6.1 Supporting the Child Care Workforce

Lead Agencies have broad flexibility to implement policies and practices to support the child care workforce. 6.1.1 Strategies to improve recruitment, retention, compensation, and well-being a. Identify any Lead Agency activities related to strengthening workforce recruitment and retention of child care providers. Check all that apply: i. [ ] Providing program-level grants to support investments in staff compensation. ii. [x] Providing bonuses or stipends paid directly to staff, like sign-on or retention bonuses. iii. [x] Connecting family child care providers and center-based child care staff to health insurance or supporting premiums in the Marketplace. iv. [ ] Subsidizing family child care provider and center-based child care staff retirement benefits. v. [ ] Providing paid sick, personal, and parental leave for family child care providers and center-based child care staff. vi. [ ] Providing student loan debt relief or loan repayment for family child care providers and center-based child care staff. vii. [x] Providing scholarships or tuition support for center-based child care staff and family child care providers. viii. [ ] Other. Describe: b. Describe any Lead Agency ongoing efforts and future plans to assess and improve the compensation of the child care workforce in the State or Territory, including increasing wages, bonuses, and stipends. SC Endeavors, the state’s professional development system, began a program called SC BOO$T, using American Rescue Plan supplemental discretionary funds, in January 2024. The program includes eligibility requirements including career ladder placement, employment verified within the registry, inputting wage/salary data into the registry, and maintaining employment within the same program for 6 months or more. Amounts are based on the career ladder levels 1-10 with one being $1,100 every 6 months up to $2000 for level 10, every 6 months. Applicants apply within the registry system and are awarded based on the eligibility requirements met. In addition, two supplemental bonuses are included in addition to the base amounts. Infant/Toddler teachers receive an additional $500 for each 6 month payment and Directors/Co-Directors receive $300 every 6 month period. These funds are processed within the Department of Social Services finance system and checks are mailed to the individuals. SC Endeavors is currently analyzing data and determining ongoing costs to continue implementation of the SC BOO$T program after the September 30, 2024 funds have been liquidated. Information from the data analysis will be shared with Lead Agency Executive staff, Legislators and the SC Chamber of Commerce. In addition, SC Endeavors doubled the credential smart money bonus amounts beginning in September 2023. The smart money bonus is awarded to individuals who complete the state’s early childhood credentials, levels 1, 2, and 3, and meet the requirement of working in a regulated program. These individuals now receive $400 for level 1 credential, $600 for level 2 credentials, and $1,000 for level 3 credentials. These funds will continue as an ongoing initiative. The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship program implemented a new bonus for graduates of the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree and Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree recipients. These graduates now have an opportunity to receive a $1,000 additional bonus for the AAS degree and a $2,000 bonus for the BA degree. These funds will continue for this program and provides the state with data regarding the retention of recipients within sponsored programs. To decrease out of pocket expenses for T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship recipients, SC Endeavors has increased the laptop grant amounts for individuals needing technology support to assist with coursework. Individuals now receive $650 to support laptop purchases as well as additional educational accessories. Within the 2025-2027 planning, SC Endeavors will analyze the current statewide credentials and course offerings at the 16 state technical colleges. We will explore an opportunity to add a Social/Emotional Credential to support the various initiatives related to understanding the developmental needs of young children as well as the mental health of children and adults. This potential initiative could include individual stipends and program bonuses. In addition, the SC Endeavors website will be adding a web page to workforce to initiatives and resources to support the workforce. The registry welcome email will also be adapted to add the webpage as a resource when individuals create a login for the registry. c. Describe any Lead Agency ongoing efforts and future plans to expand access to benefits, including health insurance, paid sick, personal, and parental leave, and retirement benefits. Palmetto Shared Services Alliance (PSSA) became a funded partner using CCDF funds in January 2024. This organization provides on-site and online supports to help child care programs run businesses efficiently, including cost savings and resources. PSSA has a broker service that allows child care programs to offer health insurance to their programs. Additional resources are provided through the online portal regarding ways to offer paid time off and retirement benefits. Ongoing business support trainings are provided