Make Your Plans Now to Attend the Cherish the Child Conference

Child Care Answers 2nd Annual Prevent Child Abuse Conference

In 2009 Marion, Hamilton, Hendricks and Johnson Counties had a total of 1,508 substantiated physical and sexual abuse cases involving children. Many of these instances could have been prevented with proper training and education.

On April 16th, 2011, Child Care Answers will be hosting their 2nd annual Prevent Child Abuse Conference at Ivy Tech Community College from 8:30 am until 3 pm. Participants will have an opportunity to receive a 5 hour training certificate by selecting from a variety of break-out sessions. Breakfast and lunch will also be served. The cost is only $20 per person.

Sgt. Terry Hall, who is retired from the Indiana State Police, will be the keynote speaker. He will be speaking about keeping children safe and how children are often abused twice; once by the suspect and then by the system because crimes against children are treated very lightly compared to crimes against adults. Terry Hall is the founder of the Body Safety Program (Good Touch, Bad Touch) who travels all over the nation to educate adults as well as children about how to keep their bodies safe. He includes in his curriculum Bus Safety, Classroom Safety and Playground Safety.

Session choices throughout the day include; Child Abuse 101 and 102, The Power of Prevention, Meth lab recognition, Sexting, Online Child Exploitation, Abusive Head Trauma and Stewards of Children.

Click here for registration information. If you have any questions contact Tory Masters at 317.631.4643 ext 245 or torym@childcareanswers.com

Let's Encourage Our Children

The opportunity for words of encouragement

Children face many pressures growing up. How they respond to challenges and difficult relationships will depend on character and their confidence to continue. Parents need to be aware of what their children are facing. Low self esteem, fear of failure, or embarassing situations could keep them from facing life issues and taking on opportunities. Children need words of encouragement from parents to help overcome hurdles and handle trials.

Start early to search for your kindergartener’s child care needs

Great article written by Starr Burton who is referral specialist for Child Care Solutions, Start early to search for your kindergartener’s child care needs

My Child Has Special Needs: Now What?

ABOUT SPECIAL KIDS PRESENTS:

My Child Has Special Needs: Now What?

Friday April 15th,2011

11am - 1:30pm

Overview: Finding out that your child has special needs can be overwhelming. Some common reactions can be “What do I do now? Where do I start?” This training provides families with a brief overview of how to:

• find support for your child and family,

• find information and services,

• find coverage to pay for services, and

• will help you start thinking about the future

This training is geared to help parents map out the next steps for their child and family.
Registration for the training will be closed on April 13, 2011
There are two ways to register:

o Register online at www.aboutspecialkids.org/training
o Call to Register: 800-964-4746


Location:

St. Francis
8111 Emerson Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46217
Outpatient Area
Conference Room 1

Cost: FREE - Sponsored by Gordon Homes, Senior Financial Services Executive – Metlife
Lunch: Lunch is provided.
Questions: Email asktraining@aboutspecialkids.org

New Car Seat Policy: Children should remain rear facing longer

Today the American Academy of Pediatrics announced a landmark new car seat policy, which many parents who switched their child to forward-facing at a year will find alarming. They now recommend that you keep your child rear-facing for a longer period. Check out our must-read guide to the AAP's new recommendation to find out when to make the switch, and get answers to parents' most pressing questions about car seat safety, including what you should do if you turned your car seat around too early.

Daylight Savings Time Begins Sunday

Don't forget this Sunday to turn your clock ahead an hour for daylight savings time.

It's only an hour change, but that small 60-minute shift can have a whopper of an effect on children. "That hour is even more difficult for kids to deal with than flying cross-country to a whole new time zone," says Jodi Mindell, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia who specializes in pediatric sleep. "It can throw off their sleep, appetite, attention span, mood, everything." Why? A child's body clock is set by light and dark patterns, not by what it reads on your watch, Mindell explains. When you travel to a new time zone, it's still light and dark at the same points during the day. With daylight saving time, though, that changes, and it can take seven to ten days for a child's internal clock to "reset." These simple strategies will help ensure you're not faced with a tired, cranky mess of a kid come March 14.


