Provider appreciation

May 9 is National Child Care Provider Appreciation Day! The day was designated in 1966 as a way to recognize the often overlooked child care workforce and is celebrated each year on the Friday before Mother's Day.

"Today's child care professionals are the world's unsung heroes. This profession is one of the most underpaid occupations in the country; yet research shows that early childhood is the most critical developmental period in a child's life. It takes a special person to work in this field and the contribution these individuals make to the quality of children's and families' lives too frequently go unnoticed. Provider Appreciation Day offers a unique opportunity to recognize and commend the unselfish dedication, commitment and compassion that child care providers demonstrate every day." (providerappreciation.org)

VACCRRN joins Virginia families, childhood professionals and educators in recognizing and celebrating this special day and the invaluable contributions of this honorable profession. Thank you to every child care provider who has made it their purpose and passion to teach, nurture and care for children.

Virginia Child Care hits the hill!

Virginia Child Care hit Washington, D. C. on April 3 to visit the offices of Virginia's 13 U. S. House Representatives and Senators to support and advocate for the federal reauthorization of the Child Care & Development Block Grant. The CCDBG provides funding to programs like child care subsidy and Child Care Resource & Referral services. These services are critical to children, families, child care professionals, and our economy. The CCDBG has not been reauthorized (funding has been stagnant) in 7 years, meaning that each year, fewer and fewer families receive the assistance needed to secure quality child care.

Along with our National Association of CCR&R Agencies, NACCRRA, we provided legislators with data to support the need for increased subsidy dollars and an enhanced investment in early care and education programs, beyond the scope of Governor Kaine's Pre-K movement in Virginia and the President's proposed 2009 fiscal year budget. We challenged our congressional representatives to place themselves in the shoes of children who need access to affordable, safe, high-quality child care!

See what NACCRRA has proposed in their policy agenda.

T.E.A.C.H.

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® VIRGINIA offers scholarships to child care providers - teachers, directors and family child care providers- who work in regulated early childhood programs to complete coursework toward an Associate Degree in early childhood education at local community colleges.

T.E.A.C.H. offers money to support the cost of tuition, books and travel, and integrates study release time from work into the contract with your employer. To apply, you are required to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available here and apply for the Department of Social Services' Virginia Child Care Provider Scholarship Program, available here.

If you are interested in the T.E.A.C.H. program, call Jackie Carrera at 866-481-1913 or email teach@vaccrrn.org.

T.E.A.C.H. Virginia is administered through VACCRRN with funding from the CCDBG through a contract with the Virginia Department of Social Services' Division of Child Care and Development and through private foundations.

Make your opinion count

The Center for Early Literacy Learning is gathering information from early childhood practitioners about the use of early literacy learning practices for young children. They are interested in what you think is important in order to get young children ready to learn to read, write, and spell. Please complete this 5-minute survey by clicking here.

$$ for child care providers

Virginia has a special loan program available to the child care providers of Virginia! The Child Care Financing Program was started in 1993 by the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA) to promote Virginia businesses by assisting with their financing needs. The VSBFA is the entity through which state agencies can use special funds to provide loans or credit enhancements for the benefit of Virginia businesses. In the case of the Child Care Financing Program, the Department of Social Services entered into an agreement with the VSBFA to provide loans to qualifying child care providers.

Licensed, religious-exempt or voluntarily registered child care providers may apply for funds which can be used for quality enhancement projects or projects to meet or maintain state or local child care requirements, including health, safety and fire code regulations. The program has financed new fences, educational materials, playground equipment, cots and cubbies, toys and books: even new school buses for child care centers!

Loan funds are for the direct benefit of children; therefore, the program does not finance normal operating costs such as rent, utilities or payroll, and it cannot support construction or debt refinancing. Qualified applicants must offer reasonable assurance of loan repayment.

For Family Home Providers the maximum loan is $5,000 with a $15 application fee, and the maximum maturity is 5 years. Child Care Centers generally have a maximum loan amount of $50,000 and a $250,000 maximum for a parent or holding company. The program has been known to exceed these limits to help centers replace vans for safer buses for transporting children. Again, the focus is on the well-being of children. The maximum maturity is 5 years and there is a $100 application fee.

Interest rates are 3% below the bank Prime Rate with a floor of 4%. (For example, Prime is 6% currently, so the present rate on these loans is only 4%.)

If you are interested in this exciting financing opportunity, click here for more information and an application, or call the VSBFA at 804-371-8254.

How to find us

Call 1-866-KIDS-TLC and punch in your zip code to be connected to your local CCR&R, or click here for their contact information.

So, what is normal?

Children develop at their own pace; we all know that. It's impossible to say exactly when a child will learn a given skill, but there are some normative developmental milestones to consider when assessing a child's level of skill and understanding. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have initiated a public awareness campaign called Act Early to educate parents and care providers about child development and what to expect at certain ages. This knowledge will aid in monitoring children's developing motor, language, social emotional and cognitive skills throughout childhood.

"Learn the Signs. Act early."

Visit the CDC Act Early campaign here to learn about these normative developmental milestones and to learn the warning signs of possible developmental delays.

National proposals

VACCRRN, along with NACCRRA, supports these federal guidelines to enhance the safety and quality of child care services provided throughout the U.S:

Require complete background checks of all paid providers, including FBI fingerprinting.
Set minimum training standards for all child care providers and fund the strengthening of the child care workforce.
Prohibit the use of subsidy dollars to pay for providers who are convicted felons.

Click here to read more.

More on pre-k

ThGovernor's Working Group has developed a resource guide for public and private early childhood leaders, Solving the Preschool Puzzle, offering detailed information about collaborative, innovative approaches to deliver early childhood services.

Download Solving the Preschool Puzzle here, and learn more about the Start Strong pre-k initiative and QRIS.

caution

Safety announcements

The CPSC just released new playground safety regulations for care providers and educators in their updated Handbook for Public Playground Safety, available here.

While neither the CPSC nor the FDA have yet to issue a recall on plastic baby bottles containing the potentially toxic chemical BPA, many groups are calling for a product ban, and Wal-Mart has voluntarily removed baby bottles containing BPA from their shelves. Keep up with the research, and find any related recalls at www.cpsc.gov

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Professionals wanted

We are still searching statewide to enlist providers for infant, sick, special needs and non-traditional hour care. These services are in high demand in Virginia and we need eager and qualified professionals to open their doors to Virginia's working families! Please contact your CCR&R if you are interested in expanding your services, or if you'd like to refer a friend!

Update your info

Your CCR&R collects vacancy and rate data on a quarterly and annual basis and you can help sustain the quality of child care referrals by updating information on your services and availability. Contact your CCR&R with changes in contact info, rates and vacancies, or download the Child Care Program Profile update form here.

Training resources

Our CCR&R spring training schedule is in full swing. Eight agencies around the state are conducting Preventing Slips, Trips & Falls in Child Care workshops from now until May 31. Contact your CCR&R now for more information!

Don't forget to check the TIPS Calendar for ongoing training around the state by clicking below:

Tips Calendar