Latest News from the Bureau of Child Care
The mission of the Bureau of Child Care is to provide all parents with informed child care choices that promote their children's health, safety and future success in school.
Read the Bureau's annual report and newsletters to find out how this mission is being accomplished and more.
PATHS TO QUALITY
Paths to QUALITY is a free and voluntary program designed to help child care providers learn new ways to improve the quality of their care and to validate programs and providers for ongoing efforts to achieve higher standards of quality. It supplies the tools for providers to build their business and better serve the families in their care.
The program, implemented in partnership with the Indiana Association of Child Care Resource and Referral and the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children, was phased in beginning 1/01/08 with availability to all regulated child care providers statewide by 1/01/09. The Bureau of Child Care is pleased to report that from 1/01/08 thru 5/31/09:
- 1562 child care providers have attended an Introduction Session to find out more about Paths to QUALITY;
- 1351 providers have enrolled in the program;
- 366 providers have been rated;
- $303,150 in awards and incentives have been made to providers for quality improvements; and
- 50,869 children in Indiana are benefiting.
For more information on Paths to QUALITY, contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency at 1-800-299-1627 or click on the Paths to QUALITY link on this website.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIESFor an up-to-date statewide listing of Indiana trainings, workshops and conferences on early childhood topics and issues, visit the events calendar on the Early Childhood Meeting Place website at http://earlychildhoodmeetingplace.indiana.edu/.
For information on current professional development opportunites that may be of interest, click here.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEWLY RECOGNIZED ACCREDITING BODYThe Bureau of Child Care is pleased to announce that the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) has met the scoring requirements, and is considered an officially recognized accrediting body for child care providers in Indiana effective October 1, 2008.
Child care providers meeting ACSI standards may be eligible for a 10% above market rate reimbursement for CCDF voucher children. This accreditation now meets one of the requirements for Level 4 participation on the Paths to QUALITY program.
The Bureau of Child Care currently recognizes the following accrediting bodies:- COA - Council on Accreditation
- NAEYC - National Association for the Eduation of Young Children
- NAFCC - National Association of Family Child Care
- NECPA - National Early Childhood Program Accreditation
- ACSI - Association of Christian Schools International
VOLUNTARY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM GUIDELINES
The Voluntary Certification Program (VCP) is offered to all Indiana unlicensed registered child care ministry providers who want to ensure that the basic health and safety needs of the children they serve are being met. The voluntary program offers the tools, information, and assistance necessary to attain these standards. To access the program guidelines, click here; or if you would like a copy of the guidelines mailed to you, please call 1-877-511-1144.
Families & Employers
"A Parent's Guide to Choosing Safe and Healthy Child Care" by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Providers
NEW FINGERPRINTING SERVICES AVAILABLE
The State of Indiana has contracted with L-1 Identity Solutions to provide fingerprinting services statewide effective 5/8/2009. With the new process, they will offer more locations and a variety of days and times. They have contracted with locations other than police agencies to do the fingerprinting such as UPS stores, hotel conference rooms, government buildings, etc. Prints will be electronically scanned rather than ink printed which will reduce the number of prints being returned because they were "bad prints". The turnaround time is also much quicker. Because everyone must pre-register either online or over the telephone and prints are submitted electronically at the time of printing, the chance of prints being lost in the mail is eliminated. Some of the differences in the process are:
- Locations (available on website at www.L1enrollment.com)
- Electronically scanned prints
- Receipt is given at the time of printing as proof
- Wait time of less than 15 minutes
- Quicker turnaround time of results
- Slight increase in fees (available on website at www.L1enrollment.com)
Licensees will continue to get notification when it is time for them to be reprinted. Just as with the old procedure, your fingerprints are not stored by L-1, the FBI, or the State Police. They are only compared to the FBI and State Police databases. The State Police (in particular, Inez Ford) will no longer be able to help you with your fingerprint questions. Please follow the simple step-by-step instructions.
CLARIFICATIONS TO LICENSED CHILD CARE HOME INTERPRETATIVE GUIDE
The Bureau of Child Care (BCC) wishes to inform licensed child care home providers that some clarifications have been added to the "Interpretative Guidelines" manual for your child care program. Please note that these are clarifications to the existing regulations, NOT new regulations. These guidelines serve to ensure that you, your consultant and the families that you serve will know how the regulations are enforced and what the threshold of compliance is for each regulation. These changes are effective April 15, 2009, and can be reviewed by clicking here.
If during your first inspection following this date you are found to be out of compliance with any of the new updates, you will not be cited. Any insufficiencies in the newly updated areas will be discussed with you and the discussion will be documented. During future visits you will be expected to be in compliance with the updates.
The full Interpretative Guide along with the changes effective April 15th are posted on this website specifically at http://www.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/2734.htm under the banner titled "Interpretative Guidelines". You may request a hard copy of the additions or the full guide during your next inspection visit or you may request a copy now by calling 1-877-511-1144.
UPDATE TO PROPOSED CHANGES TO LICENSED CHILD CARE HOME RULES
To see a copy of the newly proposed licensed child care home rules, please click here. These are draft rules only and not officially adopted at this time.
LICENSED CHILD CARE CENTER ADVISORY BOARD
In an effort to improve communication and relationships with providers, the Bureau of Child Care (BCC) initiated a Licensed Child Care Center Advisory Board. The purpose of the Advisory Board is to make formal recommendations to BCC about statewide policy and program decisions. The Advisory Board will meet on a quarterly basis and is open to the public.
LICENSED CHILD CARE HOME ADVISORY COMMITTEE
In accordance with IC 12-17.2-2.5-1, the Division of Family Resources (DFR) has established a child care home advisory committee. The purpose of the committee is to provide DFR with information, advice, and assistance concerning implementation of child care regulations. The advisory committee will meet on a quarterly basis.
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
Division of Family Resources
Bureau of Child Care
402 West Washington Street, Room W361
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Child Care Information Line: 1-877-511-1144
Parent Information Line: 1-888-463-5473
