Family Day Care Providers Improve Quality of Care
Mary Hughes, Pat Anderson, Eugenia Hanlon, and Mary Beth Kaufman

Problem:
Research studies show the quality of childcare is below the desired quality level. The Harrison/Monona/Shelby Empowerment Board has been providing dollars to childcare centers and preschools, but has not known if the dollars were being used for appropriate quality improvements.

Response:
The Harrison/Monona/Shelby Empowerment Board made funding contingent on sites having an Environment Rating Scale Assessment and consultation. ISU Extension, because their observers are inter-rater reliable, was asked to do the assessments.

Impact:
Twenty eight infant/toddler and preschool classrooms were assessed with either the Infant-Toddler Environment Rating Scale or the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. The 28 sites received on-site consultation and written consultation reports. Child Care Resource and Referral staff were invited by many of the sites to participate in the consultations so that they could receive some hands-on training on how to consult using the Environment Scales and therefore provide more reliable technical assistance to the grant participants.

Twenty seven of the sites have turned in quality improvement plans to the Empowerment Board. The 28 th site, with approval of the board because of complications with their funds being part of a public school budget, is in the process of spending their dollars before they turn in their final plan.

The Empowerment Board is in the process of deciding on additional technical assistance for quality improvement and whether they will do a second assessment to document the quality changes. The staff at participating sites have requested a follow-up observation be a part of the plan, as they are proud of the accomplishments they have already made as a result of the consultations and observations.

In the meantime there are many signs that doing the assessments and consultations made a difference.

Some indications are: 1. Two sites had all of their lead staff complete the PITC training, (and the 3-session ITERS-R training series), as recommended in their consultation. 2. One Center has contracted with the ISU Extension Family Life Specialist to provide individualized on-site training for their staff, and 3. The owner of one center used the Thanksgiving weekend to make all of the recommended changes in an infant/toddler classroom. Just a few of the changes are that the babies now have a safe floor covering that protects their heads when they tumble over, toys are accessible on low open shelves, cribs are placed appropriately to prevent the spread of germs and food preparation is located next to a sink dedicated to hand-washing. 4. It was recommended for one center that the preschool and three-year old rooms be flip-flopped, (due to space/access to the bathrooms and water/size of group/access to the outside playground), and the staff have accomplished this recommendation and find it has positively impacted their interactions with the children. 5. Recommendations for outdoor active physical play, excluding large climbers or other expensive equipment, were put in place at two sites, with proper fencing of the playgrounds taking priority in one additional site.

Contact:
Mary Hughes
Family Life Field Specialist
3501 Harry Langdon Blvd
Council Bluffs, IA 51503-7837
Phone 712-366-7070; Fax 712-366-7024
Email mhughes@iastate.edu