for child care providers and programs throughout the state. d. Describe any Lead Agency ongoing efforts and future plans to support the mental health and well-being of the child care workforce. The Lead Agency funds the Be Well Care Well (BWCW) initiative to support the mental health and well-being of the child care workforce. An initial project was funded with a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for the development and 3-year pilot implementation of the Be Well Care Well program under the SC PITC. The Lead Agency supported the launch of BWCW by designating a portion of the Lowcountry Lead Agency Community Outreach Coordinator’s time to serve as a Well-Being Coach and subsequently funded a full-time Well-Being Coach. Based on the premise that child care professionals struggle to find time to take care of their own needs, the BWCW intervention focuses on building social supports, improving physical health by attending to caregivers’ sense of self-efficacy and executive functioning, and facilitating access to financial supports, in order to build teacher resiliency and buffer the effects of difficult and stressful life experiences. With the completion of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant, CCDF funds were used to continue the initiative. Preschool Development Grant (PDG) funds then allowed for the addition of 2 new health educators to expand the initial pilot to a statewide reach. Following the end of the PDG funding, this initiative has continued with CCDF funding. While BWCW has had an evaluation component since the Kellogg investment, the Lead Agency will review this initiative during the 2025-2027 planning period for sustainability and impact after staff complete the program. e. Describe any other strategies the Lead Agency is developing and/or implementing to support providers’ recruitment and retention of the child care workforce. SC Endeavors is analyzing SC BOO$T data and performing cost projections to continue the wage enhancement program throughout the state within the next plan period. Many directors have given positive comments on the recruitment and retention supports that SC BOO$T provides. Data from this program will be critical to determine the retention of individuals within programs. In the next plan period, T.E.A.C.H graduation bonuses will continue and allow SC Endeavors to analyze the retention of individuals who graduate with AA and BA degrees. The intention is for the graduate to stay within the same sponsoring program once they complete the degree for at least 1 year. SC Endeavors will also explore providing a bonus to programs who continue to sponsor T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship recipients. The Lead Agency is working with PSSA to develop a substitute pool for licensed and registered providers in SC that will allow them to increase staff consistency and job satisfaction to support retention of staff. One strategy of the initiative is to develop a strong orientation process and comprehensive training module to help strengthen the retention of staff. 6.1.2 Strategies to support provider business practices a. Describe other strategies that the Lead Agency is developing and/or implementing to strengthen child care providers’ business management and administrative practices. The Lead Agency Child Care Licensing Program in coordination with the SC CCR&R has implemented the SC SUCCess Grant for eligible, first-time child providers. This grant opportunity aims to provide training, coaching, and financial incentives to family or center-based programs. Accepted programs are required to complete customized technical assistance sessions, specific child development, health & safety and business- focused trainings including the Strengthening Business Modules and meet all regulatory requirements through a four-tier process. Upon completion of a tier, programs are awarded a grant amount based on the type and size of the program. The goal of the project is to help expand child care accessibility to families, train and prepare programs to care for children, and sustain their business while gaining and utilizing sound business and administrative practices. For programs that choose not to participate or are ineligible for the SC SUCCess Grants, the SC CCR&R offers customized training and technical assistance through a quality initiative called SC Business Start-Up Support. This is a free service available to any program or individual that is interested in opening an early care program including family, group, center, faith-based, or after-school. Programs will work with an SC CCR&R Quality Coach to create a development plan that includes coaching and trainings focused on caring for children and business support that can include the Strengthening Business Modules. SC CCR&R collaborates with the SC Small Business Association, the SC Small Business Development Centers, and the SC Women’s Business Center to further reach individuals investigating entering the child care field. Through incorporating an overview of available early child care resources including those offered by SC CCR&R through these associations’ overview and trainings, potential child care business owners can access the free resources available through the SC CCR&R. In turn, the SC CCR&R refers programs unfamiliar with the associations to them for administrative supports, resources, and potential financial