eNotes
September 13, 2017In this Issue:
- Helping Children and Their Families after a Disaster Source: Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA) Center
- Self-Assessment for Early Childhood Programs Serving Families Experiencing Homelessness Source: U.S. Department of Human Services Administration for Children and Families (ACF), and the Ounce
- Learning Outcomes Mobile App from Head Start Source: U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services
- Why and How of State Early Childhood Data Systems Source: The Ounce
- Key Competencies for Licensors of Child Care Programs Source: National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance
- Designing Family-Friendly Consumer Education on Child Care Source: National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance
1. Helping Children and Their Families after a Disaster
In response to the recent storms impacting children and families in Texas, Florida and the Caribbean, the ECTA Center has recently updated its Disaster Planning and Trauma Response topics page (September 2017). This collection of resources was designed to assist states, educators, and practitioners to help families with children who've experienced trauma.
2. Self-Assessment for Early Childhood Programs Serving Families Experiencing Homelessness
This self-assessment tool from the Ounce and ACF (Summer 2017) is designed specifically for welcoming and supporting families and children experiencing homelessness in early childhood programs. Child care and early education practitioners take on an important role in identifying families with young children experiencing homelessness, and connecting them to other community resources. Included are recommendations for responding appropriately to the unique needs of preschoolers and their families experiencing homelessness in five areas: Identification and Support; Removal of Barriers; Responding to Family Needs; Engagement in Strategic Collaboration; and Improving Collection, Reporting and Utilization of Data. Additional resources to support programs are also provided.
3. Learning Outcomes Mobile App from Head Start
Head Start's mobile app: ELOF2GO is a mobile resource for teachers who want to access and learn more about the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF). The application (app) provides on-the-go access to the ELOF goals for children and effective teaching practices in support of those goals. It is designed for teachers, family child care providers, and home visitors. You can find the app on Google Play, the Apple App Store, or from the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (September 2017).
4. Why and How of State Early Childhood Data Systems
A new resource by The Ounce (August 2017) explores why integrated early childhood data systems are important, and how states can connect data between agencies to most effectively use the data for designing strategies to improve child outcomes. Also included is a section on data privacy and security considerations and requirements.
5. Key Competencies for Licensors of Child Care Programs
This new guide (June 2017) outlines the knowledge, skills and other characteristics that a child care program licensor needs in order to perform his/her job successfully. The key competencies include: supporting child development, caseload management, accountability, communication, supporting compliance and quality improvement, monitoring and enforcement, and leadership. Also provided are sample interview questions, and suggestions for performance evaluation and professional development.
6. Designing Family-Friendly Consumer Education on Child Care
This recent brief (June 2017) offers support to state agencies in response to provisions in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 and the 2016 Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) final rule, requiring improved family-friendly consumer education. In particular, each state must maintain a website containing information about child care providers in the state or local area, results of providers' monitoring and inspection reports (including health and safety violations), and a list of resources for parents, including financial assistance.