7.2 Use of Quality Set-Aside Funds

Lead Agencies must use a portion of their CCDF expenditures for activities designed to improve the quality of child care services and to increase parental options for and access to high-quality child care. They must use the quality set-aside funds on at least one of 10 activities described in CCDF and the quality activities must be aligned with a Statewide or Territory-wide assessment of the State's or Territory’s need to carry out such services and care. 7.2.1 Quality improvement activities a. Describe how the Lead Agency will make its Quality Progress Report (ACF – 218) and expenditure reports, available to the public. Provide a link if available. The Department will post its annual Quality Progress Report to the following website for public access: https://dfs.wyo.gov/services/family-services/child-care/ b. Identify Lead Agency plans, if any, to spend CCDF funds for each of the following quality improvement activities. If an activity is checked “yes”, describe the Lead Agency’s current and/or future plans for this activity. i. Supporting the training and professional development of the child care workforce, including birth to five and school-age providers. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. With the exception of the required health and safety training, providers develop training plans or identify needed training to meet their needs and the needs of the children they serve (elective hours for training). Specialized professional development opportunities are identified specific to the developmental stage and age of the children in care recognizing that children have distinct needs in behavioral supports, mental, physical, social and academic development, including infants, school age children and children with developmental delays or disabilities. The state will coordinate with the Wyoming STARS, Wyoming Professional Learning Collaborative, Wyoming Head Start Collaboration Office, the Statewide Afterschool Network, to ensure that appropriate professional development trainings exist specific to the specific workforce serving school-age, infants & toddlers, special needs, and other specific age & developmental stages. ii. Developing, maintaining, or implementing early learning and developmental guidelines. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. iii. Developing, implementing, or enhancing a quality improvement system. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. iv. Improving the supply and quality of child care services for infants and toddlers. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Department will use the Infant/Toddler quality set aside to create some grants or contracts for slots for infants and toddlers; however, the Department intends to request a waiver for this requirement to allow time to implement full compliance with the requirement. v. Establishing or expanding a statewide system of CCR&R services. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. vi. Facilitating compliance with Lead Agency child care licensing, monitoring, inspection and health and safety standards. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ]Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. vii. Evaluating and assessing the quality and effectiveness of child care services within the State/Territory. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. viii. Accreditation support. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. ix. Supporting State/Territory or local efforts to develop high-quality program standards relating to health, mental health, nutrition, physical activity, and physical development. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. x. Other activities determined by the Lead Agency to improve the quality of child care services and the measurement of outcomes related to improved provider preparedness, child safety, child well-being, or kindergarten entry. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. 8 Lead Agency Coordination and Partnerships to Support Service Delivery Coordination and partnerships help ensure that the Lead Agency’s efforts accomplish CCDF goals effectively, leverage other resources, and avoid duplication of effort. Such coordination and partnerships can help families better access child care, can assist in providing consumer education to parents, and can be used to improve child care quality and the stability of child care providers. Such coordination can also be particularly helpful in the aftermath of disasters when the provision of emergency child care services and the rebuilding and restoring of child care infrastructure are an essential part of ensuring the well-being of children and families in recovering communities. This section identifies who the Lead Agency collaborates with to implement services, how match and maintenance-of-effort (MOE) funds are used, coordination with child care resource and referral (CCR&R) systems, and efforts for disaster preparedness and response plans to support continuity of operations in response to emergencies.