New Regulations added for Child Care Providers who accept the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) Vouchers!

On Friday, May 10, 2013 Governor Pence signed a bill that will add new health and safety requirements for all Indiana Child Care Providers who accept payment for child care through the CCDF voucher system.

In addition to the current standards some of the new regulations include:

• Provider must ensure that ALL caregivers that care for children under 12 months of age must follow safe sleeping practices.
• A provider shall meet sanitation standards for bathrooms and handwashing, as established by the division.
• A provider shall:
          (1) maintain a written child discipline policy;
          (2) ensure that all employees and volunteers follow the child discipline policy;
          (3) provide to the parent or legal guardian of each child cared for by the provider a written copy of the child discipline policy; and
          (4) maintain in each child’s file a copy of the child discipline
• Unsupervised caregivers must be at least 18 years of age.
• The provider must verify that an employee or a volunteer has received training concerning child abuse detection and prevention.
• A provider must ensure that medication is kept out of reach of children.
• A provider shall do the following with respect to transporting children away from the facility where the provider operates a child care program:
          (1) Obtain written permission from the child’s parent or legal guardian to transport the child.
          (2) Ensure that the child is transported only by an employee or a volunteer who:
              (A) is at least eighteen (18) years of age;
              (B) holds a valid driver’s license; and
              (C) transports the child in a properly licensed and insured motor vehicle.

You can visit here http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2013/SE/SE0305.1.html to see the entire bill.

Governor Pence Signs National Criminal History Background Check Bill for Child Care

Indiana’s Governor Pence signed a child care bill on Saturday that is aimed at keeping children safe while in child care.  The bill will become effective July 1, 2013 and gives programs that are currently regulated 1 year to come into compliance with current staff.

The digest of HB1494 is:

National criminal history background checks for child care. Requires: (1) employees and volunteers of certain child care providers; and (2) for applicants applying for a license to operate a child care home, the applicant’s spouse and certain household members of the applicant; to undergo national criminal history background checks. Provides that a child care provider that holds a license or registration on July 1, 2013 has until July 1, 2014 to meet the requirements regarding national criminal history background checks. Requires the state police department to release the result of a national criminal history background check to the division of family resources. Amends the list of felony convictions and certain other offenses related to the: (1) application, denial, and revocation of a child care license or registration; and (2) eligibility for child care voucher payments. (The introduced version of this bill was prepared by the committee on child care.)

To see the new law in its final version visit this link: http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2013/HE/HE1494.1.html 

 

Breaking News — President’s FY2014 Budget

The President’s fiscal year 2014 budget was released today calling on Congress to enact a comprehensive early learning agenda. Overall, the budget proposes $1.8 trillion in deficit reduction over the next decade. Because the budget proposes cancelling the $1.2 trillion sequester, net deficit reduction would amount to about $600 billion over the next decade.

For early learning, the President’s budget proposes:
• An increase of $500 million in mandatory funds for child care
• An increase of $200 million in discretionary funds for child care, which would be used for new competitive grants to improve the health and safety of children in child care
• An increase of $1.4 billion for new Early Head Start/Child Care partnerships for high quality infant and toddler (through age 3) programs
The President has proposed a new $78 billion “Preschool for All” initiative, which would provide grants to states for high quality preschool for 4 year old children up to 200 percent of poverty. The President would offset these costs with a 94 cent increase in the tobacco tax.
As with previous budget’s by the Administration, the Social Services Block Grant (Title XX) would be frozen at $1.7 billion and the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) would be cut by about nearly half – a reduction of $332 million.
At this time, we do not have any additional details. However, over the next week, there are likely to be briefings and more information made public. We will send you additional information as soon as soon as it is available.

Senate approves Taylor bill to strengthen Indiana child care

The Senate recently passed a bill co-authored by State Senator Greg Taylor (D-Indianapolis) to strengthen standards for child care services in Indiana.

Senate Bill (SB) 305 would improve child care by establishing sanitation and safety standards for providers who accept Child Care Development Fund vouchers. The legislation establishes guidelines for facility and transportation safety, sanitation and bathroom hygiene, discipline policies, and infant care. SB 305 also equalizes standards and rights of due process to child care services offered through religious establishments.

For child care providers who violate health and safety requirements, the legislation outlines the necessary review procedures, including the possible loss of licensure.

SB 305 passed unanimously out of the Health and Provider Services Committee by a vote of 8-0 and the full Senate by a vote of 50-0 before moving to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

Sen. Taylor represents Senate District 33 which includes portions of Wayne, Pike, Washington and Center townships in Marion County. For more information on Sen. Taylor, his legislative agenda or other State Senate business call 1-800-382-9467 or visit http://www.IN.gov/s33.

