Rosenboom's Success Story

Situation:
Improving the quality of childcare is one of the main program efforts in Iowa. Extension staff have been working with various partners to look at the quality of care within the state. According to assessments made through the Midwest Child Care project, Iowa ranks very low in quality child care compared to other Midwest states.

Action:
ISU Extension Family Life field specialist, trained in the Family Daycare Environmental Rating Scale (FDCRS) was contacted to provide six hours of training to child care providers in NW Iowa. The purpose of the training was to help providers learn how to evaluate their own program to improve the quality of care within their home.

Impact:
A three month follow-up evaluation of the nine family day care homes showed the following improvements had been made.

• 6 completed a self assessment using the FDCRS book and score sheet
• 4 completed an Action Plan based on my self-assessment
• 5 have made 1-3 changes/improvements in their childcare program, and
• 1 has made 4 or more changes/improvements in her childcare program.

Changes made in their programs since completing the FDCRS Training include:

• More daily music activities/children artwork displayed
• More dramatic play for outside; defined areas mores; labeled toys and labeled where they are to be stored
• Marker board-message board added to the front door for additional communication; more child related pictures/artwork added around the rooms - "Thank you for the training. They gave me productive ideas to improve my program."
• Offer more crafts daily; free creative drawing and playdough; sorted through toys and got rid of old worn and replaced with new; re-evaluated the kinds of toys supplied; re-evaluated contract and policies-currently working to redo them
• Fenced a portion of yard for safer outdoor environment. Also added child sized furniture to the playroom
• Purchased softer children furniture; changed the nap area around: working on getting all toys into sealed boxes with labels and pictures of contents.

Improvements made within these 6 family childcare programs have impacted approximately 36 families in Northwest Iowa.

Additional trainings are schedules for Jan and Feb of 2006 in Northwest Iowa.

Contact:
Rhonda Rosenboom
Extension Field Specialist/Family Life
Box 99
Primghar IA 51245
Phone 712-957-5045; Fax 712-957-5065
E-Mail rrosenb@iastate.edu