Program Support

 

 

 

The Quality Perspective

 

The Program Support Unit within the Division provides development services to child-care programs, staff and parents through several methods. Developing and implementing new programs for young children includes expanding currently operating programs and improving all child-care programs.  The professional development activities include training and technical assistance services that encourage and ensure quality child-care services for young children.  The professional and program development activities are inherent to ensuring quality child-care for Arkansas children.  Specific program activities include:

 

 

BASIC ORIENTATION COURSE FOR CHILD-CARE STAFF/CHILD-CARE ORIENTATION TRAINING (CCOT)

 

Developed through the Department of Workforce Education, funding is provided by DCC&ECE to support basic health/safety and orientation training to new staff and providers in child-care.  The training system is administered by U of A Fayetteville and utilizes secondary vocational centers, post-secondary vocational schools, technical colleges, colleges, and universities as training sites throughout the state.  There is no charge for the 20-hour course.

 

 

 

ENHANCEMENT/IMPROVEMENT GRANTS

 

Grants are made available to providers for the purchase of equipment, materials and supplies to enhance program quality and assist with maintaining licensing standards.  Providers must demonstrate age-appropriate immunizations for all children in care to qualify for grants.  Grants are available to assist newly operating programs as start-up resources and to improve the quality of care provided in child-care settings in the state.

 

In 2001-2002, total grants awarded of $518,700 affected the care of 20,659 children in licensed and registered child-care settings.  Forty-two (42) grants were awarded for newly established programs to assist in start-up support for expansion of capacity of care.  Care was increased by 1,635 children in these locations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AR DHS Statistical Report SFY 2002

2-24

PROGRAM SUPPORT

 

 

 

ENHANCEMENT/IMPROVEMENT GRANTS (continued)

 

 

 

TRAINING GRANTS

 

Training grants are available to assist providers in accessing training for CPR and Red Cross Safety. CPR training is required for licensure and this grant assists providers in paying for this required training.  Nine hundred twenty-seven (927) child-care providers accessed CPR/Red Cross training through support from the DCC&ECE.

 

 

CDA SCHOLARSHIPS

 

Scholarships are made available to individuals working in child-care programs to assist in training which leads to certification under the Child Development Associate Credential.  This nationally recognized credential provides a practicum for child-care workers and assists them in improving the learning environment for children in care.

 

In 2000, Arkansas implemented an approval procedure for institutions and instructors of Child Development Associate (CDA) coursework.  Institutions submit verification of specific criteria to ensure that CDA courses offer high quality instruction for CDA students.  Currently there are 28 approved institutions with 61 approved instructors.  The approved CDA institutions have adopted three CDA common courses to ensure consistency and to encourage articulation agreements throughout the higher education system.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AR DHS Statistical Report SFY 2002

2-25

PROGRAM SUPPORT

 

 

 

CDA SCHOLARSHIPS (continued)

 

Arkansas currently has a total of 2,662 persons with the Child Development Associate Credential.

 

 

 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES

 

Professional development sessions, seminars, workshops and training opportunities are being funded through the DCC&ECE, allowing child-care professionals throughout the state to participate in improving their skills. Contracts for these professional development activities offer a wide variety of training for all levels of caregivers.  Support is also given to on-going associations offering conferences on early childhood issues.

 

 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

 

Technical assistance is available by self-referral or referral from the licensing office to all child-care programs in the state.  Childhood Services, affiliated with Arkansas State University, has established a group of early childhood professionals to offer this assistance at no charge to providers.

 

 

ARKANSAS CHILD-CARE FACILITIES LOAN GUARANTEE FUND

 

Loan grantees are made to assist with the development of new facilities or expansion of existing facilities, particularly in low-income, rural areas that demonstrate a need for additional quality child care.  Guarantees are available to a maximum of $25,000 and may be used for operating capital, as well as capital outlay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AR DHS Statistical Report SFY 2002

2-26

Program Support

 

 

 

ARKANSAS CHILD-CARE FACILITIES GUARANTEE LOAN FISCAL REPORT

(Comparison By Year)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AR DHS Statistical Report SFY 2002

2-27

Program Support

 

 

 

CHILD-CARE FACILITIES FUNDING/ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT- COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDING

 

DCC&ECE and ADED have a working partnership to assist in the development of quality child-care programs in Arkansas.  DCC&ECE provides the pre-application review for ADED to determine the viability of potential child-care projects.  ADED provides grant funding for construction or renovation of child-care facilities, which will serve a majority of low to moderate-income children.  These grants are available only to city or county governments.  During SFY 2001-02, projects for renovation/construction were finalized in the following locations: Booneville, Gravette, Harrisburg and Lead Hill.

                                   

 

 

CHILD-CARE RESOURCE CENTER

 

The Child-Care Resource Center is a lending library and resource center for child-care providers throughout the state.  All licensed and registered child-care providers may apply for a user card and will receive a catalog of resources available.  The resource center is available for use by providers for training and staff development activities. 

 

 

 

ACCREDITATION/APPROVAL SYSTEM

 

This system identifies programs, which demonstrate a quality educational program for young children. Programs that are funded through Arkansas Better Chance funds and programs that receive contract funds through DCC&ECE must comply with the approval standards.  Approval as a quality educational program is available for child-care centers and child-care family homes.  Programs which meet state or national accreditation standards provide parents access to a refundable tax credit which doubles the state child-care tax credit available through the state tax system.

 

A new Incentive Grant for meeting the Quality Standards became available in January of 2002.  During the first six months, 161 programs were eligible for the Incentive Grant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AR DHS Statistical Report SFY 2002

2-28

Program Support

 

 

 

ACCREDITATION/APPROVAL SYSTEM (continued)

 

 

 

CHILD-CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL CENTER

 

Parents can access information on all licensed/registered child-care homes and centers by accessing the DCC&ECE web site at: http://www.accessarkansas.org/childcare/ or through the 1-800-445-3316 line.  All licensed and registered homes and centers are included in the referral database.  This web site also includes information on all services available throughout the division, including information for parents on selecting child-care programs.

 

Local Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies continue to operate and support parental access and business involvement in early care issues both locally and on a statewide basis.  Central Arkansas Child Care Resource and Referral-AR Children began operation.  Over 3,000 referrals were made through the local R&R systems.  Referrals through the division website reached over ½ million contacts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AR DHS Statistical Report SFY 2002

2-29

Program Support

 

 

 

ARKANSAS BETTER CHANCE PROGRAMS

 

DCC&ECE, in cooperation with the Arkansas Department of Education and the Arkansas State Board of Education, administers the Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) Programs.  Funded by the Educational Excellence Trust Fund, ABC programs are intended to serve educationally deprived children.  Children’s ages range from birth through five years of age.  Children are placed in developmentally appropriate programs, including HIPPY (Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters).  Eligible students must have at least one of the following characteristics:  low-income family, parents with low educational level, low birth weight, child to a teen mother, a family with a history of substance abuse/addiction, eligibility for Title I services, eligibility for services under Public Law 99-457, (a family with a history of abuse or neglect, a victim of abuse or neglect, or have demonstrable developmental delays as identified through an appropriate screening).  ABC programs are operated by local school districts, Educational Service Cooperatives, community-based non-profit centers, Head Start programs and University programs.  Services may be home-based, such as the HIPPY program or Parents as Teachers (PAT), or center-based programs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                              

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

    

 

Source:  Program Support Unit

 

AR DHS Statistical Report SFY 2002

2-30