4.5 Supply Building

Building a supply of high-quality child care that meets the needs and preferences of parents participating in CCDF is necessary to meet CCDF’s core purposes. Lead Agencies must support parent choice by providing some portion of direct services via grants or contracts, including at a minimum for children in underserved geographic areas, infants and toddlers, and children with disabilities. 4.5.1 Child care services available through grants or contracts Does the Lead Agency provide direct child care services through grants or contracts for child care slots? [x] Yes, statewide. Describe how the Lead Agency ensures that parents who enroll with a provider who has a grant or contract have choices when selecting a provider: Licensed child care centers provide the contractual services for CCDF eligible children whose families participate in TANF, one of South Dakota’s most vulnerable populations with limited access to resources. Contracts are available statewide but currently only two urban areas participate. Only these two areas have enough CCDF eligible families participating in the TANF program to generate provider interest and justify slots. [ ] Yes, in some jurisdictions, but not statewide. Describe how many jurisdictions use grants or contracts for child care slots and how the Lead Agency ensures that parents who enroll with a provider who has a grant or contract have choices when selecting a provider: [ ] No. If no, describe any Lead Agency plans to provide direct child care services through grants and contracts for child care slots: If no, skip to question 4.5.2. i. If yes, identify the populations of children served through grants or contracts for child care slots (check all that apply). For each population selected, identify the number of slots allocated through grants or contracts for direct service of children receiving CCDF. [ ] Children with disabilities. Number of slots allocated through grants or contracts: [ ] Infants and toddlers. Number of slots allocated through grants or contracts: [ ] Children in underserved geographic areas. Number of slots allocated through grants or contracts: [ ] Children needing non-traditional hour care. Number of slots allocated through grants or contracts: [ ] School-age children. Number of slots allocated through grants or contracts: [ ] Children experiencing homelessness. Number of slots allocated through grants or contracts: [ ] Children in urban areas. Percent of CCDF children served in an average month: [ ] Children in rural areas. Percent of CCDF children served in an average month: [x] Other populations. If checked, describe: CCS partners with multiple child care centers across the state to provide 13 contracted slots for use by CCDF eligible children and families of South Dakota’s most vulnerable populations. Although the contracted slots are designated for the most at- risk children, families utilizing the slots are still required to meet all CCDF eligibility requirements. The contracted slots are available to eligible children age birth-school age, including children with disabilities and children living in underserved geographic areas. Of the 13 slots, 7 are currently set aside for infants and toddlers and 6 are set aside for pre- school and school age. The age groups that the slots are designated for can be adjusted at the providers discretion based on child care demands. The goal of this partnership is to provide child care options for the most vulnerable CCDF eligible families who have an immediate child care need. ii. If yes, how are rates for slots funded by grants and contracts determined by the Lead Agency? Rates are negotiated through consultation with each child care center to ensure participation. 4.5.2 Care in the child’s home (in-home care) The Lead Agency must allow for in-home care (i.e., care provided in the child’s own home) but may limit its use. Will the Lead Agency limit the use of in-home care in any way? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If yes, what limits will the Lead Agency set on the use of in-home care? Check all that apply. i. [ ] Restricted based on the minimum number of children in the care of the in- home provider to meet the Fair Labor Standards Act (minimum wage) requirements. Describe: ii. [x] Restricted based on the in-home provider meeting a minimum age requirement. Describe: In-home child care providers must be at least 18 years of age and care for only one family’s children. iii. [ ] Restricted based on the hours of care (i.e., certain number of hours, non- traditional work hours). Describe: iv. [ ] Restricted to care by relatives. (A relative provider must be at least 18 years of age based on the definition of eligible child care provider.) Describe: v. [ ] Restricted to care for children with special needs or a medical condition. Describe: vi. [ ] Restricted to in-home providers that meet additional health and safety requirements beyond those required by CCDF. Describe: vii. [ ] Other. Describe: 4.5.3 Shortages in the supply of child care Lead Agencies must identify shortages in the supply of child care providers that meet parents’ needs and preferences. What child care shortages has the Lead Agency identified in the State or Territory, and what is the plan to address the child care shortages? a. In infant and toddler programs: i. Data sources used to identify shortages: The Office of Licensing and Accreditation plans to collect data for child care providers with waiting lists for enrollment. This data will help identify locations where strategic efforts are needed to improve access to quality care for these age groups. ii. Method of tracking progress: Conducting an annual survey of child care providers regarding waiting lists for enrollment is a proactive approach to monitoring progress in reducing shortages for infant and toddler care. This ongoing data collection will provide valuable information about the effectiveness of efforts to address these shortages over time. By tracking changes in waiting lists and enrollment patterns, the Office of Licensing and Accreditation