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. The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) uses a variety of methods to inform eligible parents, the general public, and child care providers about the availability of child care services provided through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and other relevant programs. For eligible parents and the general public, the VDOE provides comprehensive information on its website, including dedicated pages for Paying for Child Care, Finding Child Care, and Ask the Right Questions. These pages offer detailed information on eligibility criteria, application processes, and available resources. Additionally, the VDOE utilizes direct communications, such as emails and newsletters, to reach out to parents and the general public and tailor information to their specific needs. For child care providers, the VDOE offers a dedicated webpage for the Child Care Subsidy Program (CCSP), which includes information on Becoming a Provider, Current Providers, and Subsidy Inspection and Training Requirements. These sites have information on program requirements and reimbursement processes. The VDOE also communicates regularly with providers on program updates and requirements through various channels, including emails and the notifications which are all archived on the CCSP Communication Webpage. 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 provides available information on research and best practices regarding children’s development and family engagement on the consumer education website, Child Care VA. Child Care VA provides information for families regarding early childhood care learning options, child growth and development, and health and safety. VDOE also contracts with the Virginia Infant and Toddler Specialist Network (VA ITSN) to provide targeted supports and resources to families with infants and toddlers and providers that serve them. The VA ITSN website includes information about nutrition, parent and family engagement, use of Virginia’s Early Learning & Developmental Standards, and health and safety. VA ITSN also shares this information via webinars and informational resources. 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 Lead Agency provides parents, providers and the general public with resources and information about social-emotional development in a myriad of ways. The Early Learning and Development Standards are Virginia’s unified, comprehensive set of learning guidelines for children ages birth to five. The Early Learning and Development Standards are unique in their 1) focus on all aspects of learning and development and 2) explicit overlap in age-bands and skill markers. They are a reference tool to help parents, caregivers, and educators understand what most children are able to know and do across the areas of development by any given age. The five core areas of development are: approaches to play and learning, social and emotional development, communication, language, and literacy development, health and physical development and cognitive development, which includes: science, social science: people, community and culture, mathematics, and fine arts ￿ dance, music, drama, physical art. Annual webinars provide the field with an overview of the ELDS and aligned resources and activities to promote learning in both home and school settings. The ECE Resource Hub houses free resources for educators and families to support children’s learning and development. Organized by ￿Core Skills￿ (aligned to the ELDS), these activities, video-exemplars, book recommendations, and reading guides are designed to develop self- regulation and social skills as the foundation for learning in addition to supporting and promoting academic readiness skills. Additionally, the ￿Take Home Strategies￿ collection of resources on the ECE Resource Hub are activities designed for families and caregivers to teach social skills as well as academic skills at home. Through VQB5, Virginia’s quality measurement and improvement system, providers have access to foundational CLASS training from their Ready Region. Bi-annual CLASS observations in all publicly funded classrooms give teachers and leaders regular information on the quality of classroom interactions and actionable information to support improvement. AEII and the Infant Toddler Specialist Network (ITSN) provide coaching and behavioral intervention support to providers to improve classroom environments' social-emotional health and interactions as measured by the CLASS tool. Virginia Early Childhood Consultation Program (VECC) will provide state-wide support to programs identified as having the most need to improve the social-emotional environment and quality of interactions. Building upon a 3-year Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Pilot (ECMHC), The VECC model will enhance the skills of leaders and teachers to 1) promote healthy social- emotional environments, 2) teach behaviors to help children develop behavioral regulation, positive relationships, and social skills, and 3) respond to behavioral challenges effectively in collaboration with families. Lastly, the Virginia Association for Infant Mental Health (VAIMH) offers education, training, and resources to assist teachers, parents, and caregivers in supporting children's social-emotional development from birth to age 6 through events, workshops, and mental health endorsement programs. 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: Suspensions and expulsions of young children deprive them of enriching learning experiences and have a negative impact that extends into grade school and beyond. Yet, recent national data indicate that suspension and expulsion occur regularly in early childhood settings serving children birth to age five. In 2018, the Virginia Board of Education’s approved Virginia Guidelines for the Prevention of Suspension and Expulsion of Young Children: Supporting Children with Challenging Behaviors in Early Childhood Settings. The guidance is applicable to all ECCE settings, including those in schools and those funded by CCDF and serves as the guide for Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) programs on preventing suspension and expulsion of young children. The document provides guidance regarding policies and best practices in implementing developmentally appropriate experiences for children in early care and education programs (0-5 years), that can prevent suspension and expulsion. The Guidelines for the Prevention of Suspension and Expulsion of Young Children is available for families, providers, and general public on the Virginia Department of Education website. (https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/early-childhood-care- education/virginia-preschool-initiative) The Guidelines for the Prevention of Suspension and Expulsion of Young Children encourage all settings where children learn to establish policies that adhere to three guiding principles: ￿ Communicate clearly the expectations for children and adult behavior in early care and education settings; ￿ Provide support and training for early care and education workforce on positive strategies to manage children’s behavior and the prevention of inappropriate or challenging behavior; and ￿ Ensure the fair and equitable application of positive behavior management and discipline practices in early care and education settings. The Guidelines for the Prevention of Suspension and Expulsion of Young Children summarize four best practices in promoting positive behaviors to support positive social- emotional development and prevent suspension and expulsion in early care and education programs. Recommended research-based practices promote collaboration between family and professionals, as well as focus on effective classroom management and social- emotional skill development to support young children’s healthy development. Recommendations are for teachers and administrators supporting children in early care and education programs. The four best practice strategies are: ￿ Universal strength-based classroom management skills; ￿ Promotion of social and emotional development of children; ￿ Family engagement; and ￿ Professional development and training resources. 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: VDOE does not have school-age-specific policies on preventing suspension and expulsion in CCDF-funded child care settings.