Outreach Specialist Position Available

Push for improved Child Care

United Way makes a push for improved child care in Indiana

United Way wants to make sure that kids get the care they need to thrive. Walt Maciborski, Fox 59 reports.  Click here to see the story!

Congratulations Charity Church Child Care Ministry- Level 4 - Paths to QUALITY site!!

“Quit Acting Like a Baby” Age Appropriate Discipline

Don't miss this interactive training-                                      Thursday, 1/3/2013, 6pm-8:30pm, in Brown county

Reflect on the ways you perceive children’s behavior and what you bring to the table from your experiences. Which behaviors are age appropriate and how do we guide children to gain the skills they need? Bring an open mind and find ways to accept that you have the option to change your attitude! $10. CEU certificate given once homework is completed*** Click below to register... http://www.childcareanswers.com/Jan-Feb-March_2013.pdf 

Crises and Disasters

Resources for Parents and Professionals

In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting and Hurricane Sandy, communities (and families) are left to pick up the pieces and try to cope with devastating losses. Check out Child Care Aware® of America’s crisis and disaster resources page. They have information for parents,  , child care providers,  child care providers, and Child Care Resource and Referral agencies
. From quick child care damage assessment tools to federal agency assistance (FEMA, HHS, SBA, USDA, SAMHSA and HUD) to resources related to mental health for children and families.

Second Setting Credential Process Ends on May 31, 2013

Anyone interested in obtaining a Second Setting Credential under the present Council Guidelines must apply by May 31, 2013. 

Starting on June 1, 2013, under the new CDA 2.0 Assessment System a second full credentialing process will be necessary to obtain a credential in a different setting.

For further information, please contact Vilma Williams via email at vilmaw@cdacouncil.org  or by phone at 202-265-9090 ext. 225

3 hours of FREE training for licensed providers in Allen, Hamilton, Johnson, Lake and Marion Counties

DoD-Funded Military Child Care Liaison Initiative is offering online professional development opportunities through the Child Care Aware Training Academy ™ Indiana is one of 13 states selected to participate in the Military Child Care Liaison Initiative, a U.S. Department of Defense-funded project in partnership with Child Care Aware® of America (formerly NACCRRA) to expand the availability of quality, affordable community based child care for military families. There is an opportunity for no-cost professional development through this initiative.

The Department of Defense (DoD) is funding a series of three online trainings for

licensed child care providers in Allen, Hamilton, Johnson, Lake and Marion Counties.

➤➤ Developmentally Appropriate Practice

➤➤ Planning Language and Literacy Experiences

➤➤ Mathematics and Science Experiences for Young Children

These trainings count toward licensing requirements and the professional development clock hour requirements for Paths to QUALITY.  A certificate indicating that the participant has completed three training hours will be awarded upon completion of all trainings.

All trainings must be completed by December 31, 2012.

Register now and be part of this exciting professional development opportunity.

To register, send your name, email address, county, and state to:

 providertraining@naccrra.org

Please watch for an e-mail from “Smart Horizons.”

Space is limited – Register today

Training Opportunity

Orientation on Professional Development Opportunities
Tuesday, March 20th from 6:30 pm -8:30 pm
Class is FREE! Please call (317) 636-5727 to preregister

This workshop provides deep understanding of ways you can obtain professional development hours and credits in the state of Indiana. The workshop will provide information on different routes to obtain Child Development Associate (CDA) training, articulating the credential into an associate degree in early childhood education/child development at Ivy Tech Community College. The workshop will provide comprehensive overview of accessibility and location of colleges and universities in the state of Indiana that offer associate and bachelor degree levels. In addition, the workshop provides information on state scholarships and financial aid opportunities.

Toddler death at Unlicensed Registered Child Care Ministry

My name is Mindy Bennett and I am the Director of Programs for Child Care Answers the Child Care Resource and Referral agency that services Central Indiana. We are a free service that helps parents locate and evaluate child care options for their children. In January alone we helped over 800 families with their child care search. We have a database of over 1300 child care providers that we provide training and mentoring opportunities to.


I want to respond to the reports that a Toddler drowned in a baptismal pool at a local Unlicensed Child Care Registered Ministry. This is a horrible tragedy that could have been prevented!

The staff at Child Care Answers works daily with child care providers training them and providing on site technical assistance to ensure that children are kept safe while their parents work or attend school. We have an Infant Toddler Specialists that is a free resource to child care providers who can provide specific training on issues related to infants and toddlers.

