Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs A variety of early childhood programs are available that provide children with supervision, care, and education. Program directors have responsibilities to • follow legal requirements. • hire and train qualified staff. • work with boards and parents to provide high- quality programs. 1
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Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
A variety of early childhood programs are available that provide children with supervision, care, and education. Program directors have responsibilities to• follow legal requirements.• hire and train qualified staff.• work with boards and parents to provide high-quality
programs.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• terminate• subsidy
• philosophy• program goals• for-profit• nonprofit• program
Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Program Types
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• The phrase early childhood program describes any situation in which children receive supervision, care, education, or special lessons by qualified people.
• This care typically occurs outside the children’s homes. • The demand for such programs has grown over the last
few decades.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
philosophyThe general beliefs, concepts, and attitudes a program has about how children learn.
A program’s philosophy might state that it strives to provide a safe, developmentally appropriate environment for preschool and school-age children, with a focus on promoting a desire in each child to be a lifelong learner.
Program Philosophy and Goals
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
program goalsBasic skills, concepts, and attitudes to develop and encourage in children; the range of services to be provided.
A child care center’s program goals might include the development of social skills, self-esteem, and responsibility.
Program Philosophy and Goals
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Program Philosophy and Goals
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• The defining feature of any early childhood program is its program philosophy, or mission statement.
• The philosophy describes how the program should serve and educate children and involve parents.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Program Philosophy and Goals
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• Children need hands-on learning experiences.• Children have different learning and developmental levels.• Classroom design should encourage exploration.• Children need independent and group activities.• Children’s interests and needs should guide learning activities.• Activities should encourage physical, intellectual, social, and
emotional development.• Activities should encourage problem solving and creativity.• Parent involvement enhances children’s overall development.
Sample Program Philosophy
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
for-profitDesigned to bring in more income than is spent on services.
KinderCare® is an example of a for-profit child care business.
For-Profit and Nonprofit Programs
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
nonprofitThere are no owners or stockholders who receive money from the program’s income.
Money earned by a nonprofit program pays expenses before going into savings for future use.
For-Profit and Nonprofit Programs
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
For-Profit and Nonprofit Programs
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• For-profit programs bring in more income than they spend on their services.
• The extra money goes to the owners or stockholders. • For-profit programs are owned by individuals or large
investor-owned or company-owned businesses.• Money earned by a nonprofit program goes back into
the budget or into savings.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Program Quality
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
The following areas require quality programming:• Program philosophy and goals• Knowledge of child development and appropriate guidance• Basic health, safety, and nutrition• Appropriate environment• Developmentally appropriate curriculum and practices• Activities, records, reports, and evaluations• Organized daily schedule• Family involvement• Ongoing staff training
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
program sponsorsSpecific groups that fund or manage an early childhood program.
Program philosophies and goals vary according to the individual purposes of the program sponsors.
Program Options
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Program Options
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• Enroll children whose parents or guardians work or attend school.
• Typically open 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.• Some operate evenings or 24 hours a day.• Provide learning activities, active play, meals,
snacks, and nap time.• Generally serve children 6 weeks to 12 years.
Child Care Centers
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Program Options
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Family Child Care Homes• provide private child care services offered by individuals
in their own homes.
Before- and After-School Child Care• offer care for school-age children before and after school.
Preschools and Nursery Schools • emphasize learning skills and social development for
children three to five years of age.• provide extra experiences prior to formal education.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Program Options
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Public School Prekindergarten• provides enrichment activities to help children succeed in
elementary school.• usually operates only during the school year.
Employer-Sponsored Centers• offered by businesses to employees on or near the work
site.
In-Home Child Care• Some parents or guardians employ nannies or host au
pairs to provide child care in their own homes.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Program Options
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Intergenerational Care Centers• offer daytime care for young children and older adults.• provide beneficial interaction between children and older
adults.
Child Care for Mildly Ill Children• staffed with early childhood professionals and nurses
while children get well.• slower paced and provide more rest time.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Program Options
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Back-Up Child Care Centers• provide short-term care when a working parent’s regular
child care option is interrupted.
Head Start Preschools and Child Care Centers• prepare economically disadvantaged preschoolers for
school success. • offer free education, health, dental, and nutrition services.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Program Options
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Montessori Preschools• encourage independent learning, learning by doing, and
learning through the senses. • use educational materials designed to help children
master tasks in sequence.
Preschools and Child Care for Children with Special Needs• provide appropriate care for children with very
complicated disabilities.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Program Options
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Crisis Nurseries• 24-hour services for overstressed parents who feel at risk
of abusing their children.• may care for children for up to three days while parents
seek counseling.