Child Care Aware of America Urge you to to contact congress

Cosponsor Sen. Murray’s Bill for a National Toll-Free Child Care Referral Hotline	Take Action!
Senator Murray Addresses Child Care Information Accessibility for Families
More than 1,000,000 families a year receive assistance finding child care through a national child care referral line and website tied into our nation’s child care resource and referral agencies, with nearly half the calls to the referral line coming from military families. Senator Murray has introduced the Child Care and Resources Education (Child CARE) Act of 2013, S. 390,  which will support a national toll-free referral line and website for parents in search of safe, high quality child care. The Child CARE Act authorizes funds from the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) to develop and disseminate child care consumer education information for parents, which connects parents to Child Care Resource and Referral agencies in their states to assist in finding child care and to better understand questions to ask providers in selecting child care. Senator Murray’s bill will help parents find safe, high quality child care. Urge your Members of Congress to cosponsor S. 390 today.

New Child Care Campaign

United Way of Central Indiana, well known for its annual fundraising campaigns, is kicking off a different type of campaign today.

The Kids Need Quality campaign is designed to boost awareness of the importance that high quality child care in the critical years before age six plays in a child’s educational success. It will also encourage people to ask their state legislators to support changes in public policy so that all children in early learning settings are safe and receiving high quality care.

As part of the campaign, United Way is beginning to air television and radio spots along with outdoor and online messages all geared to increase the supply of and demand for high quality child care.

The campaign describes a child care setting from a six-month old baby’s point of view. It urges parents, regardless of how they pay for child care, to expect high quality care and safety.

“The first years of life are so fragile, yet they carry so much promise,” said Ted Maple, Ph.D., United Way’s director of education. “Child care should be a place where young children play, learn, grow and get their education off to a great start. Yet, too few facilities are high quality, especially in lower-income neighborhoods. And many parents do not demand quality. We must set higher expectations for all child care providers. Our children’s futures and lives depend on it.”

Specifically, the campaign will bolster United Way’s advocacy during the current session of the Indiana General Assembly for changes to require that any child care provider who accepts government vouchers should meet basic standards to ensure children are in a healthy and safe early learning environment; and, that working families, regardless of their income level, should have access to quality child care and information about health and safety regulations.
United Way has adopted and invested in a 10-year plan to improve early learning and the quality of child care.

Visit their campaign at http://www.kidsneedquality.org/

2013 Proposed Senate Bills

Early Childhood Literacy Pilot Program (Senator Head): A two-year pilot program which establishes early childhood literacy program. Requirements include the division of family resources to establish, implement, and evaluate the program then report to legislative council regarding the program. Appropriates money from the build Indiana Fund.

National Criminal Background check for child care (Senator Holdman): The bill requires that any person whom volunteers, applies for, or existing employees of child care to undergo “national” criminal history background checks. The list of convictions for an individual is prohibited from being employed by or volunteering for child care ministry are amended. (This bill was introduced and prepared by the committee on child care).

Education Round Table (Senator Kruse): Allows education roundtable to recommend to the state board best practices and strategies for improving the services and support that is provided by school to: 1). Assist children in achieving academic performances according to grade level; and 2). Minimize the necessity for remedial course if the student attends postsecondary educational institution.

Child Care Ministry Advisory (Senator Kruse): Establish child care ministries advisory committee, required by the division of family resources. (introduced version of bill prepared by the committee on child care).

Definition of Child Care Ministry (Senator Kruse): Amends the definition of “child care ministry.” One year period where child care ministry that does not meet new definition make changes to continue operation as child care provider. (Introduced version was prepared by committee on child care).

Required Curriculum for CCDF (Senator Taylor): Required curriculum for any child care receiving Child Care and Development Fund as a condition for eligibility. (Introduced version was prepared by committee on child care).

Child Care Regulation (Senator Taylor): Specific requirements, required by child care provider in order to receive federal CCDF voucher payments. Sets disciplinary process for suspension or revocation of eligibility. Requires employees to obtain background checks. (Introduced version was prepared by committee on child care).

Reach Out and Read Indiana Program Funding: (Senator Breaux): $3,000,000 to Reach Out and Read Indiana to fund a program early childhood literacy by providing books to children in health care settings, period beginning
July 1,2013, ending June 30, 2015.
*Information taken from 2013 General Assembly Legislation*