can identify areas of success as well as areas that may require additional attention or resources. This data-driven approach will help ensure that efforts to improve access to infant and toddler care are targeted and effective. iii. What is the plan to address the child care shortages using family child care homes To encourage smaller group sizes for infants and toddlers, Child Care Services currently offers a special rate is paid to registered family child care providers who care for six or fewer children. The special rate is available for children in care under age three. Providers can be reimbursed up to a maximum of 25% above the established county reimbursement rate (based on the most recent Market Rate Survey) for this age category, as long as the final rate does not exceed what the provider currently charges the general public. The Office of Licensing and Accreditation is actively partnering with various agencies and community stakeholders to communicate the benefits of state registration for family child care providers. Conducting presentations, sharing branded material to promote the child care profession, and recruitment activities across the state further amplifies these efforts, allowing for direct engagement with potential providers and addressing any questions or concerns they may have. This collaborative approach fosters a supportive environment for family child care providers and encourages their participation in the state registration process, ultimately contributing to the quality and accessibility of infant and toddler care within the community. iv. What is the plan to address the child care shortages using child care centers? outh Dakota plans to focus efforts on workforce development and increasing the quality of early childhood education which includes care for infants and toddlers. The following outlines the comprehensive plan: Workforce Study: Complete a comprehensive workforce study to gain insights into the challenges faced by child care centers in South Dakota. This study will help identify areas of need and inform the development of targeted solutions, including infant and toddler care. Scholarships: The lead agency provided funds during the 2022-2024 plan cycle to financially support individuals pursuing the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential and two-year associate degrees. Graduates of these programs will be entering the child care workforce in the 2025-2027 plan cycle ultimately improving the quality of care provided in child care centers. Scholarships will continue to be available to cover the tuition for the SD CDA Training Program and the assessment fee scholarships for South Dakota child care providers. Professional Development: Implement professional development programs and training opportunities for infant and toddler care staff. These programs will focus on enhancing infant and toddler teaching practices, infant and toddler child development knowledge, and infant and toddler classroom management skills to ensure high-quality care and education for infants and toddlers. Recruitment and Retention Efforts: Launch recruitment campaigns to attract individuals to careers in early childhood education. Emphasize the rewarding aspects of working with young children, including infants and toddlers and highlight the opportunities for career advancement and professional growth within the field. Partnerships and Collaboration: Foster partnerships with educational institutions, community organizations, and industry stakeholders to strengthen the early childhood education workforce pipeline. Collaborate on curriculum development, internship programs, and mentorship initiatives to support the education and training of future child care professionals to include infant and toddler care. Evaluation and Continuous Improvement: Continuously monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of workforce development initiatives in addressing infant and toddler child care shortages and improving the quality of child care centers. Adjust strategies as needed based on feedback, data analysis, and emerging workforce trends. By implementing this comprehensive plan, South Dakota aims to enhance the quality of child care centers, attract and retain qualified professionals in the early childhood education field, and ultimately alleviate infant and toddler care shortages in the state. b. In different regions of the State or Territory: i. Data sources used to identify shortages: The Office of Licensing and Accreditation has collected data specific to desert areas identified in South Dakota for counties that have no regulated care, or are not diverse in representing both regulated family child care and center care. By focusing on these areas, the Lead Agency can identify regions where there is a significant need for expanded or improved childcare options. This data-driven approach allows for targeted interventions and resource allocation to ensure that all families, regardless of location or demographics, have access to quality childcare services. Additionally, by addressing disparities in childcare provision, the Office of Licensing and Accreditation can work towards promoting equity and supporting the well-being of children and families across the state. ii. Method of tracking progress: Tracking progress annually by monitoring identified desert counties and the addition of child care or school-age providers, along with their capacity, is an effective method. Here's how it will work: Identifying Desert Counties: The lead agency has identified the counties that have been designated as "desert counties" due to their lack of regulated child care services. Baseline Data: Establish a baseline by documenting the current number of child care providers (both centers and family child care homes) and their capacity in these desert counties. Annual Evaluation: Conduct an annual evaluation to track changes in the number of child care providers and their capacity in the desert counties. This evaluation should include: Addition of Providers: Count the number of new child care or