9.2 Consumer Education Website

Lead Agencies must provide information to parents, the general public, and child care providers through a State or Territory website, which is consumer-friendly and easily accessible for families who speak languages other than English and persons with disabilities. The website must: • Include information to assist families in understanding the Lead Agency’s policies and procedures, including licensing child care providers; • Include monitoring and inspection reports for each provider and, if available, the quality of each provider; • Provide the aggregate number of deaths, serious injuries, and the number of cases of substantiated child abuse that have occurred in child care settings; • Include contact information for local CCR&R organizations to help families access additional information on finding child care; and • Include information on how parents can contact the Lead Agency and other organizations to better understand the information on the website. 9.2.1 Consumer-friendly website Does the Lead Agency ensure that its consumer education website is consumer-friendly and easily accessible? i. Provide the URL for the Lead Agency’s consumer education website homepage: https://www.scchildcare.org/ and https://abcquality.org/ ii. Does the Lead Agency certify that the consumer education website ensures broad access to services for families who speak languages other than English? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: iii. Does the Lead Agency certify that the consumer education website ensures broad access to services for persons with disabilities? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: 9.2.2 Additional consumer education website links Provide the direct URL/website link for the following: i. Provide the direct URL/website link to how the Lead Agency licenses child care providers: https://www.scchildcare.org/providers/licensing-requirements/ ii. Provide the direct URL/website link to the processes for conducting monitoring and inspections of child care providers:: https://www.scchildcare.org/providers/licensing-requirements/ https://www.scchildcare.org/programs/abc-quality-rating-improvement-system/ iii. Provide the direct URL/website link to the policies and procedures related to criminal background checks for staff members of child care providers: https://www.scchildcare.org/providers/in-state-background-check-requirements/ iv. Provide the direct URL/website link to the offenses that prevent individuals from being employed by a child care provider: https://www.scchildcare.org/providers/in-state-background-check-requirements/ 9.2.3 Searchable list of providers a. The consumer education website must include a list of all licensed providers searchable by ZIP code. i. Does the Lead Agency certify that the consumer education website includes a list of all licensed providers searchable by ZIP code? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: ii. Provide the direct URL/website link to the list of child care providers searchable by ZIP code: https://www.scchildcare.org/provider-search/ iii. In addition to the licensed child care providers that must be included in the searchable list, are there additional providers included in the Lead Agency’s searchable list of child care providers? Check all that apply: [x] License-exempt center-based CCDF providers. [ ] License-exempt family child care CCDF providers. [ ] License-exempt non-CCDF providers. [ ] Relative CCDF child care providers. [ ] Other (e.g., summer camps, public pre-Kindergarten). Describe: b. Identify what additional (optional) information, if any, is available in the searchable results by ZIP code. Check the box when information is provided. Provider Information Available in Searchable Results -- All licensed providers License- exempt CCDF center- based provide rs License- exempt CCDF family child care home provide rs License- exempt non- CCDF provider s Relative CCDF providers Contact information [x] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] Enrollment capacity [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Hours, days, and months of operation [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Provider education and training [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Languages spoken by the caregiver [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Quality information [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Monitoring reports [x] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] Willingness to accept CCDF certificates [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Ages of children served [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Specialization or training for certain populations [x] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] Care provided during nontraditional hours [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] c. Identify any other information searchable on the consumer education website for the child care provider type listed below and then, if checked, describe the searchable information included on the website. i. [x] All licensed providers. Describe: A search of all licensed providers can also be searched by their county, by their city and by the name of their program. You can also filter and search by facility and quality rating on our website. ii. [x] License-exempt CCDF center-based providers. Describe: A search of all licensed providers can also be searched by their county, by their city and by the name of their program. You can also filter and search by facility and quality rating on our website. iii. [x] License-exempt CCDF family child care providers. Describe: This can only be search by the parent of the children receiving care with the provider’s specialized number. iv. [ ] License-exempt, non-CCDF providers. Describe: v. [ ] Relative CCDF providers. Describe: vi. [ ] Other. Describe: 9.2.4 Provider-specific quality information Lead Agencies must identify specific quality information on each child care provider for whom they have this information. Provider-specific quality information must only be posted on the consumer education website if it is available for the individual child care provider. a. What specific quality information does the Lead Agency provide on the website? i. [x] Quality improvement system. ii. [ ] National accreditation. iii. [ ] Enhanced licensing system. iv. [ ] Meeting Head Start/Early Head Start Program Performance Standards. v. [ ] Meeting pre-Kindergarten quality requirements. vi. [ ] School-age standards. vii. [x] Quality framework or quality improvement system. viii. [ ] Other. Describe: b. For what types of child care providers is quality information available? i. [x] Licensed CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: The website includes information on the ABC Quality rating for the child care provider and there is an explanation of what each level means. There is an information badge to show if the provider is a state 4K provider, a Head Start provider, has a safe sleep designation or a breast-feeding friendly designation. Family child care homes have information about whether they have completed their required 10 hours of training annually. The Resources tab on the website contains ABC Quality program standards for review. ii. [ ] Licensed non-CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: iii. [x] License-exempt center-based CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: The website includes information n the ABC Quality rating for the child care provider and there is an explanation of what each level means. There is an information badge to show if the provider is a state 4K provider, a Head Start provider, has a safe sleep designation or a breast-feeding friendly designation. The