0. National Head Start Association Conference
Successful Partnerships of EHS & Child Care: The Child Care Perspective
National Head Start Association Conference
March 30 – April 2, 2015

1. Presenters
Kathie Boling National Center on Child Care Subsidy Innovation and Accountability (NCCCSIA)
Katherine Falen National Center on Child Care Quality Improvement (NCCCQI)

2. Learning Objectives
Understand key Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) policies and child care systems.
Identify strategies within partnerships to:
deliver consistently high quality, coordinated ECE services.
serve low-income children and their families in high quality early care and education settings.

3. Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships
Support states and communities in expanding high quality early learning and development opportunities for infants and toddlers.
Early Head Start applicants who demonstrate partnership will join with child care providers who agree to meet high standards of quality.
Enhance and support early learning settings; provide new, full-day, comprehensive services that meet the needs of working families; and prepare children for the transition into preschool.
EHS-CC Initiative PowerPoint,

4. Group Discussion: EHS & Child Care Strengths
EHS Strengths
EHS Performance Standards
Professional development
Family services
Health, developmental, &
behavioral screenings
Service delivery options
Increased funding levels
Child Care Strengths
State-wide regulations and monitoring
State professional development systems
Quality Rating and Improvement Systems
Full-day, full-year, flexible schedules
State Infant & Toddler initiatives
CCDF Subsidy payments

5. Table Discussion
Think about your current working relationship with the State child care program…
How deep is your knowledge of child care?
How have you connected with child care?
What are the benefits of the relationship?
What is challenging about the relationship?

6. CCDF Basics Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014
Funding of approx. $5.3 billion
Administered by States, Territories, and
Tribes
Support for low-income working families
Set-aside for quality improvements

7. Bridging EHS and CCDF
Align policies to encourage stability and continuity of care
Identify opportunities for layered funding
Access financial and other supports
Identify infant & toddler populations
Serve vulnerable populations (e.g., homeless and migrant families)
Develop joint or streamlined processes

8. Relevant CCDF Components
Quality and Systems Improvements
Child Care Subsidy Program

9. Quality Initiatives
Health and Safety Standards and Monitoring Processes
Continuous Quality Improvement
Qualified and Effective Workforce
Outreach and Consumer Education

10. Program Standards Alignment
Identify shared quality goals: Compare CCDF quality standards (e.g., licensing, QRIS) to HSPPS

11. Early Learning and Development Guidelines Alignment11 11
Early Learning and Development Guidelines Alignment
Align early learning goals: crosswalk early learning guidelines with HSCDELF

12. Professional Development Alignment
Shared training opportunities
State Registries
Professional Associations

13. Mechanisms for Successful Partnering
State Advisory Council
Head Start State Collaboration Office
State Head Start Association
State and Local Professional Development Agencies
Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies

14. Resources CCTAN Web site https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/
Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership Resources
CCDF Reauthorization Resources

15. CCDF Partnership Opportunities for families
Identify children who need services. Potential grantees could use the CCDF waiting list to enroll Early Head Start eligible children.
Stabilize families’ subsidies. CCDF grantees can align eligibility periods with Early Head Start and lengthen the time between redetermination.
Waive co-pays for families below poverty.
Contracts or grants for slots. States have the option of distributing funds through grants or contracts which can stabilize funding for partnerships.
Administration for Children & Families, EHS-CC Partnership Initiative PowerPoint
slide 10

16. STATE INITIATIVES Despite difficult economic times,
23 states have at least one initiative
that builds on the federally
funded EHS program.
Colvard, J., Schmit, S., Center for Law and Social Policy & Zero To Three. (2012). Expanding access to Early Head Start: State initiatives for infants & toddlers at risk. Center for Law and Social Policy, Inc.

17. ESTABLISH ELIGIBILITY
Income – Children below Federal Poverty Level are eligible for both CCDF and EHS
(CCDF also serves a broader income range -- up to 85% SMI)
Activities – flexibility to define employment, education, training
Flexibility – authorizing hours of care not limited work schedule

18. SERVE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
Special eligibility considerations
Define vulnerable - homeless, ESL, teen parents, who else…
Protective Services
Child welfare client
Waive requirements
Work
Training & education
Income
Policy Implications

19. REFER DUALLY-ELIGIBLE FAMILIES
During CCDF eligibility process
family referred to EHS and CC Subsidy
Family-friendly eligibility process
extended office hours and call centers
multiple application methods
parent liaison

20. ALIGN LENGTH OF ELIGIBILITY
Establishing CCDF eligibility while in EHS
Establishing CCDF eligibility for 12 months
Aligning eligibility periods with EHS
Easing family reporting requirements

21. ESTABLISH CONTRACTS States may use contracts to:
Establish CCDF eligibility while in EHS
Delegate eligibility determination to EHS
Negotiate reimbursement rates and rules
Specify formalized procedures

22. PAY PROVIDER RATES THAT
SUPPORT QUALITY
Establish base rates that support quality
Offer higher rates for higher quality care
Negotiate rates through contracting

23. SUPPORT PROVIDERS WITH
PAYMENT POLICIES
Design sustainable payment practices:
Implement flexible attendance policies (EHS allows for 85% attendance)
Make timely payments
Assign a provider liaison to assist with subsidy issues

24. Supporting partnerships Layer funding
CCDF regulation: States can layer EHS and CCDF Subsidy for the same child
Combine or layer funds
Subsidy Infant Toddler Quality
EHS Partnership grant Home Visiting

25. Bridging EHS and CCDF
Align policies to encourage stability and continuity of care
Identify opportunities for layered funding
Access financial and other supports
Identify infant & toddler populations
Serve vulnerable populations (e.g., homeless and migrant families)
Develop joint or streamlined processes

26. Table Discussion: Next Steps
Think again about your current working relationship with the State child care program…
How can you strengthen or develop that partnership?

27. REFLECTIONS I learned… I re-learned… I will apply…27
REFLECTIONS
I learned…
I re-learned…
I will apply…
I would like to know more about…
I am surprised by…
Katherine
Ask if any one would like to share their REFLECTIONS I learned or I –re-learned…..

28. For questions or comments:
Thank You!
For questions or comments:
Kathie Boling
Katherine Falen