equal-access-supply-building-strategies

Reason(s) for non-compliance: • The Lead Agency does not adequately describe how they identify gaps in the supply of infant/toddler child care, as required by 98.16(x). (Plan Questions 4.5.3ai) Overall Target Completion Date: 01/06/2025 Action Step Number Action Step Description Target Completion Date 1 Plan Questions 4.5.3ai - The Division of Child Care received a non-compliance notice on December 13, 2021, because the lead agency did not list data sources used to identify any shortages and declines in the supply of care types that meet parents' needs for Infant and Toddler programs. 12/13/2021 2 Plan Questions 4.5.3ai - The Division of Child Care requested a KICCS (Kentucky Integrated Child Care System) report to show capacity of all child care providers, in comparison to the most recent census data to show the number of infant/toddlers that would potentially need Infant/Toddler care. DCC also used the Executive Dashboard to monitor child care deserts across the state. Data analysis indicated no supply shortage of Infant/Toddler Care based on supply and demand (comparison of services offered in comparison to the potential need for infant/toddler care). 08/21/2024 3 Plan Questions 4.5.3ai - The Division of Child Care was able to verify the prospective number of infant and toddlers needed care per county for the state of Kentucky from the Census. We were then able to verify by county how many child care slots available across the state via Child Care Reports from our KICCS System. 12/31/2024 4 Plan Questions 4.5.3ai - The Lead Agency intends to monitor potential future gaps in the supply and demand of infant/toddler care by reviewing KICCS reports on a quarterly basis. This data resource will be used to verify if our child care slots begin to 01/06/2025 drop and therefore no longer meet the needs of the children needing care. 5 Plan Questions 4.5.3ai -Lead Agency will work with Child Care Aware and the Family Child Care Network of Kentucky to provide targeted technical assistance to child care centers to identify any barriers, concerns, and reasonings for no longer offering care to infants and toddlers. Once identified Lead Agency will work to help alleviate stress to our child care centers around any barriers or concerns they may have by helping them develop a quality improvement plan and helping direct them to any resources in the local areas. 08/01/2026