9.2 Consumer Education Website

Lead Agencies must provide information to parents, the general public, and child care providers through a State or Territory website, which is consumer-friendly and easily accessible for families who speak languages other than English and persons with disabilities. The website must: • Include information to assist families in understanding the Lead Agency’s policies and procedures, including licensing child care providers; • Include monitoring and inspection reports for each provider and, if available, the quality of each provider; • Provide the aggregate number of deaths, serious injuries, and the number of cases of substantiated child abuse that have occurred in child care settings; • Include contact information for local CCR&R organizations to help families access additional information on finding child care; and • Include information on how parents can contact the Lead Agency and other organizations to better understand the information on the website. 9.2.1 Consumer-friendly website Does the Lead Agency ensure that its consumer education website is consumer-friendly and easily accessible? i. Provide the URL for the Lead Agency’s consumer education website homepage: www.childcareinkansas.com ii. Does the Lead Agency certify that the consumer education website ensures broad access to services for families who speak languages other than English? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: iii. Does the Lead Agency certify that the consumer education website ensures broad access to services for persons with disabilities? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: 9.2.2 Additional consumer education website links Provide the direct URL/website link for the following: i. Provide the direct URL/website link to how the Lead Agency licenses child care providers: https://childcareinkansas.com/resource/child-care-facility-licensing/ ii. Provide the direct URL/website link to the processes for conducting monitoring and inspections of child care providers:: https://childcareinkansas.com/resource/inspection-reports/ iii. Provide the direct URL/website link to the policies and procedures related to criminal background checks for staff members of child care providers: https://childcareinkansas.com/resource/background-checks/ iv. Provide the direct URL/website link to the offenses that prevent individuals from being employed by a child care provider: https://childcareinkansas.com/resource/background-checks/ 9.2.3 Searchable list of providers a. The consumer education website must include a list of all licensed providers searchable by ZIP code. i. Does the Lead Agency certify that the consumer education website includes a list of all licensed providers searchable by ZIP code? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: ii. Provide the direct URL/website link to the list of child care providers searchable by ZIP code: This list is provided through our Child Care Resource & Referral contract. The list contains many search factors, including zip code. The CCDF consumer education website links to the searchable list in multiple places, however the direct link is: https://stage.worklifesystems.com/parent/16 To assist us in following up with families who utilize these services and encouraging access for only those with a true need for child care, we ask families to create an account and log-in to search for child care. As part of consumer education, with the understanding that not everyone has consistent internet access or an email address, we have included a toll-free phone number to allow for consumer friendly and easy access to this same information, without the requirement to set up an account or have an email. iii. In addition to the licensed child care providers that must be included in the searchable list, are there additional providers included in the Lead Agency’s searchable list of child care providers? Check all that apply: [ ] License-exempt center-based CCDF providers. [ ] License-exempt family child care CCDF providers. [ ] License-exempt non-CCDF providers. [ ] Relative CCDF child care providers. [x] Other (e.g., summer camps, public pre-Kindergarten). Describe: CCDF eligible providers (non-relative). On the Child Care in Kansas website is a page dedicated to Child Care Inspection Reports. Within that section, there is an explanation that some child care programs in Kansas operate under the jurisdiction of the federal government, such as independently operated child care centers in U.S. General Services Administration managed spaces, federally operated programs like Job Corps, or Department of Defense on base providers, or Native American tribes and the programs have an established memorandum of agreement with Kansas Department for Children and Families that assures they meet licensing requirements. Parents may search the inspection reports for these license-exempt providers. Kansas currently has no providers listed, but all license-exempt center-based or family child care providers that enroll with Kansas Department for Children and Families will have their inspection reports listed and available to the public at https://childcareinkansas.com/resource/inspection-reports/ b. Identify what additional (optional) information, if any, is available in the searchable results by ZIP code. Check the box when information is provided. Provider Information Available in Searchable Results -- All licensed providers License- exempt CCDF center- based provide rs License- exempt CCDF family child care home provide rs License- exempt