7.1 Quality Activities Needs Assessment

7.1.1 Needs assessment process and findings a. Describe the Lead Agency needs assessment process for expending CCDF funds on activities to improve the quality of child care, including the frequency of assessment, how a range of parents and providers were consulted, and how their views are incorporated: Past participant feedback and literature on continuous quality improvement (CQI) and data collection were reviewed and a broad stakeholder engagement campaign was developed centering equity and using human centered design. Workgroups were comprised of family and center-based providers, early learning coaches, community members, parents of young children and agency staff. b. Describe the findings of the assessment, including any findings related to needs of different populations and types of providers, and if any overarching goals for quality improvement were identified: Recent feedback called for system improvements supporting child access to high-quality programming prioritizing commitment to culturally respectful and responsive systems that centers on racial equity; a lower stakes experiences for participants, systems that are easy to navigate, more options for recognition related to provider interests and expertise, and more stakeholder engagement and feedback as a part of the ongoing CQI process.