Parent Cooperatives• Child care professionals, teachers, and parents work
together to influence philosophy and goals.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Program Options
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Laboratory Schools• serve as training sites for students studying for careers in
child development. • often provide care, education, and guidance based on the
latest research and methods.
Kindergarten• offers a developmentally appropriate curriculum for
children five to six years of age.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Licensing, Registration, and Legal Duties
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• Early childhood programs must meet specific legal requirements before they are allowed to operate.
• Local and state laws and regulations vary from state to state.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
license exemptCertain programs that are not required to obtain licenses to operate legally in their states.
Early childhood programs associated with parochial schools that are part of places of worship can be license exempt.
Licensing and Registration Laws
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
registrationRequirement that a care provider notify city or state officials in writing of the program’s name, address, telephone number, and intention to provide services.
Some states require registration to operate a child care center instead of a formal program license.
Licensing and Registration Laws
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Licensing and Registration Laws
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• State licensing laws identify programs that must meet minimum requirements for legal operation.
• Meeting a state’s licensing laws for operation is a mandatory requirement, not a program choice.
• The Department of Human Services or the Department of Children and Family Services enforces licensing laws.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Licensing and Registration Laws
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• Health, safety, and nutrition requirements• Maximum group size of children by age• Square footage of space per child for indoor and outdoor
areas• Minimum staff qualifications and in-service training
requirements• Minimum equipment and supplies for each classroom• Recommended classroom ratios of teachers to children
Early Childhood Licensing Requirements
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Legal Duties for Early ChildhoodProfessionals
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• Each state’s licensing laws specify the minimum amount of information to be included in a program’s application form.
Enrollment Application Legalities
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• Programs must offer enrollment services on an equal-opportunity basis.
Nonbiased Enrollment Practices
Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Legal Duties for Early ChildhoodProfessionals
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• Before information about a child can be shared with nonprogram staff, written permission from a legal parent or guardian must be obtained.
Ensuring Privacy and Confidentiality
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• The written contract states the days and hours of a child’s attendance, costs for services, and payment procedures.
Fee Agreement Contracts
Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Compliance with Laws
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Child care professionals have a legal responsibility to respond if laws are being ignored or incorrectly followed. Violations that require reporting:
• Failure to maintain legal records or confidentiality• Illegal financial practices• Biased, discriminatory practices• Licensing and accreditation violations• Health, safety, and fire-code violations• Suspected abuse and neglect
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
accreditation criteriaA set of standards that represents high-quality, developmentally appropriate programs.
Programs that are committed to high-quality services work hard to meet as many accreditation criteria as possible.
Accreditation Criteria
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Accreditation Criteria
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• Complying with accreditation criteria is voluntary.• Accreditation is awarded from a professional
organization to assure that the program operates according to recognized professional practices.
• To ensure that programs maintain high quality, they must be periodically reaccredited.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Managing Program Services
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• The director sets the tone for the staff’s professional performance.
• Directors work with teachers to plan, apply, and evaluate learning programs and activities based on the program’s goals and philosophy.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Staff Recruitment and Supervision
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• Staff directors work to maintain the best staff possible.
• They recruit, interview, and hire the best-qualified employees.
• Age, education, and work-experience requirements vary according to positions.
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Staff Recruitment and Supervision
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Most directors hire people to fill these positions:
• Assistant director• Teaching staff and substitutes• Food service staff• Transportation staff• Custodial and grounds crew• Health care staff• Family involvement coordinator• Curriculum coordinator
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
terminateTo discontinue someone’s employment.
A staff director’s job description would allow him or her to hire or terminate employees, but a teacher’s job description would not include that responsibility.
Staff Recruitment and Supervision
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
organizational chartAn organized staffing plan that identifies supervisors for specific positions.
An organizational chart helps staff know whom they should inform about problems, solutions, or suggestions for program activities.
Staff Recruitment and Supervision
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Staff Recruitment and Supervision
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• Programs identify and describe responsibilities for each staff member.
• Every staff position has a job description.
Staff Qualifications
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• Quality programs have a specific plan for staffing.
• Directors create work schedules and inform each staff member of his or her specific work hours.
Staff Organization
Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
reference checksContacting people who know a job applicant’s character, job performance, and employment skills.
Directors conduct reference checks on potential employees to make sure they hire only the best-qualified candidates.
Staff Recruitment and Supervision
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
Staff Recruitment and Supervision
Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs
• Work history• Educational
background• Résumé• Reference checks• Medical tests• Criminal background
checks
Screening Staff
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Child Care Today, Chapter 10: Quality Early Childhood Programs