Iowa State University Extension

Problem:
In February 2006, Iowa 's Quality Rating System for child care providers formally began. The Iowa Quality Rating System (QRS) is a voluntary program that offers providers a guided way to improve the quality of child care in their home. The Iowa QRS is a tiered system where providers must meet specific criteria to become certified at Levels 1 to 5. A provider can earn points at Levels 3 through 5 with the completion of Environmental Rating Scale Self-Assessment Training and the 40-hour Iowa Program for Infant and Toddler Care requirements.

Response:
A grant was awarded by the Scott County Empowerment Board that expanded the Quality Infant/Toddler Care Project to include six child development homes. The project requirements were – registered home status, completion of the 40-hour Iowa Program for Infant and Toddler Care: Modules I-IV and the Family Day Care Rating Scale Self-Assessment Training. The project also included six hours of technical assistance and funds in the amount of $250 to purchase resources to address areas for improvement identified in the self-assessment process. Iowa State University Extension family life specialist, Wendy Peterson, and Iowa PITC training specialist, Kathy Yoke, provided leadership for the project.

Impact:
Six child development home providers met the project criteria. The providers completed 48-hours of training and received Certificates of Completion for meeting Family Day Care Rating Scale Self-Assessment Training and Iowa Program for Infant and Toddler Care requirements. The requirements included completing pre and post self-assessments for Modules I – IV of the IA PITC; rating their settings using the Family Day Care Rating Scale quality child care indicators and completing a self-assessment where strengths and areas for improvement were identified for all indictors of quality care that they rated below a “5” on a 1 – 7 scale. Each provider also received six-hours of technical assistance by the Iowa PITC training specialist. The goal was to use the provider's self-assessment information and the IAPITC specialist's and ERS trainer's expertise to address areas for improvement and resource needs.

All providers made improvements in their child care settings in three or more of the following areas (a sampling of changes is included in parentheses following each area):

Space and Furnishings for Care and Learning (clutter addressed to remove inappropriate play materials and improve the organization of materials, play spaces rearranged to improve accessibility to toys and enhance play episodes, improved space for “floor-time” for infants, child-related display added);Basic Care (toys evaluated for safety, unsafe outdoor/indoor play structures removed, basic sanitation and hand-washing procedures improved);Language and Reasoning (book collections evaluated, access to books improved, informal adult-child reading times increased);

Learning Activities (play experiences improved by adopting a weekly planning process, child-sized play equipment and props added, sand and water play offered as a daily activity), and

• Social Development (child-sized table and chairs added and younger children removed from confining chairs to enhance peer interaction).
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  Half of the providers (N=3) have completed the Iowa Child Care Quality Rating System application process and currently are certified at a Level 2 rating. The remaining three providers are in the process of completing the application forms.

Contact:
Wendy Peterson
331 East 8th Street
DeWott. Opwa 52742
563-659-5125
wpeterso@iastate.edu