Begin shifting your child's bedtime a day -- or, better yet, several days -- before the time change. If she usually goes down at 8:00, for example, have her under the covers by 7:45 the first night and 7:30 the next. "It's a small enough change that she should still be able to fall asleep, and it will help make it less of a shock on Sunday night," Mindell says.


Stick to your current daytime routine. Once the time change occurs, continue to have your child's meals, snacks, naps, bedtimes, everything, at the same time as usual, Mindell says.

Expose your child to bright light first thing in the morning (the indoor kind works) to reprogram her internal clock faster.

From http://www.parenting.com/

By Shaun Dreisbach

Connect with other families with diabetes

COME TO FAMILY LINK NIGHT, MEET OTHER FAMILIES LIVING WITH DIABETES

Free event offers support for every member of the family

 

Come to Family Link Night with the American Diabetes Association and meet other families who live with diabetes! This fun, FREE, kid-friendly evening includes dinner, social time and educational speakers geared to kids with diabetes, parents, and siblings. The event is open to families of children ages 10 to 18 who have diabetes. Join us Friday, March 11, 2011, from 5:15 to 9:30 p.m., at IU Health North Hospital (11700 N. Meridian Street, Carmel). To reserve your spot, contact Carol Dixon by March 7 at cdixon@diabetes.org or 317-352-9226. Registration starts at 5:15 p.m. on March 11, dinner begins at 6 p.m. and the event concludes at 9:30 p.m.

State of Indiana Child Care Rating and Improvement System, Paths to QUALITY™, leads the Country and Reaches a Milestone

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Indiana is celebrating the 2,000th child care program enrolled in Paths to QUALITY. Of the more than 540,000 children in Indiana between the ages of birth and five years, an estimated 350,000 (66%) will need some type of child care. Recognizing the importance of high quality child care and the difficulty families face in identifying and choosing a high quality child care provider, Indiana launched its four-level quality rating and improvement system known as Paths to QUALITY. At each level, providers progressively meet standards that research has shown to be best for children, with the highest level being the attainment of national accreditation. Each level represents a greater commitment to the professional development and educational achievement of the child care providers.

The country is watching and learning from Indiana’s enormous participation rates and its progress in achieving higher ratings as higher quality child care is implemented. “I believe the Indiana Paths to QUALITY system is one of the best – if not THE best – Quality Rating and Improvement Systems in our country. Indiana used lessons learned from its privately funded pilot projects and combined them with research to develop a system that is inclusive and gives child care providers from all segments of the industry the opportunity to improve their programs. It also gives parents an easily understood way to evaluate quality. By building on the existing Child Care Resource and Referral System, Indiana avoided duplication of efforts and saved taxpayers countless dollars. Paths to QUALITY is a win-win for everyone,” says Linda Smith, Executive Director of the National Association for Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (NACCRRA).

Marsha Thompson, Executive Director of the Indiana Association for Child Care Resource and Referral states, “Indiana’s Child Care Resource and Referral system is proud to be a partner in Paths to QUALITY and of the positive outcomes being realized for Indiana’s families, children, and child care professionals. We want families to know that our local agencies are there to help them locate high quality child care. We want to acknowledge the efforts of 2,000 child care programs that have chosen to voluntarily participate in Paths to QUALITY for the benefit of children and families in Indiana.”

In the region that Child Care Answers, serves Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson and Marion Counties. In these counties a total of 404 providers are enrolled with 279 being Level 1, 43 Level 2, 50 Level 3 AND 32 Level 4. To find out which child care programs are participating you may call (317) 631-4643 or visit http://www.childcareanswers.com/.

To learn more about Paths to QUALITY visit http://www.childcareindiana.org/.

Negotiating the child care maze

Negotiating the child care maze

By Andrea Sullivan
Tuesday, 01 March 2011 01:00

Parents magazine’s list of Best Cities for Babies in the United States ranks Fort Wayne No. 2 in the nation!
As expected, large cities like sunny Phoenix and picturesque Seattle are on the current Best Cities for Babies list, but they were ranked below Fort Wayne, which was ranked No. 2 in the entire nation. (See parents.com.)

The editors rated cities on the basis of population, quality child care, infant safety and health, recreational opportunities and affordability.So, how did the Summit City knock out such big competitors like Phoenix and Seattle with their beautiful locations, big city amenities and hip downtown scenes? The answer can be found on your computer.

