 13. 8.4.1 Lead Agency public-private partnerships Identify and describe any public-private partnerships encouraged by the Lead Agency to leverage public and private resources to further the goals of CCDF: Child Care in Kansas, a website offered by Kansas Department for Children and Families, the lead agency, provides child care providers tools and shared resources to support their continuous quality improvement efforts, supporting their licensing applications and Kansas Department for Children and Families enrollment requirements, helping them find a wide range of resources to support their staff and families, provide child development information, regulations, and professional development information all in one location. Pages on the Child Care in Kansas site were completed in collaboration with several partner agencies and organizations to provide the most accurate and relevant information. Additionally, Child Care in Kansas provides links to each partner organization so that they control and edit the content delivered. Child Care in Kansas serves as an entry point to connect people to the services provided by partner organizations with a shared purpose of strengthen families and improving children’s lives. The lead agency, Kansas Department for Children and Families, continues to coordinate with many partners as it operates a statewide Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) known as Links to Quality. As the advisory group has been reinstated after the pilot, this group will consists of representatives from the Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities (KCCTO), Child Care Aware of Kansas, our local Child Care Resource and Referral agencies, Kansas Department of Health and Environment-Part C, Head Start, Children’s Cabinet, Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), , and the Preschool Development Grant along with Kansas Department for Children and Families to provide critical input in the QRIS design. These representatives have a wide range of knowledge and expertise, as well as specific agency goals and interests that strengthen the quality of the QRIS system. Currently, Links to Quality is being implemented into a full state rollout which began in May of 2024. Links to Quality also partners closely with other state quality focused projects and programs including the Child Care Health Consultant Network, the Infant Toddler Specialist Network, Mid- America Regional Council (MARC), Child Care Provider Coalition (CCPC), and Kansas Association for the Education of Young Children (KSAEYC). Links to Quality Staff are actively attending meetings, workgroups, and functions to support quality early education including but not limited to All in for Kansas Kids Recommendation Panel, Child Care System Improvement Team (CC SIT), and Community and Family Engagement Coalition (CAFÉ). Involvement in these groups and many more support the trust and relationship building necessary for current and future partnership opportunities. The lead agency, Kansas Department for Children and Families, partners with Early Head Start programs within our state funded Kansas Early Head Start Child Care Partnership Program. This allows subsidy dollars to be utilized for basic child care cost and additional funds to be used to increase quality. It also allows subsidy payments to be made by parents in a timely manner. These partnerships increase the supply of high-quality child care services. Kansas Department for Children and Families also has a memorandum of agreement with The Family Conservancy, an Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Federal grantee, to improve coordination of child care services for participating children and reduce duplication of application processes. Kansas Early Head Start Child Care Partnerships work with their child care partners to complete their Child Development Associate Credential, as this is required for their teachers due to the Head Start Performance Standards. The lead agency, Kansas Department for Children and Families, has staff serving on a wide range of committees and groups. Kansas Department for Children and Families staff coordinate with representatives of higher education and community colleges on the state career ladder, early learning guidelines, and professional development opportunities. Kansas Department for Children and Families staff serves on Early Childhood Higher Education Options, Early Childhood Quality Instructional Partners , Kansas Early Head Start Director’s meetings, Child Care Licensing System Improvement Team, The Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, Early Childhood State Directors Team, Early Childhood Recommendations Panel, Kansas Head Start Association Affiliate Program Member meetings, Kansas Head Start Association Board, Kansas Family Leadership Team, Safe Kids Kansas, State Interagency Coordinating Council, Local Interagency Coordinating Council, Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Child and Adult Care Food Program coordination, Kansas Department for Children and Families child care provider enrollment staff meetings, State Home Visitation Team, Early Child Care and Education Workforce Development Committee, and Region VII Head Start Association Meetings.