In Indiana Child Care Ministries are not required by law to be licensed, however we do have some who have volunteered to meet additional health and safety standards. Praise and Fellowship Assembly of God Church, the child care provider in this case, was an Unlicensed Registered Child Care Ministry. Indiana’s Unlicensed Registered Child Care Ministries are not required to meet staff to child ratios nor are they regulated to meet specific group size requirements. In addition, Unlicensed Registered Child Care Ministries do not have supervision requirements that they must meet. For an easy to read chart about the regulation requirements for the different types of child care in Indiana please visit this link: http://www.childcareanswers.com/PDF_Docs/FacilityRegulations.pdf


Several bills were introduced this legislative session and the last session that would have addressed some of the differences in regulations between the different types of child care in Indiana but they did not make it out of committee. To read more about the legislative efforts for change please visit Child Care Answers’ Legislative Education Center http://advocacycca.wordpress.com/ and the Indiana’s general assembly’s Interim Committee on Child Care’s page http://www.in.gov/legislative/interim/committee/care.html


I know that this incident has left families scared and confused about leaving their children in child care. Child Care Answers is here to help families with our free services during this troubled time. We have a team of specialists that can help families with their specific questions about child care and how to tell if a program is providing safe, quality care. We are only a phone call away; you can reach us at 317-631-4643. Parents can also find valuable tools on our website at http://www.childcareanswers.com/.

Poison Prevention Class

• Do you teach injury prevention programs for preschool and/or elementary school children?
• Are you looking for a new safety topic?
• Would you like to promote poison safety in your own community?

If you answered “yes” - the Indiana Poison Center can help you teach poison safety.

Who? For people who teach injury prevention programs for preschool and elementary school children.
How long? 3 hours. Provides poison prevention background for the instructor, how to effectively teach
poison safety to children and how to get the safety message home to parents.
How much? The workshop is FREE
Where? Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis
When? Wednesday February 22nd from 12:00-3:00 p.m.
 
Registration is limited to 10 Please contact Barbara Cole to confirm that an opening is available.
(317) 962-9248 bcole@iuhealth.org

NASA Ignite! Training Mission

NASA Ignite! Training Mission

Enrolling: Certified Teachers, Preservice

Teachers, and Afterschool Educators

 

When: March 17, 24, and April 28, 2012

Where: Marian University,Marian Hall Upper lobby (old Civic Theater area)
Time: 8:30-5:00
Topics:
Day 1, March 17 – Rocketry - rockets and discussion of expectations and responsibilities for the teachers (a "flight plan," so to speak)
Day 2, March 24– Astrobiology - life science (the body in space, NASA's search for other life in the universe)
Day 3, April 28- Space exploration (our near neighbors in the solar system and then moving beyond to comets, stars, and how we get there)

Cost: $75 (includes training, 3 lunches and teacher materials)

Seating is limited! Make checks payable to Marian University NASA Workshop

Commitment: Participants will commit to attending all 3 workshops and some additional training throughout the year facilitated by NASA educational consultants. Participants will be invited to teach hands-on activities at summer programs in the Indianapolis area. The Marian University Summer Learning Institute will provide a stipend for those who participate in summer teaching opportunities.

Reservation: Dr. Judy Bardonner, Director, Center for Community Learning,
Marian University; (317) 955-6545 jbardonner@marian.edu

Infections in early child care can lead to fewer absences in mainstream school

Infections in early child care can lead to fewer absences in mainstream school

Parents and child care experts will probably not be at all surprised to learn that a recent report in a scientific journal confirms that children under the age of 2½, who attend large group care settings, are more likely to develop respiratory and ear infections than those who don't.

Furthermore, those children who do attend these settings are less likely to suffer such illnesses once they begin mainstream school.

The report in the December issue of the US journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine was the result of an eight-year study carried out by Dr Sylvana M. Côté of Ste-Justine Hospital and the University of Montreal in Quebec.

It had been accepted that preschool children, especially those who were placed in large group childcare settings, experienced more frequent infections than children who were cared for primarily at home. This had raised concerns that group care could compromise young children's health and the health of their community, but few studies have examined the impact of group childcare on infections beyond preschool years.

Dr Côté and her colleagues studied 1,238 families with children born in 1998. These children fell into three groups;

1. those in a large childcare setting – where professional educators care for up to 10 groups of eight to 12 children;

2. those in a small childcare setting – home based centres where a childminder cares for between three and eight children;

3. those who were cared for at home.