That is where parents can find a website devoted to finding and comparing child care providers within the state of Indiana. The website, childcareindiana.org, a project of the Indiana Association for Child Care Resource and Referral and the Indiana Bureau of Child Care, allows parents to put in their zip code and find local childcare providers that fit their families’ needs. It also gives parents vital information like staff-child ratios, hours of operation and an overall rating of the facility.

The rating system, called Paths to Quality, was devised more than a decade ago by the Early Childhood Alliance, a nonprofit organization in Fort Wayne. The ECA started a quality-improvement system to rate the city’s child-care businesses based on health and safety standards, education of staff, and other factors. It became so successful, the entire state of Indiana has now implemented it.

Pam Leffert, program director of the ECA, says she has seen enormous strides in the quality of area child care since Paths to Quality began. “I have been at Early Childhood Alliance for 13 years and I can see a big difference in the quality of programs throughout the area,” she said. “I have also seen a real increase in the interest and commitment to quality child care from all types of child care programs.”

Participation in Paths to Quality is voluntary. Child care providers who participate are ranked on one of four different levels, from meeting children’s basic health and safety needs to the highest ranking of national accreditation.

One Fort Wayne parent who used the Indiana Child Care Resource and Referral system is Samantha Dunn. Before finding the Indiana CCR&R, the young mother said she felt overwhelmed when trying to find an appropriate day care setting for her infant daughter.“I was terrified. [The first place I called] I could barely talk to the woman on the phone because there were so many babies crying,” said Dunn. “All I could think was, ‘This woman has to answer the phone instead of taking care of the babies!’”

Many parents who have tried to find day care can relate to that feeling of confusion and fear. In the past, finding good day care was a hit or miss proposition, generally guided by a word-of-mouth recommendation and a “go with your gut” feeling.Luckily, parents now have an easier way to compare the different child care options available and find the best fit for their child.

Dunn says that not only did the CCR&R provide a list of childcare providers but also noted if it was a day care facility, single home care provider,or church based ministry, hours of operation, address and contact information. The website also featured a valuable list of questions that parents should ask child care providers.

“I would absolutely recommend it. There were so many questions that I didn’t know to ask, but I am so happy that I did,” said Dunn, who chose a church ministry setting for her daughter. “[The website] has pretty much done the homework for you. It was an amazing time saver, and there needs to be more information put out there to let people know that this resource is available.”

Finding child care is still a highly personal decision. What works for one family or child might not work for another. However, any tool that can help parents negotiate the maze of options available is valuable, and the online referral system is a good first step. Parents are still encouraged to follow through with phone calls, questions and personal visits to the child care provider before making their final choice.

”We would be thrilled if every family in Indiana had access to a high quality child care program that met their individual needs and was affordable,” said Leffert. “That is certainly something we will continue to work on and advocate for.”

Andrea Sullivan of Warsaw has journalism and English literature degrees from Indiana University, Bloomington, as well as several years of experience in public relations and advertorial writing for various business-to-business publications. She has spent the last few years at home raising her family. Contact her at (574) 269-9608 or amsullivan2000@yahoo.com

Indianapolis Area Chapter of Indiana AEYC Winter Workshops

Come Join Us for Indianapolis Area Chapter of Indiana AEYC Winter Workshops on March 12th

Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis

Auditorium – 4th Floor

50 West Fall Creek Parkway North Drive ~ Indianapolis, IN 46208

(Located at the corner of Meridian and Fall Creek Parkway)

8:45 am registration 9:00 – 12:00 noon workshop

ONE SESSION: Pre-Register NAEYC Members $10 Pre-Register Non-members $15

Onsite Registration: $20 for Members and Non-members for each session

March 12th

Identifying Behavior and Developmental Challenges in Infants & Toddlers presented by Angie Tomlin, Coordinator of Psychology Riley Child Development Center

In this workshop participants will:

•  Learn to recognize “red flags” signaling the need for developmental screening.
•  Identify and review specific tools and methods appropriate for use by child care professionals.
•  Increase skills in discussing screening results with families and initiating referrals when needed.

