As a family child care provider, it’s a juggling act to keep everything running behind the scenes so that you can manage the day-to-day planning required to meet the needs of all the children in your program. You shoulder a significant amount of responsibility that ultimately affects the quality and success of your program. 

You also play a vital role in the lives of several children and their families. They depend on you to be there and to have all those pieces in place. And to top it all off…..all of this happens in the “comfort” of your own home, right?

It is crucial to your program that you build and maintain high-quality business management skills. However, they don’t develop overnight. It’s an on-going process that evolves as you encounter new situations, seek out new knowledge, and gain experience. It’s important to reach out to your Family Child Care Specialist for guidance and support. He or she may be able to put you in contact with a seasoned family child care provider that can mentor you, as well…..or maybe you are the seasoned provider that would like to help someone new to the field!  

This edition of News You Can Use will highlight some of the resources that can help you with all your program management needs.

Programs that strive to provide quality care above and beyond the minimum requirements deserve to be recognized. Kentucky All STARS was created to do just that! Participating programs can earn monetary incentives and are provided with additional support including training, technical assistance, and coaching.

Kentucky All Stars allows participants to choose the level that best suits their program at the present time. There are 5 levels. For a facility to be rated a level 1, the only requirement is to be licensed or certified and in good standing with the Division of Child Care. If you are a family child care facility and want to apply for a level 2 or above, you can contact your Family Child Care Specialist who will connect you with the appropriate Child Care Aware Coach to guide you through the process. 

A level 2 requires training in specific areas and a self-assessment. In order to qualify for Levels 3 to 5, your facility must meet the criteria for a level 2 and gather additional documentation to support 4 key areas which include Classroom and Instructional Quality, Staff Qualifications, Family and Community Engagement, and Administrative and Leadership. Another requirement for levels 3 to 5 is an environmental observation.

These are done with Environment Rating Scales (see the article below for more information.) Your coach will help you determine the best level for you and assist you in preparing for your application and observation.

To learn more, visit KY All STARS 7-5 or contact your Family Child Care Specialist.

Thelma Harms and Richard M. Clifford published the first Environment Rating Scales in 1980. The scales were intended to serve as a comprehensive early childhood program assessment instrument to be used across different types of programs. Over the years, it has continued to evolve and expand. Today, there are four Environment Rating Scales (ERS). Each scale is specific for each different early childhood setting. 

The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) is used with classrooms comprised primarily of preschool-aged children. The Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS) is used for classrooms that have mostly infants and toddlers. The School-age Care Environment Rating Scale (SACERS) is used in classrooms with school-aged children (Kindergarten and up.) 

Finally, the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCERS) is used in family child care homes with mixed ages. Each publication has gone through revisions. Your coach will help you determine the appropriate scales and editions for your facility.

Each of the scales has items to evaluate in the following categories : Physical Environment, Basic Care, Curriculum, Interaction, Schedule and Program Structure, and Provisions for Parents and Staff. The scales are suitable for use in evaluating inclusive and culturally diverse programs.

The Environment Rating Scales “view child development from a comprehensive, or global, point of view, examining a wide variety of areas that all contribute to positive child development.” They look at the “big picture” and consider all aspects of the environment both indoors and outdoors including the materials and activities offered to the children, the supervision and interactions, and the daily schedule.

The scales have proven inter-rater reliability and validity. This has allowed them to be widely used in research, program evaluation, and program improvement efforts. The scales have supplementary materials such as All About books, videos, introductory courses, and additional notes.

Adapted from Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS) (2nd edition) | McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership (nl.edu)

What is BAS? Family child care is unique and very different from commercial child care facilities. One aspect of a high-quality learning environment is effective business and professional practices. Family child care homes that take the time and effort required to establish and implement strong business practices have the foundation required to build high-quality learning environments. This will allow for better quality interactions with the children and their families.

The BAS allows home providers to see where they currently stand and set goals to gradually implement changes to improve business practices. This scale can help with many of the challenges facing family child care providers including recordkeeping, marketing, and communication with families. 

The BAS is designed to complement the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCERS).  When used together, the two scales give providers a better overview of the quality of the program.  This gives the provider more confidence and less stress. That, in turn, will reflect in the child care program, and the children and their families will benefit greatly.

High-quality family child care offers many unique features, such as more individualized and responsive care in smaller group settings and a warm, nurturing, and familiar environment for children. High-quality child care is determined by program quality and not by the type of child care setting. Research has identified predictors of quality in family child care, which include certification or licensing, professional support, training, financial resources, and provider experience.

Factors to Consider in Defining “Quality” for Family Child Care Settings:

• Providers Should Be Valued and Supported as Small Businesses
• Engagement and Inclusion Parents/Guardians/Families
• Respect for diversity and difference, gender equality and inclusion of children with disabilities
• Age-appropriate curricula and stimulating materials in a safe physical setting

View the WKU FCCN Training Calendar for more information and to register. 

Funded through Family Childcare Support Award SC 7362100001482

www.wku.edu/fccn