Family child care program

The state's child care system includes several programs, each addressing different child care needs. CalWORKs child care is administered in three stages. Sub-section B, which is program structure, Sub-part C, which is the education and child development services, and Sub-part I, which is HR management, but really, we expect children in all program options to receive the comprehensive services, so if you're providing this model, you have to know the whole girth of standard, and I think, before we go on, for the education piece what might be new is that we speak to them as teachers and teaching experiences, so when you see that term, think family childcare provider as well as center based.

Maggie: Section tells us that programs may either have a legally binding agreement or contract with family childcare providers or they may directly employ the family childcare providers.

Programs must also ensure that family childcare homes are available that can accommodate children with, and families with disabilities, so programs need to ensure that children can be served in the family childcare program option, not necessarily that all family childcare homes are fully accessible to children with disabilities.

Sarah: This sub-part also outlines the ratios and group sizes for family childcare homes and the requirements haven't changed. Some of the language has been edited a little bit for more clarity but there won't be any surprises to those programs already providing this program option. Maggie: That's great, so one question we hear a lot is how programs can maintain ratios when family childcare providers need to use the bathroom.

Sarah: Or phone calls or whatever else, so the standards address this. They are clear that you must maintain appropriate group sizes and ratios during all program hours and that means all program settings but for a family childcare settings, we've added the language that programs must ensure providers have systems to ensure safety of any child not within view for any period.

Sarah: Never unsupervised. The language is really intended to allow some flexibility and really honor the realities of providing services for young kids, mixed age groups for example, some children might be napping while others are engaged in playful learning experiences, so programs need to work with the providers and figure out how they can ensure all this happens, and children are safe, and still supervised while they're having their schedules be flexible, right.

I think also, it's important while they're trying to unpack this is, one thing to remember is that the family childcare providers have to be at least enrolled in a credential program or in a degree program. If it's the credential program, they have to attain that credential within eighteen months of providing services but that will make sure they have a knowledge of how to deliver those services and I think part of that conversation, along with ongoing training and professional development opportunities within the program of how to manage answering the phone or you know, all the nuances, while children are needing to nap and use the bathroom and all of that, let alone the adult too, right.

Maggie: Yeah, and that's actually a great connection back to Sub-part B because we know that programs are required to make substitute staff and assistant providers available with the necessary training and experience to ensure that quality services are not interrupted, so that would allow them to attend these trainings or work on their credential.

Providers will receive payments over a twelve month period. Payments will begin upon home certification and enrollment of at least two children who are unrelated to the provider. If the home closes or certification is lost during this time, all remaining payments will be forfeited. This is a one-time incentive.

Caring Providers, exciting activities, comforting home environment—with the training and quality checks that give you peace of mind. You will receive an email with instructions to login and create an account so that you can access your requests.

Search and Request Care: Search the system for the child care options that best fit your needs and submit your requests for care. Manage Requests: You can manage your requests for care from anywhere in the world. Update Profile: Keep your My Profile page up-to-date with important information.

Why choose the Family Child Care Program? FCC is flexible: Many providers can respond to the unique needs of military schedules such as weekends, evenings, and intermittent care. Care is available for infants six weeks to school age children in one home, so siblings can stay together. Settings for children who do best in small groups.