Contact Dawn Blake for questions: 317-251-1483 or tkbindy@sbcglobal.net

IDEM's Five Star Enviromental Recognition Program;Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church Daycare & Purpose of Life Academy

For immediate release: Feb 16, 2011
Posted by: [IDEM]
Contact: Allison Fore
Phone: (317) 232-8500
Email: afore@idem.IN.gov
Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church Daycare & Purpose of Life Academy earn stars for environmental safety

Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church Daycare & Purpose of Life Academy both in Indianapolis have joined the Indiana Department of Environmental Management's (IDEM's) Five Star Environmental Recognition Program for Child Care Providers.

We learned about the Five Star program through United Way," said Deborah Rohrman, Bethany Evangelical Daycare director. "We were interested in making our building as safe as possible for the kids and then found out that the improvements they suggested were also going to save us money."

Some of the implemented changes which resulted in cost-savings for Bethany Evangelical included energy efficiency improvements and the institution of a recycling program which resulted in a net savings for their trash hauling.

"This is a wonderful Valentine's gift to the children and families attending Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church Daycare," said IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly. "Children under the age of six are our most vulnerable population. Participants in IDEM's Five Star program deserve recognition for exceeding expectations to minimize children's exposure to harmful contaminants. Any family contemplating their child care options should definitely consider facilities that participate in our Five Star program."

To participate, child care facilities conduct assessments and take steps to minimize children's exposure to pests, second-hand smoke, asbestos, lead, hazardous chemicals, vehicle exhaust and allergens. IDEM assists facilities in implementing environmental plans and conducts site visits before granting membership.

There are currently over 80 child care providers statewide participating in the Five Star program making their facilities safer for 4,000 Hoosier children. Other Marion County Five Star program participants include: ABC Child Care & Preschool (eight locations); PlayDates Education & Training; Puzzle Pieces Child Care, LLC; Dream Weaver Before & After School; Sugar & Spice; Robin's Nest Childcare Center; Small Blessings, Inc.; Kids Express Home Child Care; and, Purpose of Life Academy.

Additional information about the IDEM Five Star Child Care program can be obtained by calling Karen Teliha, Community Environmental Health and Education coordinator, at (800) 988-7901 or by visiting www.idem.IN.gov/4180.htm.

About IDEM
IDEM (www.idem.IN.gov) implements federal and state regulations regarding the environment. Through compliance assistance, incentive programs and educational outreach, the agency encourages and aids businesses and citizens in protecting Hoosiers and our environment.

IDEM's Five Star Enviromental Recognition Program; Better Beginnings Child Care

For immediate release: Jan 28, 2011
Posted by: [IDEM]
Contact: Allison Fore
Phone: (317) 232-8500
Email: afore@idem.IN.gov
Danville child care facility kicks off new year by improving environmental safety

The only Hendricks County child care facility admitted into the Indiana Department of Environmental Management's (IDEM's) Five Star Environmental Recognition Program for Child Care Providers has increased its efforts to protect children from environmental threats.

Better Beginnings Child Care, LLC in Danville has been going above and beyond requirements since 2010 to ensure the building is maintained in an environmentally-friendly manner. This includes never storing pesticides in the building to minimize harmful chemical exposure for the children. Recently, Better Beginnings checked radon and lead levels, and designated its building as tobacco-free to further protect the health of the young children who spend many hours there.

"This is an excellent start to the new year for children and families living in Hendricks County," said IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly. "Children under the age of six are our most vulnerable population, and Better Beginnings deserves recognition for exceeding expectations to minimize children's exposure to harmful contaminants. Any family considering their child care options should definitely look at facilities like Better Beginnings that exceed minimum requirements in search of environmental excellence."

To participate in the program, child care facilities conduct assessments and take steps to minimize children's exposure to pests, second-hand smoke, asbestos, lead, polychlorinated biphenyls, exposure to hazardous chemicals, vehicle exhaust and allergens. IDEM assists facilities in implementing environmental plans and conducts site visits before granting membership.

Better Beginnings owner Carrie Ryland recognizes the value received by participating in IDEM's Five Star program. "I've learned so much through the program," Ryland said. "We've had our facility checked for lead and radon, and we've reduced vehicle idling, encouraged recycling and worked to reduce asthma triggers around the home."