For eight years the researchers obtained regular information about how often the children had respiratory tract infections, ear infections or gastrointestinal infections during three specific periods: early preschool (under the age of 2½), late preschool (ages 3½ to 4½) and early mainstream school (ages 5 to 8).

It was found that children who attended large group care settings before the age of 2½ and during the late preschool period had higher rates of respiratory infections and ear infections than those who were cared for at home, but once children started mainstream school, these infections tailed off.

Children who started in a small childcare setting and never attended a larger setting did not have any differences in infection risk. Those who were first cared for at home, but then started at any size childcare setting during the late preschool period had a higher risk of ear infections at that time, but no other differences in infection risk.

Group childcare was not associated with gastrointestinal infections at any period in the children's development.

The authors feel that this study involving so many children over an extended eight-year period, should provide reassuring evidence for parents that their choices regarding childcare should not have any major effect on the health of their children, as far as respiratory tract infections with fever, gastrointestinal infections and ear infections are concerned.

Furthermore, children who join large-group childcare settings at a very early age (under the age of 2½) may even gain a level of protection that will result in fewer absences when they come to begin mainstream school.

Author : Michael Evans
© The Earth Times

Winter Outdoor Safety Tips

With the falling snow and colder temperatures we have had several calls asking about guidelines for outdoor play. The rule of thumb for cold temperatures is that with the windchill considered 25 degrees and below is too cold for children to play outside. Our inclusion specialist wanted to urge providers to make sure that even if it's only for a few minutes to try and get children outside for fresh air. Fresh air is so much healthier for the children than being inside all day and is important for them to get everyday.

Below is some safety tips given from the American Academy of Pediatrics for the cold weather.

• Dress infants and children warmly for outdoor activity. Several thin layers will keep them warm and dry. Don't forget warm boots, gloves or mittens and a hat.


• The rule of thumb for older babies and young children is to dress them in one more layer of clothing than an adult would wear in the same conditions.


• Hypothermia develops when a child's temperature falls below normal due to exposure to colder temperatures. It often happens when a youngster is playing outdoors in extremely cold weather without wearing proper clothing or when clothes get wet.


• Frostbit happens when the skin and outer tissues become frozen. This condition tends to happen on extremities like the fingers, toes, ears and nose. They may become pale, gray and blistered. At the same time the child may complain that his/her skin burns or becomes numb.


• Cold weather does not cause colds or flu. But the viruses that cause colds and flu tend to be more common in the winter, when children are in school and are in closer contact with each other. Frequent hand washing and teaching your child to sneeze or couch into the bend of their elbow may help reduce the spread of colds and flu.


• Remember that the sun's rays can still cause sunburn in the winter. Make sure to cover your child's exposed areas with sunscreen.

For the complete list of safety tips visit the American Academy of Pediatrics web page.

Child Abuse and Neglect in Child Care

For the Second time this week I have turned the television on to discover news reports of Child Abuse and Neglect in 2 separate Central Indiana Child Care programs. You can read the latest story here. This greatly saddens all of us here at Child Care Answers! Training and Technical assistance can greatly reduce incidents like what we have seen this week.
Please remember that Child Care Answers is here to be your resource to help you through the stressful situations that often occur in child care. On April 16th Child Care Answers will hold our second annual Cherish the Children: Preventing Child Abuse Conference. This is a wonderful conference that will have several experts providing break out sessions. Are you looking for a specific type of training? You can find our latest training calendar by visiting us on our website. What about some advice for your child care classroom? You can receive mentoring for you and your program FREE of charge by joining Paths to QUALITY. Child Care Answers also has an Inclusion Specialist and an Infant and Toddler Specialist that can visit your program to help you work through some of your most challenging situations.
Child Care Answers is just a phone call away! You can reach us Monday - Friday by calling 317-631-4643. Together we can ensure that ALL children are in SAFE, Developmentally Appropriate child care sites!

Child Care Answers response to recent media story

In light of the recent report of possible child abuse at a Lawrence unlicensed registered ministry our Program Director, Mindy Bennett sent this letter to local media.

My name is Mindy Bennett and I am the Director of Programs for Child Care Answers the Child Care Resource and Referral agency that services Central Indiana. We are a free service that helps parents locate and evaluate child care options for their children. In November alone we helped over 450 families with their child care search. We have a database of over 1400 child care providers that we provide training and mentoring opportunities to.

I want to thank you for running the story about the possible abuse of a child at Little Miracles child care. All children that are in child care deserve to be in safe, high quality child care programs. All child care sites in Indiana should be required to have trained staff and required to ensure that their environments are safe for children.

