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Services for Children, Youth and Their Families: Office Of Child Care Licensing

Information for Child Care Providers


Announcements:


Introduction

Welcome to the OCCL Providers page!The Office of Child Care Licensing is responsible for licensing Family Child Care, Large Family Child Care, Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers, Child Placing Agencies, Residential Child Care Facilities and Day Treatment Programs for children and youth. 

Today Providers of child care are being challenged to meet the ever increasing demands to serve children.  The field of out-of-home care for children has changed over the years as society has changed.  As we have gained more knowledge of the importance of the early years to the future of a child “day care” has developed and evolved into what is now referred to as Early Care and Education.  Foster Care and Residential care have also changed their focus faced with a population of youth with more complex needs.  Today these types of care are part of a continuum of alternative care arrangements. 

The Office of Child Care Licensing, staying true to its Mission, is committed to working with Providers to offer information, resources and technical assistance that will ensure safeguards and enhance quality for children in out of home care in Delaware.

Emergency Planning in Family Child Care

Clarification for Family Child Care Providers concerning Delacare Rules 229-231:

  • OCCL will not be denying applications for renewal or moving to impose a Warning of Probation, Probation, or Revocation solely based on violations of the above Rules.
  • Basic supplies should be on-hand including food, water, blankets as you would want to have for your own family in the case of an emergency.
  • During emergencies Providers will not be responsible for complying with Delacare Rules for food service and CACFP guidelines.
  • The Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) contacted OCCL concerning the many calls they are receiving from Family Child Care Home Providers about emergency planning services being marketed to them at a fee.  In looking into the marketing that is being done DEMA found that some of the information was misleading, untrue or not accepted best practice.
  • DEMA is working to develop “FREE” training sessions for Providers.  These sessions will address how to write an Emergency Plan, what items should be addressed, and general emergency guidelines.
  • Emergency Preparedness/Disaster Planning Resources:

New Center Rules Powerpoint Presentation

Position Qualification Approval (Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers)

Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers should move promptly to begin the qualification approval process for each staff member.  Programs should carefully review the Delacare Rules for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers specific Rules on Staff Qualifications with their staff. 

The Staff person should complete the application.  All supporting documentation should be included with the application at the time it is submitted for review. The application should be filed as soon as the individual determines that they meet the qualifications and has all the supporting documentation to verify their qualifications. Incomplete applications or applications that lack documentation to verify that an individual meets the qualifications will be returned to the sender.  The determination on the application will be sent to the individual.  Center Administrators should request a copy of the approval from the staff member and retain the approval as proof of compliance with Delacare Rules.

The Office of Child Care Licensing works with Delaware First to review and approve Qualifications for individuals working in Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers.  Individuals seeking to be qualified for a position in a Delaware licensed Early Care and Education or School-Age Center must complete required forms and submit supporting documentation for review.  Approval for the following titles must be obtained through Delaware First:

  • Early Childhood Administrator
  • Early Childhood Curriculum Coordinator
  • Early Childhood Teacher
  • Early Childhood Assistant Teacher
  • Early Childhood Intern
  • School-Age Administrator
  • School-Age Site Coordinator
  • School-Age Site Assistant
  • School-Age Intern

When submitting an application to Delaware First the individual should apply for the highest position for which they qualify, regardless of the position in which they are currently working.  Qualifying for the higher position makes the individual qualified for any position below that title.  Centers can assign person as they see fit to any position for which the individual qualifies. 

Information concerning the qualifying process and forms for these positions is available at http://www.doe.k12.de.us/programs/delfirst/qualification.shtml

Approval of qualifications for the following positions must be submitted to theOffice of Child Care Licensing:

  • Early Childhood Caregiver (Rule # 163) - NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR THIS POSITION AFTER 12-31-08
  • Early Childhood Administrator without a degree (Rule # 156) must be submitted to theOffice of Child Care Licensing
  • Early Childhood Administrator (Rule # 154), who was approved as Program Director at a licensed Center and had qualified for that position with a Bachelor or Associate degree and twelve (12) college/university credits in child development or early childhood education.