school-age providers that have been established in each desert county. Capacity Increase: Measure any increase in the capacity of existing providers or the addition of new providers to accommodate more children. Comparison and Analysis: Compare the annual data with the baseline to determine progress made in addressing child care shortages in the desert counties. Analyze trends to identify any challenges or areas for improvement. iii. What is the plan to address the child care shortages using family child care homes? Having voluntary family child care state registration in South Dakota does indeed provide parents with a variety of care options, which can be beneficial in meeting the diverse needs of families. However, it's also important to ensure that the care provided meets certain standards to guarantee the safety and well-being of the children. By continuing recruitment efforts with state registration, the Office of Licensing and Accreditation will work towards increasing the number of registered family child care providers, which in turn can enhance the overall quality of care available. Striking a balance between providing choice and ensuring quality is key in promoting positive outcomes for children and families. iv. What is the plan to address the child care shortages using child care centers? The plan to address child care shortages using child care centers involve several key steps: Identifying Target Counties: The Office of Licensing and Accreditation (OLA) has identified counties with no regulated child care services. These counties will be the primary focus for intervention. Assessment of Child Care Needs: OLA will conduct thorough evaluations of child care needs in the identified counties. This assessment will include factors such as population demographics, employment patterns, and existing child care infrastructure. Community Engagement: OLA will collaborate with community leaders to raise awareness about the importance of child care and the benefits of regulated child care centers. The Office of Licensing and Accreditation will connect community leaders with local Economic Development for additional community support to combine efforts aimed to garner support for the establishment or expansion of child care centers. Promotion of Centers and School Age Programming: OLA will promote the establishment of child care centers and school-age programming options within the targeted counties. This promotion may include providing resources, incentives, or assistance to individuals or organizations interested in opening new child care facilities. Addressing Regulatory and Accreditation Issues: OLA will work to streamline the regulatory process and accreditation standards to facilitate the establishment of new child care centers. This may involve providing guidance and support to prospective child care providers and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations. Monitoring and Evaluation: OLA will continuously monitor the implementation of the plan and evaluate its effectiveness in increasing child care availability. Adjustments will be made as needed to address any challenges or emerging needs. By following this comprehensive plan, OLA aims to address child care shortages and improve access to quality child care services in targeted counties. Professional Development: SD Child Development Associate (CDA) Training is available delivered through live online classes to increase access to the program. Scholarships will continue to be available to cover the tuition for the SD CDA Training Program and the assessment fee scholarships for South Dakota child care providers. In addition, a CDA for high school students series online training is available to junior and senior students across South Dakota. Through this series, high school students will complete the 120 hours of training and their portfolio items in preparation for applying for the CDA Credential. c. In care for special populations: i. Data sources used to identify shortages: The Lead agency partners with The Department of Human Services and other entities that support families of children with Disabilities to identify shortages in care that meets the specific needs of children with disabilities. ii. Method of tracking progress: Success of referred cases is monitored by the Lead Agency. To date all eligible children have been able to find care. iii. What is the plan to address the child care shortages using family child care homes? CCS has two special needs child care assistance programs that may be accessible for eligible families that allow for a higher rate of reimbursement to be paid to a provider who is providing accommodations for a child with disabilities in their care. Use of the special needs CCA program helps financially support providers willing to provide accommodations for these children and ease the burden of providing those accommodations. iv. What is the plan to address the child care shortages using child care centers? CS has two special needs child care assistance programs that may be accessible for eligible families that allow for a higher rate of reimbursement to be paid to a provider who is providing accommodations for a child with disabilities in their care. Use of the special needs CCA program helps financially support providers willing to provide accommodations for these children and ease the burden of providing those accommodations. 