opportunities. Additionally, PSSA strengthens ECE provider's business management through a system of online and on-site supports designed to save time and money, thus allowing them to sustain high quality and thrive. This is done through 2700 resources, 40 vendors, a job board, over 200 training hours and a substitute pool. The Lead Agency has implemented a revised ABC Quality program review document that includes a Structural Quality Portfolio which reflects business and program policies and procedures. To submit for scoring, all elements within the online portfolio must be reviewed and each of the indicators must be answered. An ABC Quality Assessor reviews the evidence and determines if it meets the indicator requirements. This Structural Quality portfolio showcases a program’s strengths within the elements of: Program Administration and Structure Staff Education and Professional Development Child Well-being Family Communication, Engagement and Cultural Competence Technical assistance is available for programs to build their strength in these areas. b. Check the topics addressed in the Lead Agency’s strategies for strengthening child care providers’ administrative business practices. Check all that apply: i. [x] Fiscal management. ii. [x] Budgeting. iii. [x] Recordkeeping. iv. [x] Hiring, developing, and retaining qualified staff. v. [x] Risk management. vi. [x] Community relationships. vii. [x] Marketing and public relations. viii. [x] Parent-provider communications. ix. [x] Use of technology in business administration. x. [x] Compliance with employment and labor laws. xi. [x] Other. Describe any other efforts to strengthen providers’ administrative business: PSSA provides resources and trainings on all of the listed categories plus: Business Plans, Professionalism, Time Management and Insurance/Liabilities. 6.1.3 Strategies to support provider participation Lead Agencies must facilitate participation of child care providers and staff with limited English proficiency and disabilities in the child care subsidy system. Describe how the Lead Agency will facilitate this participation, including engagement with providers to identify barriers and specific strategies used to support their participation: a. Providers and staff with limited English proficiency: The SC Endeavors registry system tracks the languages spoken for individuals working in the early childhood field. In addition, training providers are able to offer training in other languages and promote those offerings on the statewide training calendar. Many of the national online training organizations, such as Pro-Solutions, offers training in both English and Spanish. SC CCR&R provides services for individuals and programs that have dual language learning needs. These services include a quality coach to provide technical assistance as well as training sessions in Spanish. Within the 2025-2027 plan period, SC Endeavors will be adding translation services to the New World Now Registry software. The South Carolina Early Learning Standards guide has been translated into Spanish. The Spanish version will be displayed on relevant websites including: www.scchildcare.org and www.abcquality.org as well as Lead Agency contractor websites to assure accessibility. The Pro-Solutions online training modules are offered in English and Spanish. Other language translations if needed are made available through a service provided by the Lead Agency. The Lead Agency partners with the SC CCR&R to continue to expand the work with dual- language teachers and providers. The SC CCR&R has a dedicated Dual Language Quality Coach that provides support to teachers and staff with limited English through one-on-one technical assistance sessions on various child development topic areas, classroom books and curriculum resources in multiple languages, and in-person/virtual early childhood trainings & materials offered in Spanish. Our ABC Quality area maintains a Spanish speaking Quality Assessor to assist providers in enrolling and providing assessments for the ABC Quality program. This person is available at provider trainings to ensure information is communicated appropriately. Our agency also utilizes a language line to be able to communicate with child care providers with limited English proficiency. Program brochures are currently available in Spanish for child care providers. b. Providers and staff who have disabilities: The South Carolina Inclusion Collaboration (SCIC) is charged with providing technical assistance for providers to identify barriers and specific strategies to support their participation. The SC Program for Infant and Toddler Care (SCPITC) has sign language capability. The Lead Agency provides training known as KultureCity to all agency staff. Use of this training with child care providers will be explored. Regularly scheduled Town Hall sessions to respond to questions from providers will be held. The Inclusion Specialists provide technical assistance with providers with disabilities as well as the Program for Infant and Toddler Care Specialist with sign language capability. SC ABLE is a non-profit that DSS has a grant with, SC ABLE provides assessments related to accessibility to the child care facility which can help assist the child care teachers with disabilities as well as the children and parents. The Early Learning Standards are created in a format that is accessible to those with disabilities.