There are currently over 80 child care providers participating in the Five Star program making their facilities safer for 4,000 Hoosier children. Better Beginnings is the only Five Star program in Hendricks County.

Additional information about the IDEM Five Star Child Care program can be obtained by calling Karen Teliha, Community Environmental Health & Education coordinator, at (800) 988-7901, or by visiting www.idem.IN.gov/4180.htm.

About IDEM
IDEM (www.idem.IN.gov) implements federal and state regulations regarding the environment. Through compliance assistance, incentive programs and educational outreach, the agency encourages and aids businesses and citizens in protecting Hoosiers and our environment.

We CARE: An Evening Dedicated to Parent Voices!

MCCOY’s Student Success Team, along with our sponsoring partners: Indiana Partnership Center, Indiana Youth Institute and WFYI would like to invite all parents and other caring adults to join us at the Marion County Family Engagement Evening!


Who: Parents, families, educators and other caring adults

When: March 10, 2011, 5-7 p.m.

Where: WFYI Community Room—1630 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis 46202Join us for an evening dedicated to parent involvement within the community, schools and their children’s lives.
 
● Keynote Speaker: Randy Minniear, Chairman, NFL Alumni and graduate of Broad Ripple High School and Purdue University
● The event’s theme: World Café allows for an innovative and simple format to hold discussions with attendees around important issues affecting student suc-cess.
● A panel consisting of two Marion County parents and two educators will speak about the importance of parent voice and involvement within the education system, then will pose questions to the audience to have a conversation around
● Dinner provided by YATs
● Attendees will leave with a plethora of resources to help their students suc-ceed in school.
* Spanish interpreters will be present

Register at: http://www.rsvpbook.com/event.php?482139 or contact Michelle Clegg, Drop-out Prevention Coordinator at 317-921-1230 or michelle.clegg@mccoyouth.org.

Hurry only 100 spots available for this free event. Plus don’t miss out on your chance to register as an attendee for a computer raffle.

Leadership Basics for Faith-Based Programming

What is Leadership? Why is it important in your child care ministry?

• Four Class Sessions on Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Purdue Extension office in Marion County.
• $55 for all four classes!
• Textbook and handouts provided.
• Located at 6640 Intech Blvd., Ste. 120 in Indianapolis.

Class Dates
March 19, 2011
April 2, 2011
April 16, 2011
April 30, 2011

Class assignments are web-based—about 2 hours of self-study and practice on your own for each 3-hour class. You will need computer access to participate. All four classes total 20 training hours (CEU’s from Purdue University).

Topics include: Understanding Leadership; Understanding Our Values and Character; Understanding Differences; Listening and Speaking Clearly; Building Relationships; Building Teams; Problem Solving in Teams; and Managing Conflict.

For more information ontact Dee Love : loved@purdue.edu or 765-494-2933

Paths to QUALITY Levels

Levels of Quality

Quality experiences that promote children's healthy growth and development are provided at each level. As child care providers move from one level to the next, those opportunities increase.

Starting with meeting basic health and safety needs at Level One and topping out with national accreditation at Level Four, each quality level is tailored to suit the needs of licensed centers, family child care homes and unlicensed registered ministries. The system awards providers for ongoing efforts to achieve higher standards of quality.

Level 1 – Health & Safety Needs are Met

Paths to QUALITY participants who meet Level 1, have demonstrated that they are operating in good standing and have been recognized by the state of Indiana to meet all required health and safety standards. For homes and centers, this means that they hold a current state license. For ministries this means they have met the voluntary certification standards.

Level 2 – Environment Supports Children’s Learning

Paths to QUALITY participants who achieve Level 2, have demonstrated a commitment to improve program quality and offer opportunities for children to advance their growth and development. Level 2 participants have demonstrated participation in on-going training and professional development, having achieved or working toward a degree or other nationally recognized child care certification. Level 2 programs will have evidence of consistent daily schedules, planned daily activities for children, and will provide relevant program information to families.

Level 3 – Planned Curriculum Supports Children's Development

Paths to QUALITY participants who achieve Level 3 have demonstrated knowledge and skill to plan appropriate activities and opportunities for children that lead to school readiness. Level 3 participants use child observations, assessments, and portfolios to design activities which are inviting, engaging, and challenging to all children in their care. Level 3 programs have made a significant investment in the professional development of the staff and lead caregiver, and incorporate family and staff input into the program.