4.5.4 Strategies to increase the supply of and improve quality of child care Lead Agencies must develop and implement strategies to increase the supply of and improve the quality of child care services. These strategies must address child care in underserved geographic areas; infants and toddlers; children with disabilities, as defined by the Lead Agency; and children who receive care during non-traditional hours. How does the Lead Agency identify any gaps in the supply and quality of child care services and what strategies are used to address those gaps for: a. Underserved geographic areas. Describe: The lead agency partners with the Helpline Center to offer child care referral support to South Dakota families. By collecting demographic data, including location details such as county and zip code, the lead agency is effectively pinpointing areas where child care accessibility might be lacking. This data- driven approach not only helps identify gaps but also aids in devising targeted solutions to address these issues. The Statewide implementation of the Quality Recognition and Information System (QRIS) will be a proactive step towards ensuring that families across the state have access to quality child care services, regardless of their geographic location. The Office of Licensing and Accreditation (OLA) has also developed a database to track counties in South Dakota that have no regulated child care or lack diversity in the availability of care options families may wish to choose from. OLA will evaluate the need for additional care options for each county as well as track progress made over this State Plan period. b. Infants and toddlers. Describe: The lead agency partners with the Helpline Center to offer child care referral support to South Dakota families. By collecting demographic data, including ages of children served, the lead agency is effectively pinpointing areas where child care accessibility might be lacking. This data-driven approach not only helps identify gaps but also aids in devising targeted solutions to address these issues. The Statewide implementation of the Quality Recognition and Information System (QRIS) will be a proactive step towards ensuring that families across the state have access to quality child care services, regardless of the ages of children served. Child Care identifies quality gaps often created due to higher teacher ratio requirements and lower provider income revenue and quality of infant and toddler services through The Statewide implementation of the Quality Rating and Information System will be a proactive step towards ensuring that families across the state have access to quality infant and toddler child care services. Participating providers will have the opportunity to receive funds to further enhance infant and toddler classroom environments or training for providers. To encourage smaller group sizes for infants and toddlers, a special rate is paid to registered family child care providers who care for six or fewer children. The special rate is available for children in care under age three. Providers can be reimbursed up to a maximum of 25% above the established county reimbursement rate (based on the most recent Market Rate Survey) for this age category, as long as the final rate does not exceed what the provider currently charges the general public. c. Children with disabilities. Describe: Child Care identifies gaps in the supply of child care for children with disabilities through partnerships with the Department of Human Services, which is responsible for disability services, and South Dakota Parent Connection, a resource and referral agency working with families of children with disabilities. When children with disabilities are identified by these partners, they are referred to Child Care Services (CCS). CCS works on an individualized basis to reach out and recruit providers able to meet the child’s specific needs in their area. The Early Childhood Enrichment programs provide support to classroom teachers in providing care that addresses the child’s specific needs in an inclusive setting. CCS has two special needs child care assistance programs that may be accessible for eligible families that allow for a higher rate of reimbursement to be paid to a provider who is providing accommodations for a child with disabilities in their care. Use of the special needs CCA program helps financially support providers willing to provide accommodations for these children and ease the burden of providing those accommodations. d. Children who receive care during non-traditional hours. Describe: The lead agency partners with the Helpline Center to offer child care referral support to South Dakota families. By collecting demographic data, including hours and days of care, including weekend care needed, the lead agency is effectively pinpointing areas where child care accessibility might be lacking. This data-driven approach not only helps identify gaps but also aids in devising targeted solutions to address these issues. Implementing a new management information system that can collect data on all regulated child care providers, including their hours of operation, is a significant step forward for the Office of Licensing and Accreditation. This system will not only streamline data collection but also facilitate better matching between providers and families, ensuring that those in need of care outside of regular hours can find suitable options. e. Other. Specify what population is being focused on to increase supply or improve quality. Describe: Recognizing the need to support child care programs to address workforce issues that impact program's ability to utilize all available slots, the SD Early Childhood Enrichment (ECE) System provides a number of opportunities to break down barriers to support child care programs in meeting licensing regulations. Offering training in various formats, such as on-demand, live online, and in-person, caters to the diverse needs and schedules of child care providers. This flexibility makes it more accessible for providers to meet licensing requirements and enhance their practices. Additionally, on-site technical assistance and coaching provide personalized support, allowing teachers to receive guidance tailored to their specific needs and challenges. Scholarships are available to support child care providers in completing training toward the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential and also to cover the assessment fee. Financial barriers often prevent individuals from accessing higher education and professional development opportunities. By offering scholarships to cover training costs and assessment fees, as well as the availability of articulation into higher education, the lead agency