Infant Toddler Child-Care Providers Improve Quality of Care
Field Specialists: Pat Anderson and Mary Hughes

Problem:
The Quality Childcare Task Force of Pottawattamie County identified the need for training to improve the quality of infant/toddler care in family daycare homes. A review of educational opportunities available to providers revealed the need for training that went beyond available entry-level trainings. The Pottawattamie County Empowerment Board had funding available for a one time childcare quality improvement project.

Response:
A proposal was presented to the Pottawattamie County Empowerment Board by Iowa State University Extension and Iowa Western Community College to develop and deliver a collaborative training series. The series included:
1.Training providers to use the Family Daycare Rating Scale (FDCRS) for self assessment of program quality;
2. The Trying Toddler Years: Interacting with Young Children;
3. Creative Expression & Present Play;
4. Music Movement & Physical Activity;
5. Science and Math Experiences; and
6. Diversity and Multiculturalism.
A portion of the grant funds supported providers in implementing quality improvement plans developed in relationship to each workshop. Fifteen providers were selected for the training.

Impact:
Seventeen of the FDCRS items were assigned to be tracked according to their relationship to workshop subjects and 15 items were tracked to measure the impact of the providers' increased awareness of quality.

Fourteen of the 15 providers completed the total training series. Pre-project self assessments from 13 providers, who shared usable data, showed an overall average quality score change of 5.51 pre-project to 6.59 post-project (a score of 5 reflects basic developmental care and a score of 7 reflects enhanced developmental care).

Average scores for scale indicators rose for all workshops and average scores also rose for the 15 indicators where providers just gained an awareness of what constitutes quality from training on the FDCRS.

Post project, 13 providers report they are using the FDCRS to continue to improve the quality of their care and to help them select trainings. Ten of the providers are, or plan to work toward, either NAEYC or NAFCS Accreditation. Six providers have, or plan to, enroll in for-credit childcare classes for an associates degree in Early Childhood.

Project impact is reflected in the comments of 2 providers: "I stop before I decide things and think "quality." I go back and look at the FDCRS before making decisions. The kids are more independent in their choices now, giving me more time to prepare educational activities, rather than taking care of misbehavior." And "This was a positive experience. It impacts how I handle children on a day to day basis. The program is on my mind all the time. It's been a great influence."

Even the children could feel and express the difference the project made in their lives as evidenced by the story related by one provider. She had forgotten to take her "before" photographs to document changes, so asked the kids to play-act how things were before she purchased duplicate toys. (She learned in one of the workshops that toddler's aren't good at sharing or taking turns.). The kids asked "You mean you want us to fight like we did all the time before we got the extra toys?"

After the presentation to the Empowerment Board, of project results, members commented: "Our dollars were obviously wisely invested." ..and.. "We will have to find funds to do this project again."

Contacts:

Pat Anderson Nutrition and Health Field Specialist East Pottawattamie Extension Office 321 Oakland Avenue, Box 187 Oakland, IA 51560 Phone 712-482-6449; Fax 712-482-6440 Email pander@iastate.edu

Mary L. Hughes Field Specialist, Family Life 3501 Harry Langdon Boulevard, ISD Campus Careers Bldg, 2nd Floor Council Bluffs, IA 51503 Phone 712-366-7070; Fax 712-366-7024 Email mhughes@iastate.edu