Level 4 – Achieves National Accreditation

Paths to QUALITY participants who achieve Level 4 have demonstrated a commitment to the highest level of professionalism in child care, achievement of a nationally recognized accreditation. To achieve accreditation, programs volunteer to be measured against rigorous national standards. Level 4 providers have achieved accreditation and are also managed by a provider or director who has achieved a degree or equivalent and has volunteered to provide mentoring to others in the field.

Approved Accrediting Bodies

To meet the highest standards for high quality early care and education, Level Four
(4) of Paths to QUALITY™ requires the child care program to achieve and maintain accreditation by one of the following nationally recognized accrediting bodies approved by the Bureau of Child Care:


National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA)
Council on Accreditation (COA)
National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)
Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI)

The Indiana Summit on Out-of-School Learning

The Indiana Summit on Out-of-School Learning
February 28th – March 1st, 2011

About The Summit
The 2011 conference features engaging workshops, keynote presentations, networking opportunities and more. Come take advantage of the annual opportunity and make valuable connections with leading policymakers, educators, business leaders and youth development experts from across the state. Discover the latest thinking and learn innovative practices for improving your ongoing work and new projects.

The conference includes a wide range of break-out sessions/workshops with practical tools and best practices for out-of-school time providers including:

• Curriculum ideas – building better readers, positive behaviors in youth, parent engagement, homework help, science enrichment, college and career readiness, physical fitness, and other topics.
• Leadership – building effective teams, promoting your program, innovative programming and leadership.
• Sustainability - public and private funding for afterschool and summer programs.
• Advocacy - building ongoing relationships with public policy leaders to effect ongoing change.
• Evaluation & best practices - strategies to maximize quality and impact programs.

SPECIAL EVENT: Rallying At The Indiana Statehouse
With keynote speakers, buffet lunch, and opportunities to meet in small groups with Indiana state legislators to showcase your programs and tell them about the importance of out-of-school time programs.

Summit Location
The two-day summit will be held at the Hilton (120 West Market Street) in downtown Indianapolis on February 28th and March 1st.
The rallying event will also take place on March 1st nearby at the Indiana Statehouse.
On-site hotel accommodations at the Hilton will be available at a discounted rate until January 28th (for a limited number of attendees).

Summit Attendees
The training is open to ALL out-of-school time (afterschool and summer learning) providers in Indiana.

Summit Registration
Open registration begins January 10th. Visit http://www.indianaafterschool.org/ to register or call Sara Beanblossom at 317-920-0181 with questions.

Text4Baby

Are you expecting a baby soon or have a young child at home?


Text4baby is a free mobile information service designed to promote maternal and child health. An educational program of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB), text4baby provides pregnant women and new moms with information they need to take care of their health and give their babies the best possible start in life. Women who sign up for the service by texting BABY (or BEBE for Spanish) to 511411 will receive free SMS text messages each week, timed to their due date or baby’s date of birth.

To learn more about the program you can visit their website at http://www.text4baby.org/index.html .

Professional Development Opportunity

DON’T MISS OUT ON THIS EXCITING TRAINING OPPORTUNITY!

Peter L. Mangione, Ph.D., is Co-Director of WestEd’s Center for Child and Family Studies. For over twenty-five years, he has provided leadership in the development of the Program for Infant/Toddler Care, a national model for training early childhood practitioners.

Join Dr. Mangione and other child care providers from throughout Indiana to explore why responsiveness to infants and toddlers is critically important to their development.

When: Friday, February 18th For child care CENTER and MINISTRY administrators and directors
Saturday, February 19th For family child care HOME providers

Time: Friday, February 18th 9:00am-4:00pm
Saturday, February 19th 9:00am-2:00pm

Location: Friday, February 18th
The Garrison Conference Center Blue Heron Ballroom
6002 N. Post Road, Indianapolis IN
Saturday, February 19th
Fort Harrison State Park Inn Roosevelt Ballroom
5830 N. Post Road, Indianapolis IN

Cost: $20 per person-includes resources and lunch!

