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. Parents, the general public, and child care providers can search for and view program information on all regulated child care programs in Vermont, including those that provide afterschool care, publicly-funded prekindergarten, and other services on the BBF website. Eligibility determination is completed by CCCSAs. The CCCSAs also offer child care referral services. Families that are applying for CCFAP assistance are asked if they would like to receive information about child care providers and a referral specialist is available to support that search. The CCFAP booklet for families has some information about looking for child care and offers local referral specialists as a resource. This booklet is available online and at community agencies. CDD also has two booklets for parents on how to find child care and what to expect from regulated care called "Child Care and You" and "Using Regulated Child Care in Vermont". Both are available to parents, child care providers, and the general public through the eligibility/referral agency and on CDD's website. 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. CDD links to research and best practice information for parents through the CDD website. In addition, Community child care support agencies' ("CCCSA") eligibility specialists are required to provide information to families and the community. The division also oversees the Children's Integrated Services ("CIS") Program that provides resources to families, and medical professionals about concerns they have about their child's development. The services offered through CIS include IDEA Part C, home visiting, parent education, and child care consulting. In addition, a partner of the division is the Department of Health which provides a grant for a statewide Help Me Grow hotline, which is housed at the 2-1-1 center. Information available at these resources includes general ages and stages information and resources to call if a parent has concerns. These resources include what to expect from each stage of development, and what are areas of concern about a child’s development and who to call. The website is written specifically for parents but is available to anyone. Partners have opportunities for trainings on the information, and also have general information available to them. 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: CDD oversees CIS, which provides early intervention, family support, and prevention services that help ensure the healthy development and well-being of children, from before birth up to age six (6). This includes early childhood mental health services and family-focused home visiting. Information is on CDD's website and the local agencies receive funds to provide direct services, including providing materials to medical offices, community fairs and other local places parents may access. In addition, Parent Child Centers ("PCC") and trained referral staff refer families to Vermont's Help Me Grow hotline for information about parenting and child development, which includes social-emotional development. CIS home visitors and PCC staff provide information and resources in person to families based on the needs and questions of the family. Information is provided on what to expect at different stages of development, and what could be possible areas of concern, and who to contact with those concerns. The professional development that CDD funds for providers serving children of all ages emphasizes social-emotional, mental and behavioral health and includes intervention and support models based on research and best practices. 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: CDD’s licensing regulations includes rules designed to prevent suspension and expulsion of school-aged children from child or youth care settings receiving CCDF funds. Rule 6.2.8.4 in CBCCPP licensing regulations and section 6.2.6.1 in FCCH licensing regulations requires programs to engage in planning and implementation that support continued enrollment of children. In the event that a child's continued enrollment is at risk, rules 6.2.8.4.1 and 6.2.8.4.2 provide guidance on transition planning. In all instances the program director shall consult with the child's parents and professionals, as appropriate, to develop and implement a plan to address concerns, with the goal of continuing the child's enrollment. These two sets of regulations may be accessed by families, providers, and the general public on CDD's website. In addition, the Division publishes a booklet for parents called Using Regulated Child Care in Vermont: A Booklet for Parents. This booklet is distributed by child care referral specialists to families looking for child care and is also provided to child care providers to distribute to families in their care. This booklet includes an overview of regulatory requirements of programs and what parents can expect, and covers the suspension/expulsion regulations required of all regulated childcare programs. In addition, as of June 2022, Vermont statute has heavily restricted suspension and expulsion of students under eight (8) years old who are enrolled in public schools, independent schools, and publicly-funded prekindergarten programs. CDD works collaboratively with AOE to investigate and address any instances of suspension or expulsion within publicly-funded prekindergarten programs. A September 2, 2022, memo issued jointly by CDD and AOE provides guidance for prekindergarten programs. CDD anticipates that additional state guidance on the use of exclusionary discipline will be forthcoming shortly; at that time, that guidance will be messaged to providers and to families, and to the general public. 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: CDD's child care licensing regulations outline the expectations of the licensee to support the continuity of care and education, to work collaboratively with the child’s parent and providers to meet the child’s needs, the timeframe programs are required to give parents if they are not able to meet the needs of the child, and what needs to be provided to the parents should a child be expelled. Additionally, CDD works in conjunction with the AOE to investigate complaints alleging suspension, expulsion, restraint, or exclusion which is prohibited for children enrolled in publicly-funded prekindergarten.