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. Currently, www.kids.ri.gov serves as the landing page for families looking to learn more about services available to all Rhode Island families. It has links dedicated to providers, families, professionals and programs and serves as an entry point to the current consumer website, earlylearningprograms.dhs.ri.gov. The Program Search feature found on earlylearningprograms.ri.gov allows families to search for a program in various ways, including by program type, QRIS rating, location, hours of operation and whether the provider accepts CCAP. This website provides a list of Pre-K’s and Head Start programs listed by city and town. By October, 2024, this consumer site provides a link directly back to kids.ri.gov as well as to the Lead Agency family specific page and the QRIS website www.brightstars.org Additionally, kids.ri.gov contains information related to all facets of child development and related milestones, provider quality, and best practices. There are clear links to finding quality care, affordable or low/no cost care, and developmental resources. These links provide website materials and links to phone numbers. Some of the materials are available in print form and are distributed around the state. Licensing regulations have requirements around community resources and family engagement, with the intent that providers are another distribution stream for information and resources. Plain language is used for readability and comprehension (maximum 5th grade reading level). 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. Kids.ri.gov currently serves as the landing page for families looking to gain information on development as well as supports available should they have concerns about their child’s development. This page includes links to national resources such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as local resources such as the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards (RIELDS). This site also includes a link to the Rhode Island Parent Support Network (RIPIN) which is the state leader in advocacy services for families who have children with special medical and developmental needs. 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: As mentioned above, kids.ri.gov serves as the landing page for families in Rhode Island looking for care and information regarding their children. This page includes a link to Lifespan, a not-for-profit health system based in Providence, RI comprised of multiple hospitals across the state including Bradley Hospital, Hasbro Children’s Hospital and Women and Infants Hospital, all three of which focus on children’s health and mental health from infancy through adulthood. Additionally, Bradely is a contracted vendor with the Lead Agency on the Success program which supports child care providers in accessing supports for children with mental health or behavioral needs. A link for this program is also found on this page. 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 has posted the CCAP Suspension and Expulsion policy on the Lead Agency website, in the family section. This document includes clearly identified parameters around limitations on suspension as well as prohibited practices regarding expulsion. This includes specific steps to support maintaining program placement of children who have a diagnosed disability and/or behavior and receive outside supports. This is also available on the provider page of the Lead Agency’s website. 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 Suspension and Expulsion policy listed above applies to school-age children. The Lead Agency does not license other youth care settings.