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.
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WHAT’S THE WEATHER?
Not sure at what temperatures it is safe for children to play outside? Confused about terms such as relative humidity and heat index warning? Then check out Child Care Weather Watch for information on understanding weather conditions and planning for weather safety.
TYLENOL, MOTRIN RECALL
McNeil Recalls Infant and Children's Liquid Products Including Tylenol and Motrin
FDA provides consumer advice following recall of products for infants and children. FDA Recall
RECALLS AND PRODUCT SAFETY
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products. To find information on product recalls and recall alerts, visit their website at http://www.cpsc.gov/
ATTENTION REGISTERED MINISTRIES AND LEGALLY LICENSED EXEMPT HOMES – New assistance is available to help your child care program.
FSSA and the Indiana Association for Child Care Resource and Referral (IACCRR) have launched the Hoosier Child Care Quality Expansion project. The goals of this project include helping Registered Ministries meet the Voluntary Certification Program (VCP) standards and for Licensed Exempt Home providers to meet the Licensed Family Homes standards. The benefits of reaching these standards include participation in Paths to QUALITY™, Indiana's quality rating and improvement system. Participants will receive free on-site mentoring, materials, mini-grants and professional development. This program is limited to a select number of providers. Applications will be accepted until the maximum number of participants is reached. Apply soon so you don't miss out on this opportunity. Please contact Sally Lacey at 1-800-299-1627 or slacey@iaccrr.org for more information. (posted May 2010)
NEED HELP WITH YOUR OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND? – APPLY FOR A PLAYGROUND SAFETY GRANT
The Bureau of Child Care is pleased to announce a grant opportunity to improve playground safety and promote the development of active, healthy lifestyles for children. The grants will be administered in partnership with the Indiana AEYC with funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
A Playground Safety Grant application packet was mailed March 8th to all licensed child care centers, licensed child care homes, and unlicensed registered child care ministries that meet all applicable voluntary certification program standards (VCP). The Bureau of Child Care encourages providers to review the grant guidelines, request a playground audit by April 1st by sending an e-mail to BCCCorrespondence@fssa.in.gov, followed by submission of their application by June 15, 2010.
If you have questions regarding the application, please contact one of the following:
Centers – Lisa Clifford at 317-234-3923
Homes – Debbie Sampson at 317-232-7413
VCP Certified Ministries – Ken Hudson at 317-232-4467
LEAD POISONING VIDEO NOW AVAILABLE
Produced in partnership with Improving Kids’ Environment (IKE), the Indiana State Department of Health and WFYI, there is now a 17-minute video available to educate about lead poisoning in Indiana. The video, “Indiana: Lead Paint, Lead Poisoning”, illustrates the impact that lead poisoning has had on three Indiana families. The video is available via IKE’s website at www.ikecoalition.org/Lead/index.htm, and in two parts on Youtube at:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDh46rTr-eo
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEJvtZqOsB8
Copies of the DVD can also be obtained by contacting Jodi Perras at jperras@ikecoalition.org. (posted Oct. 2009; updated Apr. 2010)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
For 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/.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEWLY RECOGNIZED ACCREDITING BODY
The 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
ATTENTION! LICENSED CHILD CARE HOME PROVIDERS CARING FOR 3 ADDITIONAL SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN DURING SUMMER
During the school year the law, I.C. 12-7-2-33.7, allows a provider to care for 3 additional school age children (grade 1 and above) as long as child/staff ratios are met. However, to care for the 3 additional children during a break in the school year of more than 4 weeks, you must get certified (I.C. 12-17.2-5-6.3(b)). The certification is only good for 1 year and must be recertified prior to each summer or break. At the above citation in the law (http://www.in.gov/fssa/files/IC-12-17.2-ch5.pdf), you will find the requirements for this certification (they are different than during the school year). Please contact your child care home licensing consultant if you would like to see if you qualify for the +3 school age children during the summer months.
To continue receiving child care voucher money for school age children during the summer months, you must qualify and obtain the +3 certification from your licensing consultant. Failure to do so could impact your CCDF payments. Consultants will begin certifying and recertifying providers beginning April 1, 2010. (posted Feb. 2010)
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 http://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 May 1, 2010, and can be reviewed by clicking here.
The full Interpretative Guide along with the changes effective May 1st 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. (posted Apr. 2010)
REVISIONS TO UNLICENSED REGISTERED CHILD CARE MINISTRY INTERPRETATIVE GUIDE
The Bureau of Child Care (BCC) wishes to inform unlicensed registered child care ministry providers that the “Interpretative Guidelines” manual for your ministry child care program has been revised. This is a revision of the interpretative guidelines 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. This revision is effective April 1, 2010.
The full revised Interpretative Guide effective April 1st is 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 full guide during your next inspection visit or you may request a copy now by calling 1-877-511-1144 or 317-233-5413. (posted Apr. 2010)
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.
* Advisory Board Members
* Advisory Board By-laws
* Schedule of Meetings
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.
* Advisory Committee Members
* Advisory Committee By-laws
* Schedule of Meetings
UNLICENSED REGISTERED CHILD CARE MINISTRY ADVISORY GROUP
The Division of Family Resources (DFR) has established a registered ministry advisory group. The purpose of the group is to provide DFR with information, advice, and assistance concerning various issues surrounding registered child care ministries. The advisory group will meet quarterly and is open to the public.
* Mission Statement and Goals
* Advisory Group Members
* Advisory Group By-laws
* Schedule of Meetings
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
Division of Family Resources
Bureau of Child Care
402 West Washington Street, Room W361
Indianapolis, IN46204
Bureau of Child Care Information Line: 1-877-511-1144
Child Care Resource and Referral Information for Parents: 1-800-299-1627
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