Resources tab on the website contains ABC Quality program standards for review. iv. [ ] License-exempt FCC CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: v. [ ] License-exempt non-CCDF providers. Describe the quality information: vi. [ ] Relative child care providers. Describe the quality information: vii. [ ] Other. Describe: 9.2.5 Aggregate data on serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated abuse Lead Agencies must post aggregate data on serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated cases of child abuse that have occurred in child care settings each year on the consumer education website. This aggregate data must include information about any child in the care of a provider eligible to receive CCDF, not just children receiving subsidies. This aggregate information on serious injuries and deaths must be separated by category of care (e.g., centers, family child care homes, and in-home care) and licensing status (i.e., licensed or license-exempt) for all eligible CCDF child care providers in the State/Territory. The information on instances of substantiated child abuse does not have to be organized by category of care or licensing status. Information must also include the total number of children in care by provider type and licensing status, so that families can better understand the data presented on serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated cases of abuse. a. Certify by checking below that the required elements are included in the Aggregate Data Report on serious incident data that have occurred in child care settings each year. i. [x] The total number of serious injuries of children in care by provider category and licensing status. ii. [x] The total number of deaths of children in care by provider category and licensing status. iii. [x] The total number of substantiated instances of child abuse in child care settings. iv. [x] The total number of children in care by provider category and licensing status. v. If any of the above elements are not included, describe: b. Certify by providing: i. The designated entity to which child care providers must submit reports of any serious injuries or deaths of children occurring in child care and describe how the Lead Agency obtains the aggregate data from the entity: The Lead Agency’s Child Care Licensing office is responsible for collecting reports of any serious injuries or deaths of children occurring in the child care facility pursuant to the regulations 114-503D(1)(a)(2)(a). The child care provider is required to immediately report to the parent or guardian and report to Child Care Licensing, along with written notification, within 48 hours, of any accidents or injuries to a child at the child care facility that requires medical treatment. The death of a child or staff person that occurs at the provider must be reported to the Lead Agency immediately. The Lead Agency posts information about deaths, injuries, and substantiated child abuse in child care settings on its website. ii. The definition of “substantiated child abuse” used by the Lead Agency for this requirement: a) Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the child physical or mental injury or engages in acts or omissions which present a substantial risk of physical or mental injury to the child, including injuries sustained as a result of excessive corporal punishment, but excluding corporal punishment or physical discipline which: (i) is administered by a parent of person in loco parentis; (ii) is perpetrated for the sole purpose of restraining or correcting the child; (iii) is reasonable in manner and moderate in degree; (iv) has not brought about permanent or lasting damage to the child; and (v) is not reckless or grossly negligent behavior by the parents. b) commits or allows to be committed against the child a sexual offense as defined by the laws of this State or engages in acts or omissions that present substantial risk that a sexual offense as defined in the laws of this State would be committed against the child; c) fails to supply the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or education as required under Article 1 of Chapter 65 of Title 59, supervision appropriate to the child's age and development, or healthcare though financially able to do so or offered financial or other reasonable means to do so and the failure to do so has caused or presents a substantial risk of causing physical or mental injury. However, a child's absences from school may not be considered abuse or neglect unless the school has made efforts to bring about the child's attendance, and those efforts were unsuccessful because of the parents' refusal to cooperate. For the purpose of this chapter "adequate health care" includes any medical or nonmedical remedial health care permitted or authorized under state law; d) abandons the child; e) encourages, condones, or approves the commission of delinquent acts by the child and the commission of the acts are shown to be the result of the encouragement, condonation, or approval; or f) has committed abuse or neglect as described in subsections (a) through(e) such that a child who subsequently becomes part of the person's household is at substantial risk of one of those forms of abuse or neglect. iii. The definition of “serious injury” used by the Lead Agency for this requirement: Accidents or injuries involving any child occurring at the facility requiring professional medical treatment. c. Provide the direct URL/website link to the page where the aggregate number of serious injuries, deaths, and substantiated child abuse, and the total number of children in care by provider category and licensing status are posted: https://www.scchildcare.org/resources/ 9.2.6 Contact information on referrals to local child care resource and referral organizations The Lead Agency consumer education website must include contact information on referrals to local CCR&R organizations. a. Does the consumer education website include contact information on referrals to local CCR&R organizations? [x] Yes. [ ] No. [ ] Not applicable. The Lead Agency does not have local CCR&R organizations. b. Provide the direct URL/website link to this information: There is a link embedded in the SC CCR&R logo at the top of the homepage on www.scchildcare.org. By clicking on the logo, the website will take the user to the CCR&R website. There is also a link at https://www.scchildcare.org/programs/sponsored-programs/, and a link under Statewide Resources: https://www.scchildcare.org/resources/. 9.2.7 Lead Agency contact information for parents The Lead Agency consumer and provider education website must include information on how parents can contact the Lead Agency or its designee and other programs that can help the parent understand information included on the website. a. Does the website provide directions on how parents can contact the Lead Agency or its designee and other programs to help them understand information included on the website? [x] Yes. [ ] No. b. Provide the direct URL/website link to this information: https://www.scchildcare.org/contact-us/ 9.2.8 Posting sliding fee scale, co-payment amount, and policies for waiving co-payments The consumer education website must include the sliding fee scale for parent co-payments, including the co-payment amount a family may expect to pay and policies for waiving co- payments. a. Does the Lead Agency certify that their consumer education website includes the sliding fee scale for parent co-payments, including the co-payment amount a family may expect to pay and policies for waiving co-payments? [x] Yes. [ ] No. b. Provide the direct URL/website link to the sliding fee scale. https://www.scchildcare.org/media/gtvb1pqk/fee-scale-2024-2025.pdf