April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

There’s no one solution to keeping kids safe. There’s no one agency, no one organization and no one person that can protect all our children. It takes a village to raise a child. It takes all of us to prevent child abuse and neglect.

Here at Strengthening Families Washington, we support communities that work with families to build Protective Factors and support parents. Parenting is hard and there is no one way to parent.

There are, however, best practices to support all families. Wrapping parents in support using the Protective Factors is both promotive and protective. We encourage programs across the state to support families and help them grow and realize their full potential, just like the children we endeavor to help.

Each year, in April, we highlight our prevention work as part of the national Child Abuse Prevention Month. The pinwheel represents the happy, healthy childhood every child deserves. We will join with organizations across the country to highlight our commitment to happy childhoods and our ongoing prevention work.

In addition to our pinwheels, we also want to invite everyone in Washington to participate in Wear Blue Day on April 6th to stand in solidarity against child abuse. It’s easy – just wear blue!

We work closely with our partners because we cannot do this alone. No one can do this alone. From our family to yours, thanks for your support.

Licensed Centers subcommittee holds first meeting

The members of the Licensed Center Advisory Subcommittee (LCAS) met for the first time last month in Renton. The full-day meeting was held February 20.

LCAS is a subcommittee of the Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC), which addresses the overarching topic of early learning in Washington state. This subcommittee is tasked with identifying and addressing the unique needs and concerns of licensed child care centers in Washington state.

About 30 people, including subcommittee members and DEL staff, attended the first meeting. Among the key concerns for licensed center representatives were recognizing the diversity of child care centers and supporting centers as small businesses.

“As we move forward in this industry we have to ensure we do everything we can to support small businesses,” said Perry Langston, an LCAS member who has been in the child care industry for 30 years. Langston also serves as vice president of the Washington Childcare Centers Association (WCCA).

“We want to be part of the solution,” he said. “If we are willing to adapt to change, to work and collaborate, then I see all kinds of success coming down the pike.”

At the same time, he emphasized that the main focus should be on the children.

“We watch the most precious thing in people’s lives – their children,” he said. “They need to be in an environment where they can live, laugh, love, and learn.”

The primary goal of the meeting was for members to introduce themselves, discuss the subcommittee’s purpose, and develop shared norms and a mission.

With that in mind, one of the first tasks of the LCAS is to develop a work plan for 2018. Some of their tentative priorities include improving communications about regulations changes, building a resource network for at-risk kids, and addressing new education requirements.

“We live and die by the rules being made,” said center representative Renee Hernandez. Hernandez also noted the importance of meeting the individual needs of different centers.

“We don’t want to be reactive anymore,” agreed fellow subcommittee member Julie Schroath. “We want to be involved.”

The group also heard an update from DEL Assistant Director Frank Ordway, who discussed the current legislative session and the upcoming Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

The next in-person LCAS meeting will be held in May. The location has not yet been determined.

The LCAS is currently recruiting members from the following regions: North Central, Olympic-Kitsap Peninsulas, and Southeast (for the regional map, click here). If you are interested in joining the subcommittee, contact slc@del.wa.gov.

DEL evaluates ECE Career Planning Portal

The Department of Early Learning is evaluating the Early Childhood Education Career Planning Portal (ECE Career Planning Portal) and we need your help! 

The ECE Career Planning Portal helps visitors learn about careers in Early Childhood Education, find a certificate or degree program, learn about financial aid, and more! If you use the ECE Career Planning Portal, we want to understand how you use it, what additional information you are looking for, and what we can do to improve it.

Please visit http://bit.ly/Portal_Survey to take the survey. The survey closes April 6, 2018. 

The feedback we gain through this evaluation will help us decide how to make the ECE Career Planning Portal more useful for those looking to enter, or advance their careers in, the early childhood education workforce.

DEL examines child care centers in second Cost of Quality phase

The second installment of the Cost of Quality series by the Department of Early Learning (DEL) is now available. Last summer, DEL sent a survey to a sample of licensed child care centers to better understand the costs of operating a center and the costs associated with Early Achievers. The researchers were also trying to determine whether certain characteristics of child care centers are related to the Early Achievers quality rating of those centers. Identifying relationships between Early Achievers quality level and various characteristics of centers will allow DEL to effectively invest in continuous quality improvement at child care centers.

Researchers analyzed the relationship between numerous variables and Early Achievers quality level. Using a variety of statistical methods, researchers identified which aspects of child care center facilities, staff, and operations were associated with higher Early Achievers quality levels. The researchers examined center characteristics, staff, enrollment, and costs and revenue.

The analysis did not uncover a single strategy of improving quality, rather a suite of strategies that lead to high-quality child care. Improving the working environment for employees generally appears to improve the level of quality of the center. Researchers determined that wages and the level of assistant teachers’ education were associated with higher quality levels. Less teacher turnover also contributes to higher quality levels. It appears that centers that create a positive job experience are more likely to be high-quality.

