Child Care
Child Care Resource and Referral
During the 2007 – 2008 fiscal year, Child Care Connections will provide child care referral services for families of children aged 0-5 years in Cleveland County, educate parents on quality childcare issues, and serve the child care provider community by offering professional training/education programs and technical assistance/support for the recruitment and retention of personnel in the child care field. The positions funded by this activity include the Executive Director (.55 FTE), the Business Manager (.55 FTE), the parent referral specialist (1.0 FTE), the provider specialist 1.0 (FTE), another provider specialist (.10 FTE), and the Administrative Assistant (1.0 FTE). Particular attention will be given to promoting the new two component star rated license system and assisting directors/owner of facilities in developing plans to maintain or achieve higher levels of licensure. Staff will promote community awareness around early childhood issues as related to quality childcare environments. An annual recognition event for child care providers will be held in the spring. Funds to support this event will come from ticket sales, fund raising events, private donations, and approved use of program money income generated from the Resource Library.
Dan W. Moore Scholarship
The Dan Moore Scholarship program helps provide affordable, adaptive, inclusive, child care settings and other services for children with special needs. The scholarship children has either an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and has a financial need. Services are provided in the child care centers by the public school system for children ages 3-5 or by the appropriate infant-toddler service providers for children 0-2 years on the directive of the IFSP or IEP. Children awarded scholarships are screened with the Brigance Screening Instrument (if age appropriate) to help provide for individual needs. A post screening is done in April or May to determine progress. The service providers also complete a quarterly progress report on the scholarship children. A portion of a clerical assistant’s salary is paid with Smart Start funds. This assistant is responsible for administering the Dan Moore Scholarship.
Early Childhood Higher Education Specialist
The Early Childhood/Higher Education Specialist (The Specialist) coordinates the offering of early childhood (EC) courses through Cleveland Community College. The Specialist is a full-time staff paid with Smart Start funds. The Specialist coordinates/teaches EC courses to meet demands of working providers. An effort to assist in the educational needs of providers in centers and homes with current three-five (3-5) star ratings will be made. Assistance is in the form of teaching courses at nontraditional times/locations and assisting with registration of students off-campus. The Specialist also coordinates the purchase of four (4) laptop computers for use by providers enrolled in EC classes. The Specialist also provides technical assistance with the computers and accessing online classes. These computers are available through a check out procedure in the Cleveland Community College library.
Education Benefits Coordinators
The purpose of the Education/Benefits Coordinators is to promote understanding of the educational requirements and opportunities for the child care professional and the benefits that are available to support them as professionals, and to provide technical assistance in developing a career path and in accessing all available resources. Individual, direct consultation is given to child care providers by the Education/Benefits Coordinators, either at Cleveland Community College or off-campus, depending on provider preference. Consultation is given whenever requested. Along with educational opportunities available, the Education/Benefits Coordinators share information about compensation programs, professional organizations, insurance programs, the rated license guidelines, and other information as necessary. Smart Start funds salary and benefits for one full-time (one FTE) and two part-time (two .45 FTE) staff.
Education Bonuses
The Education Incentive Bonus provides educational incentive bonuses to staff in any licensed facility upon the successful completion of early childhood education college coursework during fall and/or spring semesters 2007 – 2008 (up to 6 hours per semester) with a C or better grade. Direct teaching staff (Directors, teachers, and assistant teachers) are eligible for participation. Providers receive a $150.00 bonus for each college course in Early Childhood Education or in the pursuit of a degree in Early Childhood Education that they complete with a C or better grade. Providers complete a Notification application upon class enrollment and present official proof of completion and final grade at the end of the course. A Review Team, upon recommendation of the Director of Provider Services, approves applications and makes recommendations for reimbursements upon submission of final grades. A provider may be reimbursed for no more than four courses per year; priority is given to assisting as many providers as possible complete at least six hours in a 12 month period. The Education Bonus program is administered by the Director of Provider Services (.10 FTE) through Child Care Connections.
Preschool Classrooms
During the 2007-2008 fiscal year, Cleveland County Schools provides educational services to children with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Fallston, Union, James Love, Grover and West Elementary Schools will house these classrooms. Children with disabilities must meet the North Carolina requirements as defined in the North Carolina Procedures Governing Programs and Services for Children with Disabilities. The at-risk children will be selected from a county-wide developmental screening given by school staff. They will be ranked according to risk factors. Efforts will be made not to select children who are already in a program. Project children will be served by a Birth-Kindergarten certified teacher and a qualified assistant. Three of the teachers, three of the assistants, and half the preschool coordinator’s salary are paid with Smart Start funds. The two remaining teachers are paid with More at Four funds. One of the remaining assistants is paid with More at Four funds while the other assistant and the preschool coordinator’s remaining salary is paid with state Exceptional Children funds. Smart Start funds will support qualified substitutes to cover the Smart Start funded positions on an as needed basis. Children who qualify for specialized therapies, such as speech therapy, will be served by an appropriately licensed therapist (not paid with Smart Start funds). Classroom volunteers will assist the children in engaging in developmentally appropriate activities.
Purchase of Care and Administration
During the fiscal year 2007-2008, the Cleveland County Department of Social Services (DSS) will provide subsidized child care for approximately 170 children , birth to five in a regulated home or licensed center having no less than a three star rating. Applications will be taken at DSS on a first come, first served basis, if funding is available.
If a waiting list becomes necessary, the following target populations will be considered: Child Protective Services – services are offered when children are in danger of being removed from the home immediately. Child Welfare Services – to support families in crisis, family reunification, or to prevent foster care placement. Work First – participants who are required to be training and employment at least 35 hours per week. Employment – DSS requires the responsible adult to work 30 hours per week if economic conditions are stable. Training leading to employment – client is required to provide a class schedule of at least 12 semester hours per week if unemployed. Developmental Needs – children whose social, emotional, physical, or cognitive development is delayed or at risk.
The equivalent of one full time permanent day care worker and 1.25 temporary day care position with clerical and supervisory support will be funded with Smart Start. We currently have three full time permanent day care workers classed as Income Maintenance Caseworker II’s that spend a portion of their time performing Smart Start activities. We estimate they each spend approximately a third of their time during the course of a year on Smart Start activities which equals to the equivalency of one full time position dedicated to Smart Start.
Quality Enhancement
The Quality Enhancement Activity will support higher licensure in the regulated childcare facilities in Cleveland County through on-site technical assistance and Quality Improvement Grants to one to four star facilities that are willing to apply for higher licensure (new two component system) by June 30, 2008. All applicants must comply with the locally approved policies and procedures for Quality Improvement Grants. Applicants will be approved for improvement grants by a review team of local professionals with early childhood education knowledge and experience. Each participant will be required to contribute a $150.00 participation fee per participating classroom. This program will be administered and housed through Child Care Connections and employs two employees, a Director of Provider Services (.45 FTE) and a Core/QE Provider Specialist (.90 FTE).
Quality Sustainability
The Quality Sustainability will provide monthly financial supplements to four and five star facilities that have converted to the new Two Component Star Rated License system in order to maintain their established higher levels of care. Facilities must meet at least three of seven high quality indicators. Monthly supplements will be based upon enrollment and the number of indicators the facility meets. The Quality Sustainability Activity will be directed by the Director of Provider Services (.45 FTE) under the supervision of the Executive Director for Child Care Connections.
