KANSAS ASSOCIATION OF CHILD CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL AGENCIES
Programs
Child Care Quality Improvement Initiative
CHILD CARE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES (CCQIS)/LINKS TO QUALITY (L2Q)/ REGIONAL COMMUNITY CONSULTANTS (RCC) REGIONAL COMMUNITY AND LINKS TO QUALITY CONSULTANTS OFFERED EXPERT GUIDANCE AND PEER SUPPORT, WHILE SHARED SERVICES HELPED PROVIDERS STREAMLINE OPERATIONS AND REDUCE COSTS. FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR CHILD CARE PROVIDERS WAS OFFERED AS SALARY SUPPLEMENTS. 320 QUALITY AWARDS WERE OFFERED TO PROVIDERS TO SUPPORT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH QUALITY INITIATIVE PROGRAMS. IN 2024, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED 3,061 TIMES TO PROVIDERS. 25% OF THOSE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE VISITS WERE PROVIDED IN SPANISH. IN THE GRANT WITH KANSAS DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 1, 2022, THIS PROJECT EXPANDED TO INCLUDE CREATING LEARNING COMMUNITIES BASED UPON A PROVIDER LEAD AND FOCUSED COMMUNITY OF LEARNING MODEL, ESTABLISHING A SHARED SERVICES NETWORK TO HELP STREAMLINE PROCESSES FOR CHILD CARE PROVIDERS, ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA FOR A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM, ESTABLISHING AND FACILITATING A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND SUPPORT ADVISORY GROUP OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS, AND IMPLEMENTING A CHILD CARE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AVAILABLE TO CHILD CARE PROGRAMS IN KANSAS.SHARED SERVICES IS A SIMPLE IDEA: ORGANIZATIONS CAN REDUCE COSTS AND IMPROVE THE STRENGTH OF MANAGEMENT AND THE QUALITY OF SERVICES BY SHARING ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE THE SAME TYPES OF SERVICES.IN KANSAS, 5 SHARED SERVICES NETWORK HUBS (HUBS) WERE CREATED TO SERVE PROVIDERS LOCATED IN ALL 105 KANSAS COUNTIES. HUBS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGING PROVIDER-DRIVEN SERVICES TO A GROUP OF CHILD CARE PROGRAMS. THE HUBS ARE BASED LOCALLY, SERVING A NETWORK OF PROVIDERS IN THE SAME COMMUNITY OR REGION.CHILD CARE PROVIDERS ACCESSED ESSENTIAL SERVICES OVER 1,300 TIMES THROUGH SHARED SERVICES, INCLUDING IRA PAYMENTS, HEALTH BENEFITS, HR SUPPORT AND CHILD CARE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE HELPING WITH COMMUNICATION, SCHEDULING, BILLING, REPORTING, AND MORE.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$8MChild Care Resource and Referral Services
CHILD CARE CONSUMER EDUCATION RESOURCES AND REFERRALS IS FUNDED BY THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES (DCF) THROUGH CHILD CARE DEVELOPMENT FUND. THE STATEWIDE NETWORK OF CHILD CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL AGENCIES WORK TOGETHER TO CONNECT FAMILIES ACROSS KANSAS TO CHILD CARE IN THEIR AREA. THE CHILD CARE AWARE OF KANSAS RESOURCE CENTER PROVIDES CHILD CARE REFERRALS AND SHARES RESOURCES WITH FAMILIES SEEKING CARE. IN 2024, OVER 9,000 FAMILIES WERE CONNECTED TO CHILD CARE OPTIONS. THROUGH THIS CONTRACT, CHILD CARE AWARE OF KANSAS MAINTAINS AND MANAGES A SECURE, WEB-BASED SYSTEM TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND CHILD CARE REFERRALS, THAT CONSUMER EDUCATION RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES, AND THAT PARENT REFERRAL FOLLOW-UP IS IN PLACE. REAL TIME DATA, BY COUNTY, IS AVAILABLE ON DEMAND FOR COMMUNITIES, PARTNERS, AND OTHERS, ON OUR WEBSITE, WWW.KS.CHILDCAREAWARE.ORG. ANNUAL CHILD CARE SUPPLY DEMAND REPORTS ARE CREATED USING DATA COLLECTED FROM THIS PROJECT. OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT (COE) TEAM WORKED ALONGSIDE OVER 96 COMMUNITIES TO SERVE AS A PARTNER IN