9.3 Increasing Engagement and Access to Information

Lead Agencies must collect and disseminate information about the full range of child care services to promote parental choice to parents of children eligible for CCDF, the general public, and child care providers. 9.3.1 Information about CCDF availability and eligibility Describe how the Lead Agency shares information with eligible parents, the general public, and child care providers about the availability of child care services provided through CCDF and other programs for which the family may be eligible. The description should include, at a minimum, what is provided (e.g., written materials, the website, and direct communications) and what approaches are used to tailor information to parents, the general public, and child care providers. Information for families receiving CCDF and information for the public on our services can be found in multiple website pages and through other avenues such as social media. Kentucky uses a unified system for all programs, which is https://kynect.ky.gov/benefits/s/?language=en_US. Families can use the prescreening tool found on the home page. This allows families to determine all the programs they may be eligible for: Health Assistance, Food Assistance, Financial Assistance, Child Care Assistance and Health Insurance. For families that visit face to face with a Department for Community Based caseworker, the interview will consist of determining all the programs a family is eligible to enroll and receive benefits. Kentucky also uses social media platforms to reach families. The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) and the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) has a Twitter and Facebook page. These social media platforms allow for frequent sharing of information on all services and changes. DCC frequently posts to the DCBS social media pages on our various services. This includes flyers that can be posted on family boards within child care centers. In addition, through our contract with Child Care Aware coached routinely share resources for child care providers to pass along to families. The Lead Agency's consumer education website https://chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dcc/Pages/default.aspx also directs parents to the tools referenced above. 9.3.2 Information about child care and other services available for parents Does the Lead Agency certify that it provides information described in 9.3.1 for the following required programs? • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. • Head Start and Early Head Start programs. • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). • Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) program. • Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). • Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). • Programs carried out under IDEA Part B, Section 619 and Part C. [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: 9.3.3 Consumer statement for parents receiving CCDF services Lead Agencies must provide parents receiving CCDF services with a consumer statement in hard copy or electronically that contains general information about the CCDF program and specific information about the child care provider they select. Please certify if the Lead Agency provides parents receiving CCDF services a consumer statement that contains the following 8 requirements: 1. Health and safety requirements met by the provider 2. Licensing or regulatory requirements met by the provider 3. Date the provider was last inspected 4. Any history of violations of these requirements 5. Any voluntary quality standards met by the provider 6. How CCDF subsidies are designed to promote equal access 7. How to submit a complaint through the hotline 8. How to contact a local resource and referral agency or other community-based organization to receive assistance in finding and enrolling in quality child care Does the Lead Agency provide to families, either in hard copy or electronically, a consumer statement that contains the required information about the provider they have selected, including the eight required elements above? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: 9.3.4 Informing families about best practices on child development Describe how the Lead Agency makes information available to parents, providers, and the general public on research and best practices concerning children’s development, including physical health and development, and information about successful parent and family engagement. At a minimum, the description should include what information is provided; how the information is provided; any distinct activities for sharing this information with parents, providers, the general public; and any partners in providing this information. The Division of Child Care develops and distributes content to Kentucky Credentialed Trainers concerning best practices on handling special needs in the early childhood setting. The Division of Child Care hosts training of the trainer sessions to raise awareness of child development needs, resources, parent communication, and equity for young children with special needs in the early childhood setting. After determining focus topics, for example Introduction to Early Intervention in Kentucky, Communicating with Parents of Children with Special Needs and Autism 101, and recently Communicating with Parents of Children with Special Needs and Autism 102 , the Professional Development Team forms teams of field professionals throughout the state to develop the training content. A member of the Division of Child Care Professional Development staff leads these teams. Trainings are developed and distributed by a member of the Professional Development team. These individuals also adhere to 922 KAR 2:240 Kentucky Early Care and Education Trainer’s Credential and training approval. Child Care Aware of Kentucky collaborates with The Division of Child Care to share the information via the Trainer ListServ and quarterly Trainer Talk Newsletter. See link: https://www.childcareawareky.org/tot-series-from-dcc/. All Department for Public Health regional offices provides child find/referral information for both HANDS and First Steps to the general public but target parents, physicians (family, ob/gyn, and pediatricians), birthing hospitals, child care and other state programs serving young children. The information packets include developmental milestones, access to developmental screening, and how to refer children to HANDS and/or First Steps. Some offices use social media to further the spread of information. A couple of offices use billboards. When allowed, regional offices often participate in community activities such as baby showers. The Division of Child Care partners with the Governor's Office of Early Childhood and the Division of Regulated Child Care to provide parents, providers, and the general public access to web-based information and electronic newsletters. Parents have access to electronic resources, including newsletters, parent guides, and additional print ready materials with tips and information regarding child development. The Division of Child Care partners with the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute to administer the statewide Child Care Aware Resource and Referral Network of Services, which provides technical assistance regarding health and safety and quality child care. The network includes content coordinators who maintain expertise in current best practice in order to equip technical assistance coaches with the resources necessary to encourage providers to share information with parents of the children they serve. The Lead Agency also partners with Department of Public Health to disseminate information about healthy eating. Child Care Health Consultants are available to help providers. The Lead Agency also partners with the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute to administer the statewide Child Care Aware Resource and Referral Network of Services, which provides technical assistance regarding health and safety and quality child care including health eating. 9.3.5 Unlimited parental access to their children Does the Lead Agency have procedures to ensure that parents have unlimited access to their children whenever their children are in the care of a provider who receives CCDF funds: [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: 9.3.6 Informing families about best practices in social and emotional health Describe how the Lead Agency shares information with families, providers, and the general public regarding the social-emotional and behavioral and mental health of young children, including positive behavioral intervention and support models based on research and best practices for those from birth to school age: For Families/Providers/Public: The Early Childhood Mental Health Program is co- administered by the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities and the Department for Public Health. ECMHP supports Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist staff positions in all fourteen of the CMHCs. The goal for the Early Childhood Specialist is to build regional capacity to better meet the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of children birth through five and their families. The ECMHP can support childcare programs in several ways. Our Specialist offer a variety of trainings such as Early Childhood Development Attachment, Environmental Strategies, KY Strengthening Families, Connect the Dots, and others. ECMH Specialist can also provide program and child-level observations/consultation, assessments/screenings, individual and/or group therapy. : https://dbhdid.ky.gov/dbh/ecmh.aspx. For Providers: The Division of Child Care is developing and distributing content to Kentucky Credentialed Trainers concerning best practices on handling special needs in the early childhood setting. The Division of Child Care will be hosting training of the trainer sessions over the course of three (3) years to raise awareness of child development needs, resources, parent communication, and equity for young children with special needs in the early childhood setting. After determining focus topics, for example Introduction to Early Intervention in Kentucky, Communicating with Parents of Children with Special Needs and Autism 101, the Professional Development Team forms teams of field professionals throughout the state to develop the training content. A member of the Division of Child Care Professional Development staff leads these teams. Trainings are developed and distributed by a member of the Professional Development team. These individuals also adhere to 922 KAR 2:240 Kentucky Early Care and Education Trainer’s Credential and training approval. 9.3.7 Policies on the prevention of the suspension and expulsion of children a. The Lead Agency must have policies to prevent the suspension and expulsion of children from birth to age 5 in child care and other early childhood programs receiving CCDF funds. Describe those policies and how those policies are shared with families, providers, and the general public: We have a website page dedicated to preventing suspension and expulsion in child care settings. DCC relies on our partnership with Child Care Aware and coaches to provide technical assistance and best practice concerning suspension and expulsion. When the policy was developed and posted on the website, DCC held a meeting with all partners and encouraged then to share the information with child care providers. This includes information and resources for families: https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dcc/Documents/resourcesforfamiliesonpreventin gsuspensionandexpulsion.pdf and child care providers: https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dcc/Documents/resourcesforprovidersonpreventi ngsuspensionandexpulsion.pdf. https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dcc/Pages/suspensionandexpulsion.aspx b. Describe what policies, if any, the Lead Agency has to prevent the suspension and expulsion of school-age children from child or youth care settings receiving CCDF funds: Our policy on preventing suspension and expulsion is posted on our website: https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dcc/Documents/dccsuspensionandexpulsionpolic y.pdf. Also, Kentucky Child Care Aware Coaches provide technical assistance to prevent and address discipline issues in child care programs and recommend best practices to develop policies that support children’s social-emotional and behavioral health to prevent suspension and expulsion from early childhood programs. Connect the Dots is a joint collaboration between multiple early education and mental health specialists across Kentucky. The collaboration was built to address the common need for a short, yet powerful, skills-based training teaching the basics of social and emotional best practices. Connect the Dots highlights 4 easy to remember steps to address challenging behaviors. The 4 steps encompass both the ￿well-being￿ and the ￿well-doing￿ of children to ensure strong social and emotional skills needed for success in school and life. Connect the Dots resources and trainings are for anyone who works with children ages two to five years old. https://www.kentuckycchc.org/posters-handouts-1/. The policy concerning preventing suspension and expulsion of school-age children from child-care is the same policy and school-age children are acknowledged within the policy: https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dcc/Documents/dccsuspensionandexpulsionpolic y.pdf.