In Indiana, Ministries that provide child care are not required to be licensed. Ministries that provide child care are required to be registered with the state of Indiana, while this registration does have some regulation attached to it the regulations are far fewer then that of a licensed child care center. Little Miracles is an unlicensed registered ministry. You can compare the regulation requirements of a ministry to licensed homes and licensed centers by following this link to find our regulation comparison chart http://www.childcareanswers.com/PDF_Docs/FacilityRegulations.pdf. It is important to note that some Unlicensed Registered Child Care Ministries do voluntarily go above the requirements.

The staff at Child Care Answers works daily with child care providers by training them and providing on site technical assistance to ensure that children are kept safe while their parents work or attend school. We have Specialists that are a free resource to child care providers and parents who can provide specific training on issues related to guidance and discipline and other child care related issues.

I know that this incident has left many families scared and confused about leaving their children in child care. Please let your viewers know that Child Care Answers is here to help families with our free services during this troubled time. We have a team of specialists that can help families with their specific questions about child care and how to tell if a program is providing safe, quality care. We are only a phone call away; you can reach us at 317-631-4643. Parents can also find valuable tools on our website at http://www.childcareanswers.com/.

Click here to read more about the story.

Child Care Answers Offers Free Services for Local Businesses to Help Employees

Press Release
Contact: Child Care Answers
Child Care Resource and Referral Agency
Web: www.childcareanswers.com
Phone: 317-631-4643 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date/Time: December 23, 2010


Child Care Answers Offers Free Services for Local Businesses to Help Employees

Higher quality child care benefits not only the child by providing a safe learning environment, but it also gives parents a peace of mind knowing their child is being properly cared for during their work day. When a company offers their employees services through Child Care Answers they are giving them a tool needed to be more productive at work and worry less about their children.

Corporate Child Care Answers was established to provide support to Central Indiana’s business community by offering specialized services to meet the concerns of their workforce. Corporate Child Care Answers provides multiple services to local businesses. Many of these services are completely free. Included in the services are referrals to child care programs that can be obtained through a “free child care” search button placed on the business website, or through a phone consultation with a child care search specialist, training on the components of quality child care, and individualized consultation.

When an employee clicks on the Free Child Care Search button they will be asked to enter their zip code and then they can complete a search for child care based on their individual needs along with educational information to help them make an informed decision about their child care preferences.

Another free service that Corporate Child Care Answers can offer is training to employees. Topics offered include: information on how to navigate and use Paths to QUALITY - the state’s quality rating system; Questions to ask a child care provider; Nutritional Meal planning for a busy family; Math at home; Positive Discipline; and Kindergarten Readiness.

To find out how Corporate Child Care Answers can help your business contact Mindy Bennett at 317-631-4643 x 224 or mindyb@childcareanswers.com.

NACCRRA urges all to Take Action Now!

**BREAKING NEWS**ALERT: CALLS STILL NEEDED! Take Action!


Call Your Senators TODAY to Support Increased Funding for Child Care!!!

Child Care Spending Needs to Be Increased to Ensure the Safety of Our Children

Today could be the day the Senate takes up a year-long funding bill (referred to as the omnibus funding bill). Funding for all federal programs is at stake. The House of Representatives passed a year-long funding measure with a $400 million increase in child care funding for next year. The Senate bill includes $2.8 billion for child care – an increase of about $700 million! Let your Senators know that getting the economy back on track hinges on parents being able to afford child care. The Senate vote could be today!

What happens next? Senators need to adopt the omnibus bill. The House needs to either pass the omnibus bill or negotiate the differences between the two bills in a conference committee. The federal government is currently operating under a continuing resolution (CR) until Saturday. Call your Senators TODAY -- especially if you are from the states of AK, CO, FL, IN, ME, MN, MO, MS, OH, and WV -- to tell him/her to support the omnibus appropriations bill with $2.8 billion for child care. Every call counts! We are counting on you to weigh in – every Senator needs to know that the omnibus bill is important and child care funding is critical to working parents.

Take Action! TODAY!

1. The toll-free number to call is 1-877-227-3801. This will connect you to the U.S. Senate Operator.

2. The first person to answer will be an operator who will ask how you want to be connected. Tell the operator the name of your Senator. If you’re not sure, [click here] to find out.

3. Once you are connected to the office of your Senator, a staff person will answer the phone. Please say:

· My name is (name) and I’m calling from (city, state).

· “I’m calling to urge your support for the omnibus appropriations bill, which includes $2.8 billion for child care.