BUILDING CHILD CARE CAPACITY. THROUGH INVOLVEMENT WITH COMMUNITY-LED COALITIONS, WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, AND SHARE DATA WHICH HELPS COMMUNITIES ALIGN THEIR CHILD CARE CAPACITY BUILDING GOALS TO THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS.IN 2024, THE COE TEAM DEVELOPED FOCUS WORKSHOPS TAILORED TO EACH COALITION'S NEED AND CURRENT FOCUS. THESE SPECIFIC AREAS INCLUDE: COALITION STRUCTURE, MANAGEMENT, AND SUSTAINABILITY BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN LOCAL BUSINESSES AND CHILD CARE CONTINUED CAPACITY BUILDING: WHAT'S NEXT? CREATING MORE CHILD CARE SLOTS CHILD CARE AWARE OF KANSAS LAUNCHED ROUND TWO OF THE CHILD CARE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP GRANTS IN SEPTEMBER 2024. THE APPLICATION CLOSED IN OCTOBER 2024, AND OFFERED FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES BASED ON THE COALITIONS IDENTIFIED FOCUS AREA FOR THE YEAR. FUNDING WAS PROVIDED TO 28 COMMUNITY LED COALITIONS.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$3.6MExpanding Access to Child Care
EXPANDING ACCESS TO CHILD CARE, FUNDING PROVIDED BY PATTERSON FAMILY FOUNDATION, IS AN INNOVATIVE PROJECT THAT INCLUDES FUNDING FOR THE FOLLOWING:BABY STEPS, AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM AIMED AT EXPANDING ACCESS TO CARE FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES WITH HIGH BIRTH RATES AND LOW CHILD CARE SUPPLY. THE PROJECT PROVIDES A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS TO SERVE ADDITIONAL INFANTS WITHIN THEIR CHILD CARE LICENSE REQUIREMENTS AND PRIORITIZES HIGH-QUALITY CARE BY CONNECTING PARTICIPATING CHILD CARE PROVIDERS TO KANSAS' INFANT TODDLER SPECIALIST NETWORK.THE BABY STEPS PILOT PROJECT IS CURRENTLY SERVING 70 FAMILY CHILD CARE PROGRAMS, AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO CARE TO 126 INFANTS IN 21 KANSAS COUNTIES THAT MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: TOTAL POPULATION OF LESS THAN 50,000 RESIDENTS HIGH SOCIAL VULNERABILITY INDEX SCORE FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROLAND PREVENTION THE EXTENT THAT DESIRED CAPACITY MEETS POTENTIAL CHILD CARE DEMAND IS LOW HIGH NUMBER OF CHILDREN UNDER AGE THREE PER CHILD CARE SLOT HIGH BIRTH RATE PER 1,000 POPULATIONIN 2024, BABY STEPS MADE PAYMENTS TO CHILD CARE PROVIDERS TO HELP OFFSET THE LOSS OF INCOME KANSAS PROVIDERS FACE.COMMUNITY CAPACITY GRANTSCOMMUNITY GRANTS FOCUSED ON LOCALLY DRIVEN WORK BY CHILD CARE COALITIONS THAT WERE LOOKING TO BUILD CHILD CARE CAPACITY AT A GRASS ROOTS LEVEL. DURING THIS TIME THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TEAM WORKED WITH THE COALITIONS TO COMPLETE A NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND BEGIN DISCUSSIONS ON FOCUS AS WELL AS THE COALITION COMPLETING A COMMUNITIES IN ACTION WORKSHOP. COMMUNITIES THAT FELL WITHIN THE TOP 20% OF COUNTY SOCIAL VULNERABILITY INDEX SCORES RECEIVED PRIORITY FUNDING. FUNDS COULD BE USED TO SUPPORT: IMPLEMENTATION OF CHILD CARE CAPACITY-BUILDING PLANS (EXCLUDING MAJOR RENOVATIONS) TRAVEL STAFF TIME ONGOING COALITION-BUILDING EXPENSESAWARDS WERE MADE TO 36 COALITIONS FOR THEIR CAPACITY BUILDING EFFORTSSHARED SERVICES NETWORK HUBCHILD CARE AWARE OF KANSAS OPERATES A SHARED SERVICES NETWORK HUB WITHIN THE A SPECIFIC REGION OF THE STATE. THE NETWORK HUB OPERATED BY CHILD CARE AWARE OF KANSAS WORKS IN TANDEM WITH THE OTHER NETWORK HUBS TO OFFER SERVICES CUSTOMIZED TO THEIR SPECIFIC REGION. OVER 1,800 CONTACTS WERE MADE WITH CHILD CARE PROVIDERS WITHIN THIS SPECIFIC AREA OFFERING RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ABOUT SHARED SERVICES.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$2.2M
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