The Staff Development Plan should be used as the application for the titles covered under Rules 154, 156 and 163.  Click this link to download the form:

This should be forwarded to:
Lynn Jezyk, Rule Development Manager
Office of Child Care Licensing
1825 Faulkland Road
Wilmington, DE 19805

GENERAL INFORMATION



Early Care and Education and School-Age Providers

With increasing emphasis on the educational outcomes of our children through such initiatives as “No Child Left Behind” and, in Delaware “Vision 2015”, a closer look is being given to Early Care and Education.  Research on brain development continues to shed more light on how the foundations of learning become structured in the brain, particularly the connections developed in the first three years of life.  The infant brain has almost endless possibilities for learning! 

Since so many children, particularly of pre-school age, are in some type of out-of-home care the importance of the role of the Early Care and Education provider has been recognized for the potential that provider has to change the lives of the children for whom they provide care.  Again, research has identified characteristics that are associated with a “quality” out-of-home care experience for children.  The foremost characteristic associated with quality care is the qualifications of the person providing care.  Information about the core competencies associated with Early Care and Education may be found at the Delaware First website http://www.doe.k12.de.us/programs/delfirst.  The Early Care and Education and School-Age Center Rules that became effective January 1, 2007 reflect a belief in the importance of the development and enhancement of core competencies by the Field by delineating the topic areas of training which should be pursued.

Provider Resources

In 1989 a project called Delaware First was launched by the Office of Child Care Licensing to create a statewide career development system for providers of Early Care and Education programs. This project was designed by a collaboration of leaders from state government, higher education and the child care community with facilitation from a team of consultants. It was managed for the first sixteen (16) years by the Office of Child Care Licensing with funds from the Child Care Development Fund Quality money.  In July 2006 Delaware First moved to the Department of Education and continues to be supported through a collaborative effort of the Early Care and Education community. The objective is to strengthen early childhood programs through enhancing the quality of professional development experiences for providers.

Delaware First developed and has maintained a database of a “Personnel Registry”.  The Personnel Registry has been the repository of training records submitted by individuals in the Early Care & Education field.  They will continue to provide that service for Family and Large Family Child Care Providers but as of January 1, 2007 will no longer be accepting training records for staff employed in Early Care & Education and School-Age Centers.  However, anyone who has registered their training with Delaware First will be able to obtain a printed transcript.  This link will show you an example of what a transcript looks like. Sample Personnel Registry transcript (PDF Format, 1p, 12kb)

 For information on listing your training in the Delaware First Personnel Registry database or obtaining a report, please call the Delaware First program.

Professional Development Manager
DE Department of Education
The Townsend Building, Suite 2
401 Federal Street
Dover, DE 19901
phone: (302) 739-4236
http://www.doe.k12.de.us/programs/delfirst

Training Approval

The Office of Child Care Licensing must approve training hours submitted to validate qualifications to provide child care.  The Office of Child Care Licensing and Delaware First work jointly to approve training which meets licensing requirements. Potential trainers can submit a curriculum approval outline which is then reviewed by a committee of Office of Child Care Licensing and Delaware First staff. If approved, the workshop is assigned a course number for tracking purposes and the hours of approved training. The course number assigned to a training that has received approval will be verification that this training is accepted by the Office of Child Care Licensing to meet Provider training requirements.

Trainers should review the process and access the forms required for training approval at the Delaware First website.  Forms are available at that site for downloading. http://www.doe.k12.de.us/programs/delfirst/trainingapp.shtml

Training Opportunities

A training calendar/newsletter “Provider Pursuits” is published four times a year outlining training opportunities and resources for professional development. Provider Pursuits is mailed to all licensed providers statewide. Please call the Family & Workplace Connection at (302)479-1574 to receive the latest issue of Provider Pursuits.

Resource Centers

A system of Resource Centers is available statewide to offer providers additional resources for professional development and for program development. Mobile resource vans are available to offer outreach to the programs not close to a resource center.  Family & Workplace Connection can provide information about this service and the hours of operation.

Career Advisement

Career advisement counseling and information regarding scholarships, apprenticeships and other resources is also available by contacting Family & Workplace Connection.  Each Resource Center also provides these services.

Professional Organizations and Support Groups

Get involved! The Family and Workplace Connection maintains a list of Professional Organizations and Support Groups on their website.

Information about....

Forms for Child Care Providers

Related Links

Other Information
Last Updated: Tuesday, 17-Nov-2009 15:07:11 EST
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