· Working parents need child care. Make child care a priority to help people get and keep a job!”

4. After your call please forward this notice on to all of your friends and/or coworkers to also have them make a call. We must continue to let Congress know that it is critical to invest in early childhood funding. AFTER YOUR CALL, follow-up with an email to your Senator by clicking here.

Now Offering: Online Child Care Professional Training

Child Care Answers now offers Online training opportunities...

Training courses are designed to help early childhood professionals complete annual training requirements and acquire required training hours for those seeking a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, CDA credential renewal or in-service training. Courses provide a variety of engaging topics designed specifically for the early childhood professional. Courses are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!

Don't delay - go to www.childcareanswers.com to register
Questions: contact Vanessa 317 636-5727, ext. 241 or vanessaf@childcareanswers.com

Scholarship dollars are not available to cover the cost of these training courses; however the cost of your CDA assessment could be covered by TEACH if you qualify

300,000 Children Could Lose Care

A broad coalition of early childhood advocacy groups is urging early childhood professionals to call on Washington about funding TODAY. Here is their message:

Congress is back in Washington today and has limited time to do some important work: ensure that funding is not cut for child care and Head Start before the end of the year.

Watch this video and share it with your friends and coworkers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7pEQ_pUaOk

Then, call Congress!!

As many as to 300,000 children stand to lose child care and Head Start, and we need to create the Early Learning Challenge Fund to encourage states to do even better for young children and families. Congress i s considering appropriations bills that could go backwards in spending for child care and Head Start, and would lose the Early Learning Challenge Fund.


Tell Congress to move forward and fund the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Head Start, and the Early Learning Challenge Fund.

1.Call 1-888-460-0813

2.The first person to answer the phone will be an operator who will ask how you want to be connected. Tell the operator the name of your Member of Congress. (Not sure? Look it up here: http://action.ececonsortium.org/

3.Once you are connected to the office of your Member of Congress, a staff person will answer the phone. Tell the staff person:
■ My name is (name) and I am calling from (city, state) and I am (your role).
■ Don’t drop 300,000 children from child care and Head Start. Make sure that continued funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start is NOT REDUCED in the appropriations bill and that the Early Learning Challenge Fund is included.
■ We are counting on you here in (state). Thank you.

4.Then, hang up and ask five friends or coworkers to make a call as well.

Toddler was severely burned at a Plainfield Child Care home

My name is Mindy Bennett and I am the Director of Programs for Child Care Answers the Child Care Resource and Referral agency that services Central Indiana. We are a free service that helps parents locate and evaluate child care options for their children. In September alone we helped 566 families with their child care search. We have a database of over 1400 child care providers that we provide training and mentoring opportunities to.

I want to respond to the reports that a Toddler was severely burned at a Child Care home in Plainfield Indiana. This is a horrible tragedy that could have been prevented!

The staff at Child Care Answers works daily with child care providers training them and providing on site technical assistance to ensure that children are kept safe while their parents work or attend school. We have an Infant Toddler Specialists that is a free resource to child care providers who can provide specific training on issues related to infants and toddlers.

In Indiana home child care providers are not required by law to be licensed or regulated if they care for 5 or fewer unrelated children. Irene Martin, the child care provider in this case, was not licensed and was not required to be regulated or to take training to operate child care out of her home. Regulation and training could have helped prevent this tragic incident and kept that toddler safe.

I know that this incident has left families scared and confused about leaving their children in child care. Child Care Answers is here to help families with our free services during this troubled time. We have a team of specialists that can help families with their specific questions about child care and how to tell if a program is providing safe, quality care. We are only a phone call away; you can reach us at 317-631-4643. Parents can also find valuable tools on our website at www.childcareanswers.com.

Holiday Leadership Party

ATTENTION: Directors, Owners & Administrators of child care programs...

You're invited to join a first ever, one-of-a kind holiday leadership party!!~

• Party will take place via a live conference call
• No special equipment is required to join- just a phone
• Only 200 spaces for this worldwide 90- minute call
• You will recieve... ideas that you can implement immediately to promote your child care program and have a holiday season that really sizzles with positive attitudes and motivation that will propel your program to the next level of success in 2010!
• WIN PRIZES!-- Prizes will be given away every 15 minutes
• You can register for this FREE party... http://www.leadershipconnectionforchildcare.com/public/490.cfm
• Host: Julie Bartkus, The Leadership Connection
• Date: Thursday, December 10th
• Time: 7:00 PM (CST); 8:00 PM (EST); 5:00 PM (PST)