211 Child Care Referral
WHY WAIT TO CALL 211? FREE, LIVE AND CONFIDENTIAL
We can provide free guidance and information about: ▪ child care ▪ behavioral strategies ▪ school readiness & tips ▪ early childhood development ▪ family stress & anxiety ▪ parenting classes & support ▪ local play groups ▪ foster care support ▪ basic family resources... and much more!
Mon-Fri 7am-11pm | Sat-Sun 8am-8pm Dial 211 | Text the keyword children to 898211 Email
[email protected] | Visit 211info.org
The Research Institute
at Western Oregon University 345 Monmouth Avenue North Monmouth, OR 97361 800.342.6712 www.oregonccrr.com
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Human Services Sub-Grants Program CFDA #93.575 Administered by The Research Institute at Western Oregon University
Finding Quality Child Care
Central Coordination Child CareResource Referral of
and
A Guide for Oregon Families Central Coordination of Child Care Resource & Referral at The Research Institute at Western Oregon University Why Quality Matters
One of the most important decisions that families will ever make is choosing the right kind of child care for their children. 211 Child Care Referral assists families with making well-informed choices that provide a variety of child development activities and experiences that are critical to brain development and lifelong learning.
Steps to Finding Quality Child Care 1. Start Early No matter what type of care you are considering, whether a child care center or care in someone else’s home, finding the right child care option can take some time. Many quality child care businesses are full. 2. Make Calls and Begin Interviewing Child Care Businesses Call the child care business, set up interviews, and plan to visit each place. 3. Visit and Ask Questions When visiting the child care business, find out about the number of children in care and how many children there are for each adult. Ask about the training and education of the child care professional. Check how long the child care business has been providing care. Find out if the child care business is licensed, and if it is accredited, what standards it meets. Check references and the child care business complaint history. 4. Evaluate Your Options Did the children look happy? Was the environment clean, inviting, engaging, and stimulating? Were the children supervised at all times? Were the children served nutritious meals? Were the children engaged in play with educational opportunities? Were the staff well-trained? Can you visit your children at any time? 5. Make a Choice Think about what you saw at each visit; then make the best choice for your child and family. Does the child care professional relate well to children? Is the setting appropriate for children? Is it safe? 6. Stay Informed The work isn’t over when you find good care for your child. You and your child care professional are partners now. Have regular meetings, volunteer time when needed, and be there for your child’s special events. Note: The referrals your 211 Child Care Referral has given you are not recommendations. The 211 Child Care Referral cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information nor the quality of child care.
Quality Child Care The state of Oregon is working to help families find quality child care. Oregon’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) is a resource for child care and preschool programs. It helps early childhood professionals build on what they are already doing well to ensure all children have access to high quality care. The QRIS is a central part of Oregon’s Early Learning Agenda and was developed by early childhood experts, building on best practices from the field. QRIS focuses on five main areas which research shows have a big impact on children’s growth, health, and wellbeing. Those domains are:
By focusing on the five domains, child care programs who choose to participate in the statewide QRIS are committing to meet essential standards which support quality early learning for all children. To find out more about Oregon’s QRIS visit www.oregonqris.org or call your local Child Care Resource & Referral agency.
Personnel Qualifications Qualified early education professionals have the knowledge to guide children skillfully as they learn and grow. They are driven to learn and improve their practice, so they can bring their best to children every day.
Family Partnerships When families and early education professionals work together to create connections between programs and home, children get more targeted support, and families get connected with resources to encourage their child’s ongoing development.
Administration and Business Practices Good business practices ensure that programs can keep the talented staff they have, manage their finances well, and regularly evaluate their programs to see where they can improve.
Regulated
Certified Child Care Centers
13+
Certified Family Child Care
Non- Regulated
Registered Family Child Care
Up to 16
10
On-site Health and Safety Inspection
The Employee-Related Day Care program (ERDC) is for working families who earn below a certain income level and need child care in order to work. The Jobs Opportunity and Basic Skills (JOBS) Child Care program is for families who are on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (TANF) and need child care to participate in JOBS. For information about ERDC and JOBS, call your local DHS office or CCR&R program. Licensed Exempt Home and Relative Care (LEHRC)
Up to 3
Not Required
Attendance records
If you need help paying for child care, the Department of Human Services (DHS) has programs that help low income families pay child care bills.
18+ to be listed with DHS)
Not Required
Planned activities
Help With the Cost of Care
Exempt Family Child Care (Must be
Must meet basic safety and health standards.
Criminal background check
Positive learning environments facilitate nurturing, responsive relationships between early education professionals and children. They help children to grow socially, emotionally, and intellectually.
By encouraging and teaching hygiene, healthy eating, and fitness, quality care programs also help children build healthy habits for life.
The Office of Child Care (OCC) regulates care in Oregon. You can reach them at: 503-947-1400 or 800-556-6616. Complaint history can be found at www.childcareinoregon.org.
# of children permitted at any one time
Learning and Development
Health and Safety
Types of Child Care in Oregon
(if listed with DHS)
Guidance and discipline policy
Not Required
Daily routine/schedule
Not Required
Training requirements Family Child Care Overview First Aid and CPR Training Food Handlers
15hrs/ year
15hrs/ year
10hrs/ 2 years
Not Required
Not Required (unless receiving enhanced rate)
Not Required
(Staff functions as teachers)
(Staff functions as assistants)
Not Required
(Staff who handle/serve food)
(Staff who handle/serve food)
Not Required
Child Abuse and Neglect Training
Not Required
State Resources
Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) includes 12 programs serving all 36 counties statewide. See the back of this guide for your local program.
Many families choose caregivers who provide care in their home and may include grandfamilies, aunts and uncles, elders, older siblings, friends, neighbors, and others who help families take care of their children on an informal basis. LEHRC caregivers are exempt from regulation by the state.
Central Coordination of Child Care Resource & Referral (CCCCR&R) at The Research Institute at
Families choose LEHRC for a number of reasons, including existing bonds of love and trust with a family member, friend or neighbor and shared language, culture, and values. In addition, some families need the greater flexibility of LEHRC care in order to meet nontraditional work hours.
such as ERDC, JOBS, and LEHRC to income-eligible working families. Call your local DHS office.
Western Oregon University supports high quality child care by promoting and providing leadership development to the 12 CCR&R programs. Call 1-800-342-6712.
Office of Child Care (OCC) supports families by regulating child care that promotes safe, quality, affordable, and accessible child care. Call 1-800-556-6616. Department of Human Services (DHS) offers child care subsidy programs
The Inclusive Child Care Program (ICCP) supports access to child care and inclusive child care opportunities for children with diverse abilities and needs.