non- CCDF provider s Relative CCDF providers Contact information [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Enrollment capacity [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Hours, days, and months of operation [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Provider education and training [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Languages spoken by the caregiver [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Quality information [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Monitoring reports [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Willingness to accept CCDF certificates [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Ages of children served [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Specialization or training for certain populations [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Care provided during nontraditional hours [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] c. Identify any other information searchable on the consumer education website for the child care provider type listed below and then, if checked, describe the searchable information included on the website. i. [x] All licensed providers. Describe: Whether or not they have a Kansas Department for Children and Families agreement for child care assistance, days and times care are available. Additional information may be provided at the discretion of the program, such as a message to families, websites, email addresses, opening information, additional program information, credentials and education, rates, year schedule, and special needs experience. ii. [ ] License-exempt CCDF center-based providers. Describe: iii. [ ] License-exempt CCDF family child care providers. Describe: iv. [ ] License-exempt, non-CCDF providers. Describe: v. [ ] Relative CCDF providers. Describe: vi. [ ] Other. Describe: 9.2.4 Provider-specific quality information Lead Agencies must identify specific quality information on each child care provider for whom they have this information. Provider-specific quality information must only be posted on the consumer education website if it is available for the individual child care provider. a. What specific quality information does the Lead Agency provide on the website? i. [ ] Quality improvement system. ii. [ ] National accreditation. iii. [ ] Enhanced licensing system. iv. [ ] Meeting Head Start/Early Head Start Program Performance Standards. v. [ ] Meeting pre-Kindergarten quality requirements. vi. [ ] School-age standards. vii. [x] Quality framework or quality improvement system. viii. [x] Other. Describe: Providers have the option to put their credentials on the website. Programs who have achieved quality indicators through the state QRIS, or Links to Quality, will also have their awarded badges displayed on their search results. An explanation of Links to Quality and the associated badges will be provided to families. There are no programs that have met the quality indicators and have these badges at the time of the CCDF state plan submission. b. For what types of child care providers is quality information available? i. [x] Licensed CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: Providers have the option to put their credentials on the website. Programs who have achieved quality indicators through the state QRIS, or Links to Quality, will also have their awarded badges displayed on their search results. An explanation of Links to Quality and the associated badges will be provided to families. ii. [x] Licensed non-CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: Providers have the option to put their credentials on the website. Programs who have achieved quality indicators through the state QRIS, or Links to Quality, will also have their awarded badges displayed on their search results. An explanation of Links to Quality and the associated badges will be provided to families. iii. [ ] License-exempt center-based CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: iv. [ ] License-exempt FCC CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: v. [ ] License-exempt non-CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: vi. [ ] Relative child care providers. Describe the quality information: vii. [ ] Other. Describe: 9.2.5 Aggregate data on serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated abuse Lead Agencies must post aggregate data on serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated cases of child abuse that have occurred in child care settings each year on the consumer education website. This aggregate data must include information about any child in the care of a provider eligible to receive CCDF, not just children receiving subsidies. This aggregate information on serious injuries and deaths must be separated by category of care (e.g., centers, family child care homes, and in-home care) and licensing status (i.e., licensed or license-exempt) for all eligible CCDF child care providers in the State/Territory. The information on instances of substantiated child abuse does not have to be organized by category of care or licensing status. Information must also include the total number of children in care by provider type and licensing status, so that families can better understand the data presented on serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated cases of abuse. a. Certify by checking below that the required elements are included in the Aggregate Data Report on serious incident data that have occurred in child care settings each