Latest News from the Bureau of Child Care
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.
MEASLES OUTBREAK
There was a recent measles outbreak in Hamilton County. Click the following links for additional information about the measles.
- Indiana State Department of Health
- Hamilton County Measles information
- A letter to Childcare Providers from the Hamilton County Health Department
Grant Opportunity for Unlicensed Registered Ministries
If you operate an unlicensed registered child care ministry in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion or Morgan County, you may qualify for free books for your children, free training and technical assistance and possible grant funding from United Way of Central Indiana. Please contact Melissa Jackson at 317-921-1335 or Ted Maple at 317-921-1235 for more information.
“Have you heard about the Let’s Move! Child Care State Challenge?
As many of you know, the Let’s Move! Child Care (LMCC) initiative was launched by the First Lady with the aim of creating a healthier future for children in early care and education programs. LMCC provides tips, Webinars, and other online resources highlighting goals oriented towards child care providers- including increasing physical activity, reducing screen time, improving food and beverage choices, and supporting infant feeding.
Let’s Move! Child Care participants can complete an online interactive checklist quiz to assess what quality improvements can be made related to these goals. Providers can create action plans to incorporate into their own programs, and earn a certificate of recognition after completion of the action plan. Several states have created additional incentives connected to LMCC, including linking it to Quality Rating Improvement Systems and professional development. The Office of Child Care has also received many success stories through the Web site and encourages you to share descriptions of success in your communities with them through the success story page.
We all believe in LMCC’s ability to improve the health of children, and OCC and the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) are working together to reach more children and providers through the Lets Move! Child Care State Challenge, a nationwide challenge recognizing states with the highest participation rates in LMCC. All across the country, child care providers are signing up, and the states with the highest percentage of providers participating and the highest percentage of providers completing the program will be recognized at the Weight of the Nation Conference in Washington, DC, this May.
The Office of Child Care is proud to have more than 2,000 providers involved in LMCC, but they believe more providers–and more children–can get involved in this exciting initiative. Have you signed up, yet? “
NEW CRIB SAFETY STANDARDS
On December 28, 2010, the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published new safety standards for full-size and non-full-size cribs. The new safety standards will become effective on June 28, 2011. For information on how these new crib safety standards will affect Indiana child care providers, click here.
(posted April 2011)
NEWS RELEASE
Indiana Bureau of Child Care Wins 2011 National Program for Playground Safety Award (April 25, 2011)
2011 State of the Young Hoosier Child Report
The Indiana State Department of Health's Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Initiative, Sunny Start: Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds is pleased to share its 2011 State of the Young Hoosier Child Report. The report provides a snapshot of the well-being of children ages birth to age five who comprise an estimated 8.3% of the total Hoosier population. It uses data on indicators that research has shown influence the outcomes for young children and their future well-being. The report contains state level information and national comparisons that can be used as a resource by communities, policy makers, and youth workers. Another feature in the report is a set of County Data Profiles which includes indicators of the well-being of children 0 - 5 across time for each of Indiana's 92 counties. These profiles can be used for comparison to the state or other counties. The County Data Profiles and the full report are available online at www.sunnystart.in.gov/syhc.
ATTENTION CCDF PROVIDERS!
There have been updates to the Indiana CCDF Provider Manual. To download the most current version of this manual, click here.
Also...
Due to the recent weather conditions and closings of several child care facilities, the Bureau of Child Care would like to remind all CCDF child care providers of the following policies regarding the use of Personal Day Claims for the CCDF Voucher Program.
In order for a parent to claim a personal day:
The provider must be open for business (not closed for any portion of the day due to vacation, weather, etc.); and
The day must be one of the child’s scheduled days to attend; and
The child must not have attended any part of the day.
If all three of these conditions are met, a parent may choose to claim a personal day. Parents may not use a personal day on a day that you are closed. Improper use of a personal day may result in a provider repayment; therefore, it is important for parents and providers to carefully evaluate the appropriateness of each personal day claimed. Please remind your staff and the families that attend your program of these rules.
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/
INDIANA CACFP NEWSLETTER
The Indiana Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is excited to announce their new electronic quarterly newsletter. This publication will share success stories of Indiana CACFP participants, news and updates, new sponsors, food safety tips, recipes, and more. To view the CACFP newsletters, visit their website at http://www.doe.in.gov/food/childadults/newsletter.html.
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.
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://www.earlychildhoodmeetingplace.org/.
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
CLARIFICATIONS TO VOLUNTARY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM (VCP) INTERPRETATIVE GUIDELINES
The Bureau of Child Care (BCC) wishes to inform unlicensed registered child care ministry providers who are participating in the Voluntary Certification Program 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 standards, NOT new standards. These guidelines serve to ensure that you, your consultant and the families you serve will know how the standards are enforced and what the threshold of compliance is for each standard. These changes are effective May 1, 2011.
The Interpretative Guidelines 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 full guide during your next inspection visit or you may request a copy now by calling 1-877-511-1144 and choosing the option for Voluntary Certificate of Recognition Provider. (posted April 2011)
CLARIFICATIONS TO LICENSED CHILD CARE CENTER INTERPRETATIVE GUIDE
The Bureau of Child Care (BCC) wishes to inform licensed child care center 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, 2011, 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 and selecting the option for Child Care Centers. (posted Apr. 2011)
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, 2011, 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 and selecting the option for Child Care Homes. (posted Apr. 2011)
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.
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.
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.
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