is not only investing in the professional growth of child care providers but also ultimately improving the quality of care for children. By supporting child care providers in meeting licensing requirements, improving their practices, and obtaining credentials, the ECE System is fostering a more qualified and capable workforce, which benefits both providers and the children they serve. The collaboration between the South Dakota Early Childhood Enrichment (ECE) System, SD Educators Rising, and the SD Head Start Collaboration Office to offer free online Child Development Associate (CDA) training to juniors and seniors in school districts across the state provides a pathway into the ECE field. By providing access to CDA training at no cost, they are removing financial barriers and creating opportunities for aspiring early childhood educators to pursue their career goals. This early exposure can inspire and empower young individuals to make informed choices about their career paths while contributing to the professionalization of the early childhood education workforce. 4.5.5 Prioritization of investments in areas of concentrated poverty and unemployment Lead Agencies must prioritize investments for increasing access to high-quality child care and development services for children of families in areas that have significant concentrations of poverty and unemployment and do not currently have sufficient numbers of such programs. Describe how the Lead Agency prioritizes increasing access to high-quality child care and development services for children of families in areas that have significant concentrations of poverty and unemployment and that do not have access to high-quality programs. Prioritizing support for programs serving a high number of children on child care assistance is a strategic approach by Child Care and the South Dakota Early Childhood Enrichment (ECE) System. By focusing resources where they are most needed, Child Care and SD ECE ensure that vulnerable families have access to high-quality early childhood education and care. The ECE system has worked directly with the Sisseton-Wahpeton tribe to provide Child Development Associate (CDA) training to support staff working in the Early Head Start and Head Start programs. In addition, the lead agency helped to establish an articulation agreement between the SD CDA Training Program and Sisseton-Wahpeton College to begin a pathway into the early childhood education associate degree program. This effort is a strategic step to support quality in the workforce for tribal child care programs in the Sisseton-Wahpeton tribe. The South Dakota Quality Recognition and Information System (QRIS) promotes continuous quality improvement within early childhood programs. By providing a framework for assessment and goal setting, it empowers programs serving children of families experiencing poverty and unemployment to identify areas for improvement and work towards higher levels of quality. The inclusion of grant funds further incentivizes participation and supports programs in implementing necessary changes to enhance their quality of care. Child Care Services (CCS) invests in contracts with programs in two cities identified as having the greatest TANF participation to provide contracted slots. These slots are available for emergency/immediate use by families participating in the TANF work program. The availability of the slots helps to certify access for these families who may need to begin a TANF activity in order to meet participation goals but had limited time to identify child care arrangements. These contracts financially support those programs serving children of families experiencing poverty and unemployment in maintaining staff availability. 5 Health and Safety of Child Care Settings Child care health and safety standards and enforcement practices are essential to protect the health and safety of children while out of their parents’ care. CCDF provides a minimum threshold for child care health and safety policies and practices but leaves authority to Lead Agencies to design standards that appropriately protect children’s safety and promote nurturing environments that support their healthy growth and development. Lead Agencies should set standards for ratios, group size limits, and provider qualifications that help ensure that the child care environment is conducive to safety and learning and enable caregivers to promote all domains of children’s development. CCDF health and safety standards help set clear expectations for CCDF providers, form the foundation for health and safety training for child care workers, and establish the baseline for monitoring to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. These health and safety requirements apply to all providers serving children receiving CCDF services – whether the providers are licensed or license-exempt, must be appropriate to the provider setting and age of the children served, must include specific topics and training on those topics, and are subject to monitoring and enforcement procedures by the Lead Agency. CCDF-required annual monitoring and enforcement actions help ensure that CCDF providers are adopting and implementing health and safety requirements. Through child care licensing, Lead Agencies set minimum requirements, including health and safety requirements, that child care providers must meet to legally operate in that State or Territory. In some cases, CCDF health and safety requirements may be integrated within the licensing system for licensed providers and may be separate for CCDF providers who are license- exempt. This section addresses CCDF health and safety requirements, Lead Agency licensing requirements and exemptions, and comprehensive background checks. When responding to questions in this section, OCC recognizes that each Lead Agency identifies and defines its own categories of care. OCC does not expect Lead Agencies to change their definitions to fit the CCDF-defined categories of care. For these questions, provide responses that best match the CCDF categories of care.