year. i. [x] The total number of serious injuries of children in care by provider category and licensing status. ii. [x] The total number of deaths of children in care by provider category and licensing status. iii. [x] The total number of substantiated instances of child abuse in child care settings. iv. [x] The total number of children in care by provider category and licensing status. v. If any of the above elements are not included, describe: b. Certify by providing: i. The designated entity to which child care providers must submit reports of any serious injuries or deaths of children occurring in child care and describe how the Lead Agency obtains the aggregate data from the entity: Child Care Providers shall report any injury or illness which results in the death of a child in care by the next working day to the county health department or the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Kansas Department of Health and Environment Child Care Licensing reports to Kansas Department for Children and Families the number of deaths and serious injuries by provider type. Substantiated abuse determinations are made by Kansas Department for Children and Families Prevention and Protection Services). A "substantiated" finding means a reasonable person weighing the facts and circumstances would decide it is more likely than not (preponderance of the evidence) the alleged perpetrator's actions or inactions meet the abuse/ neglect definition per Kansas Statutes Annotated (K.S.A.) and Kansas Administrative Regulations (K.A.R.), and meet criteria indicating the alleged perpetrator should not be permitted to reside, work, or regularly volunteer in a child care facility regulated by Kansas Department of Health and Environment or Kansas Department for Children and Families Foster Care and Residential Facility Licensing. Licensed exempt providers with a Kansas Department for Children and Families agreement are required to follow the state's licensing standards based upon the MOA with Kansas Department for Children and Families that requires Kansas licensing regulations and standards to be adhered to. This includes the reporting of serious injuries or deaths; therefore, their numbers would be reflected with the aggregate data. ii. The definition of “substantiated child abuse” used by the Lead Agency for this requirement: This is the definition of substantiated child abuse as found on the CCDF consumer education website childcareinkansas.com: Substantiated Child Abuse ￿ Defined as when a reasonable person weighing the facts and circumstances would conclude it is more likely than not (preponderance of the evidence) the alleged perpetrator’s actions or inactions meet the abuse and/or neglect definition per applicable K.S.A. and K.A.R. and criterion for a substantiated case finding is met. iii. The definition of “serious injury” used by the Lead Agency for this requirement: This is the definition of serious injury as found on the CCDF consumer education website childcareinkansas.com: Serious Injury ￿ An injury to a child that requires treatment by a health care professional. c. Provide the direct URL/website link to the page where the aggregate number of serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated child abuse, and the total number of children in care by provider category and licensing status are posted: https://childcareinkansas.com/resource/health-and-safety/ 9.2.6 Contact information on referrals to local child care resource and referral organizations The Lead Agency consumer education website must include contact information on referrals to local CCR&R organizations. a. Does the consumer education website include contact information on referrals to local CCR&R organizations? [x] Yes. [ ] No. [ ] Not applicable. The Lead Agency does not have local CCR&R organizations. b. Provide the direct URL/website link to this information: https://childcareinkansas.com/families/additional-resources/ 9.2.7 Lead Agency contact information for parents The Lead Agency consumer and provider education website must include information on how parents can contact the Lead Agency or its designee and other programs that can help the parent understand information included on the website. a. Does the website provide directions on how parents can contact the Lead Agency or its designee and other programs to help them understand information included on the website? [x] Yes. [ ] No. b. Provide the direct URL/website link to this information: The CCDF consumer education website, childcareinkansas.com, contains a Contact Us feature, by which anyone may contact the Lead Agency to ask questions or request more information. This is located in the footer of the site, at the bottom of every page. https://childcareinkansas.com/ 9.2.8 Posting sliding fee scale, co-payment amount, and policies for waiving co-payments The consumer education website must include the sliding fee scale for parent co-payments, including the co-payment amount a family may expect to pay and policies for waiving co- payments. a. Does the Lead Agency certify that their consumer education website includes the sliding fee scale for parent co-payments, including the co-payment amount a family may expect to pay and policies for waiving co-payments? [x] Yes. [ ] No. b. Provide the direct URL/website link to the sliding fee scale. https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.dcf.ks.gov% 2FEES%2FKEESM%2FAppendix%2FF- 1MonthlyFamilyIncomeAndFamilyShareDeductionSchedule.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK