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. Parents, guardians, and the general public may access information on financial assistance for Missouri child care, TANF, Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program, and other financial supports, parent education, and other early childhood programs through https://familyresources.mo.gov/ and information on selecting a child care provider and child care referrals on the MCRR website at https://missourichildcareaware.org. Written materials are available online and are sent by mail or email to families who request them. Families may also request these materials in different languages and translated materials will be provided. The MCRR provider operates a fully staffed call center that helps educate families about these programs. Families may engage with the call center by phone, email, or text message and may request translation services, if they so require. Call center staff share information that is applicable to the families’ specific needs. 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 Lead Agency’s website for early childhood programs is organized by user type to provide information for parents, professionals, and the general public on a variety of topics such as child development, health and safety and includes links to various state partners who offer services such as parent education, home visiting, early intervention, afterschool, Early Head Start, etc. The website also includes documents detailing best practices for family engagement and best practices in early care and education for professionals. 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: The policy statement on social-emotional and behavioral health is available at: https://dss.mo.gov/cd/child-care/files/policy-statement-social-emotional- behavior.pdf. This policy statement outlines the agency’s position on children’s social-emotional and behavioral health and contains information for child care providers to build positive and healthy relationships. The policy is reinforced through the Early Childhood Social and Emotional Health training available to child care providers who serve infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. The Lead Agency will update the policy to reflect the transition to the Office of Childhood. 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: The Lead Agency’s policy statement on exclusionary practices states the use of expulsion and suspension are negative experiences that hinder children’s development and learning. It is the policy of the Lead Agency to work toward eliminating expulsion and suspension practices in Missouri’s subsidized child care settings. The Lead Agency supports providers and parents by raising awareness about expulsion, suspension, and other exclusionary disciplinary practices in child care settings, developing a goal- driven process for improvement that is informed by a coordinated data system across early childhood sectors, investing in the workforce development system by assisting providers in establishing preventative disciplinary policies that limit or eliminate the use of expulsion and suspension and promote the use of evidence-based practices, and reviewing and updating policies regarding program quality that are specifically targeted to both increase overall quality or early learning services and reduce or eliminate expulsions, suspensions, and other exclusionary discipline practices. The Lead Agency contracts to deliver statewide inclusion supports that assist families and providers to maintain appropriate child care placement. With the alignment, the Lead Agency will look for ways to align the delivery of inclusion services to incorporate the policies into their work and disseminate information to families and providers. 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: The Lead Agency’s policy statement on exclusionary practices states the use of expulsion and suspension are negative experiences that hinder children’s development and learning. It is the policy of the Lead Agency to work toward eliminating expulsion and suspension practices in Missouri’s subsidized child care settings. The Lead Agency supports providers and parents by raising awareness about expulsion, suspension, and other exclusionary disciplinary practices in child care settings, developing a goal-driven process for improvement that is informed by a coordinated data system across early childhood sectors, investing in the workforce development system by assisting providers in establishing preventative disciplinary policies that limit or eliminate the use of expulsion and suspension and promote the use of evidence-based practices, and reviewing and updating policies regarding program quality that are specifically targeted to both increase overall quality or early learning services and reduce or eliminate expulsions, suspensions, and other exclusionary discipline practices. The Lead Agency contracts to deliver statewide inclusion supports that assist families and providers to maintain appropriate child care placement. With the alignment, the Lead Agency will look for ways to align the delivery of inclusion services to incorporate the policies into their work and disseminate information to families and providers.