Some characteristics that were indicators of quality included: the amount of indoor and outdoor space per child, how long a center has operated, and how diverse a center’s staff is. Other findings remark on the implications of tuition rates. One would expect that the price of a service would be related to the quality of that service. However, researchers determined that tuition has only a modest, positive relationship with quality. This makes it difficult for parents or guardians to know the quality of the service they are buying. Thus, the transparency Early Achievers offers for quality in child care is an important resource for parents and guardians in the state of Washington.

Phase III will be the next part of the Cost of Quality series and will study licensed family home child care. DEL will deploy the survey at the end of March.

State honors Unsung Heroes at annual awards dinner

Shannon Love was one of 28 Unsung Heroes.

She was honored for her work to reform 

foster care in Washington state.

On a snowy and blustery Feb. 20 night, parents, grandparents, teachers and caregivers from around the state were honored at the annual Unsung Hero awards dinner.

Twenty-eight honorees were selected this year, one for each day in February, for Parent Recognition Month.

These inspiring individuals were selected by a parent panel and represent resilience in our state. They include a grandpa taking on custody of his young grandson, a school counselor who took in three siblings so they didn’t have to be split up, moms who are amazing advocates for their special needs kids and foster parents giving children a stable and loving home. Our focus was to honor heroes that utilize one or more of the Protective Factors:

• Parental Resilience: overcoming hard times and bouncing back
• Concrete Supports in Times of Need: knowing where to turn to for help
• Social and Emotional Competence of Children: knowing how to help children talk about feelings
• Social Connections: reaching out and knowing who can support you
• Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development: knowing where to go for information on parenting skills and children’s developmental growth

The night was filled with smiles, laughter and some tears as each honoree’s nomination was read for the group and awards were given by Director Heather Moss. If you would like to read all of the inspiring stories, please visit our partner in the Unsung Hero Campaign, Seattle’s Child Magazine.

Thank you again to everyone who sent in nominations and another round of big congratulations to our 2018 Unsung Heroes!

Electronic attendance system trainings available now

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Attention all child care providers accepting subsidy payments: trainings are happening now for the new electronic attendance system!

Starting July 1, 2018, all providers accepting Working Connections Child Care subsidies will be required to track attendance using an electronic attendance system.

This new requirement applies to child care centers, family home child care providers, and Family, Friend and Neighbor (FFN) providers.

Providers have the option to use DEL’s electronic attendance system or another DEL-approved electronic system. DEL is implementing this new system to improve how we track children’s participation in child care. It will track, store, and report on child attendance to support provider billing. The system will save providers time, cost taxpayers less, and reduce attendance inaccuracies.

Our goal is to make this transition as quick and easy as possible. Through the early adopter process, Washington providers have provided invaluable feedback to help us design training that supports a system people will use every day.

What do I need to do?

If you are using DEL’s electronic attendance system, you must:

• Complete the required training for the electronic attendance system;
• Set up your electronic attendance system profile; and
• Begin recording attendance.

How do I complete the training?

The training on DEL’s electronic attendance system is open to all subsidy providers. We encourage all providers to complete their training well before the July 1 deadline.

• Decide what training works for you. You can choose from three options for training: in person, online, or with a self-paced workbook. Training is available in English, Spanish, and Somali.
• Find your preferred training here: http://del.wa.gov/Attendance-Support.
• Request interpretation by contacting electronic.attendance@del.wa.gov or 360-725-4430. 

What if I already use an electronic attendance system?

You are not required to attend a training or use DEL’s electronic attendance system if you already use a DEL-approved system or plan to begin using one. For questions about approved systems, please e-mail electronic.attendance@del.wa.gov. 

Do I get an incentive?

For Family Home and FFN Providers, DEL has negotiated with SEIU 925 a one-time $200 benefit for the first 5,000 who apply for the incentive. Providers must register in MERIT and complete training for the new system to be eligible. The benefit is available on a first-come, first-served basis. This money can be applied toward the cost of purchasing new technology equipment and internet access. This benefit is not available to child care centers.

To request your incentive, visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/APincentive.

What technology will I need?

To use the DEL electronic attendance system, internet access, a tablet, and a printer will be necessary. For best results, DEL recommends a computer, in addition to the tablet, for administrative tasks.

Who do I contact if I need more help?

• Technology or Electronic Attendance System questions
• Call DEL technical support at 844-704-6777. You may also e-mail eas.servicedesk@del.wa.gov.
• Electronic Attendance General Questions
• Contact DEL’s subsidy team at electronic.attendance@del.wa.gov or 360-725-4430.
• You may also request interpretation by contacting electronic.attendance@del.wa.gov or 360-725-4430.
• MERIT Questions 
• Contact MERIT Support Team at MERIT@del.wa.gov or 866-482-4325 option 5

Want more information? Check out these helpful links:

• Attendance Project Overview
• Training Schedules and Information
• Getting Started Checklist