PLEASE COMPLETE THE ATTACHED FORM AND RETURN IT WITH PAYMENT NO LATER THAN MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH.


Limited Space is Available.
Reservations will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.


For questions, please contact Renee’ Kinder at rkinder@iaccrr.org or call 317-924-5202 or 1-800-299-1627 ext. 224.

New Report: Information and Quality are Important to Hoosier Families Seeking Child Care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 9, 2011

Contact Person: Erin Ramsey, Director of Public Relations: eramsey@iaccrr.org or 812-549-6216

New Report: Information and Quality are Important to Hoosier Families Seeking Child Care

In Indiana, 66 % of children under the age of five are in some type of child care arrangement outside of the home. Research shows that 85% of a child’s capacity to learn is determined during the first five years of life. The brain development of young children is directly influenced by the relationships and environments that they experience. Therefore, it is essential that families have the tools, information and resources they need to make informed decisions about the child care providers they choose for their children.

The Indiana Association for Child Care Resource and Referral (IACCRR) has published Parents and Child Care in Indiana (2010), a compilation of parents’ responses regarding their success in locating and selecting child care after they accessed the services of Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies.

Marsha Thompson, Executive Director of IACCRR says, “We found that, first and foremost, parents want a safe environment for their children and caregivers who are experienced and trained to care for and educate their children. Parents also want information and they use it directly in how they search for care and how they select care. It is our goal that all families who are in need of child care referrals or information will access all of our free services.”

IACCRR reports the following findings from Parents and Child Care in Indiana (2010):

Child Care Resource and Referral services are valuable to families. In fact, 92% of parents responded that the local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency helped them make a more informed choice, and 85% responded that they knew more about what to look for when trying to find high quality child care after receiving information from the CCR&R.

Parents take action based on information provided. Of families who responded, 92% intend to or have asked about caregiver training and education related to caring for children; 80% intend to or have contacted other parents for references; and 88% intend to or have checked adult-to-child ratios.

Despite the solid efforts by IACCRR and other groups devoted to Indiana’s families and children, some families still encounter challenges securing child care for their children. According to parents who were unable to obtain child care within three weeks of contacting the CCR&R, subsequent barriers included cost, availability and quality.

Child Care Resource and Referral agencies do a good job serving families. This free service offered 80% of clients between 3 and 15 child care referrals. In addition, 95% responded that their needs were understood by the CCR&R; 96% responded that CCR&R staff was knowledgeable; and 95% rated overall services provided as outstanding.

To access the full report, visit www.iaccrr.org

Families who wish to locate their local Child Care Resource and Referral agency may visit www.iaccrr.org.

The Indiana Association for Child Care Resource and Referral is a 501c3 organization funded by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration.



Note: IACCRR conducts ongoing follow-up surveys of parents who use CCR&R services across the state. A random selection of 20% of parents in each of the 11 agency areas are surveyed on a variety of topics. Oversampling is done of parents who receive an enhanced referral in order to accommodate low population and sample sizes. For this report, N=991 parents receiving referrals between October, 2009 and March, 2010. Valid responses only were used to calculate percentages and totals.

With volunteer effort, PNC banks on kids

PNC bank officials recently made their 1,800 Indiana employees an offer that's somewhat unusual in the financial realm.

Essentially, they said workers can take 40 hours over the coming year -- paid time during the workday, no less -- and volunteer at a local preschool. They can read to children, help them learn their numbers, build playgrounds or splash a new coat of paint on the walls.

But once the employee completes those 40 hours, PNC takes community involvement to a level not often seen: The company will make a donation to the preschool on behalf of its employee.
For $1,000.

The e-mails had barely circulated before 83 employees signed up, with more joining the effort each day. That's potentially 3,320 volunteer hours and $83,000 -- and counting. And it isn't some sort of window dressing project being circulated so quietly that nobody notices. Each employee received a starter kit with a bag of information and T-shirts.

Midlevel managers are urging their underlings to join them in volunteering as a group activity. And PNC Regional President Stephen Stitle, in addition to sending an e-mail urging everyone to participate, is planning to lead the parade by example.

(taken from 2/6/2011 - Indianapolis Star article- written by Robert King)

Here is the link for the complete article
http://www.indystar.com/article/201102060245/NEWS1003/102060358