Response
Questions to Consider for Planning and Programming
Performance Standards, Title 45, Code of Federal Regulations
Resources

See PDF version:  What Are the Key Elements That Contribute to Strong Early Head Start (EHS)-Child Care (CC) Partnerships?»[PDF, 51KB]

Response:

Partnering with community child care programs and providers is a viable and allowable option for providing full-day/full-year child care and child development services. The Office of Head Start encourages Head Start/Early Head Start programs to explore and initiate community collaboration and partnership efforts that:

• Expand opportunities for low-income families with very young children;
• Increase access to services; and
• Enhance program quality.

Partnering to meet the requirements

Successful EHS – CC partnerships require working systems to ensure services are high quality and meet local and national regulations and requirements. Partnering programs should have a clear understanding of:

• The community-wide benefits to be gained from collaborative partnerships;
• How they will provide high quality infant and toddler child care; and
• How the partnership(s) and services will be managed, monitored, and coordinated.

Partnering programs should agree upon expectations concerning communication, confidentiality, adherence to the Program Performance Standards and state/local regulations as well as benefits to the partners, among other issues. This explanation of services and processes must be established through the creation of a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Questions to Consider for Planning and Programming:

• What does the program’s community assessment say about the availability or the need of EHS – CC partnerships? How was the community assessment used when developing partnerships?
• How are eligible families included in the development and on-going support of partnerships?
• What training and technical assistance has the program received regarding partnerships?
• What training and technical assistance needs remain with regard to partnerships?
• What systems does the program have in place to assure sound methods for allocating, accounting, and reporting on how braided funds are used to support program services?
• What systems does the program have to monitor, manage and coordinate the programs and services within the community partnerships? How do the partners ensure effective on-going communication?
• Does the MOU outline clearly defined roles, expectations and expected benefits for partners?
• Do community partners participate in the creation, ongoing assessment, and revision of MOUs?
• How are the members of the early education partnership included in program governance?
• Do community child care representatives serve on the Policy Council and the governing board?
• How are the partners involved in the grantee’s annual self-assessment process and the development of continuous improvement plans? How are the partners involved in the development and follow-up of action plans pertaining to the partnership?
• How does the program assess and ensure that the partner’s programs and services consistently meet the Head Start Program Performance Standards?
• What systems are in place to ensure that family service staff works with partners’  staff to establish a holistic, integrated approach to serving families? How are partners involved in the development of family partnership plans?
• How do the partners involve parents in prevention and early intervention activities?
• How are the families who are served by partners linked to health and mental health care services?
• How do the partners track provision of all child health and developmental services?
• How do the partners individualize child development and health services to children in partners’ programs?
• How does the EHS program ensure that partners conduct screenings and assessments on a schedule that reflects the requirements outlined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards?
• How does the child care partner(s) access the benefit of EHS resources and  experience in such areas as enhancing the quality of staffing or providing comprehensive program services that are consistent with Head Start Program Performance Standards?
• Has the EHS program entered child care partnerships in the past? What were the strengths and benefits of these partnerships? What issues proved more challenging or difficult? How are these lessons learned informing the creation of future child care partnerships?

Performance Standards, Title 45, Code of Federal Regulations:

• 1304.40(b)(1) Grantee and delegate agencies must work collaboratively with all participating parents to identify and continually access, either directly or through referrals, services and resources that are responsive to each family’s interests and goals.
• 1304.41(a)(1) Grantee and delegate agencies must take an active role in community planning to encourage strong communication, cooperation, and the sharing of information among agencies and their community partners and to improve the delivery of services to children and families in accordance with the agency’s confidentiality policies. Documentation must be maintained to reflect the level of effort undertaken to establish community partnerships.
• 1304.41(a)(2)(viii) Grantee and delegate agencies must take affirmative steps to establish ongoing collaborative relationships with community organizations to promote the access of children and families to community services that are responsive to their needs, and to ensure that Early Head Start programs respond to community needs, including providers of child care services.

Resources:

Bovell, Carmen. “The Role of Head Start State Collaboration Offices in Building Sate Professional Development Systems: Lessons learned about building professional development systems.” Head Start Bulletin Professional Development #79. HHS/ACF/OHS. 2007.

Buell, Martha, Rena Hallam, and Heide Beck. “Early Head Start and Child Care Partnerships: Working Together To Serve Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families.” Young Children 56(3), 7-12, May 2001.

Chauncey, B. and D. Schilder. Childcare/Head Start Partnerships: Teachers at Partnering Centers Report Benefits of Partnership. Newton, MA: Education Development Center (EDC). 2006.

Community Partnerships. ECLKC. HHS/ACF/OHS.

Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care in EHS: Strengthening Relationships and Enhancing Quality [PDF, 1.92 MB]. Technical Assistance Paper #11. EHS NRC. HHS/ACF/ACYF/HHB. 2006. 

Head Start and Child Care Partnerships Benefit Teachers. Head Start Bulletin Professional Development  # 79. HHS/ACF/OHS. 2007.

Head Start Bulletin # 62: Head Start-Child Care Partnerships. June/July 1997

Information Memorandum: Budgeting for Partnerships between Child Care and Head Start. Log No. ACYF-IM-HS-01-13, issuance date 11/16/01.

Quality Child Care for Infants and Toddlers: Case Studies of Three Community Strategies [PDF, 2.70 MB]. Executive Summary. ZERO TO THREE and Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. HHS/ACF/ACYF/Child Care Bureau. March 2003.

Partnerships for Quality: Improving Infant-Toddler Child Care for Low-Income Families. ZERO TO THREE and Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. HHS/ACF/ACYF/Child Care Bureau. March 2002.

The Role of Early Head Start Programs in Addressing the Child Care Needs of Low-Income Families with Infants and Toddlers: Influences of Child Care Use and Quality [PDF, 569KB]. HHS/ACF/ACYF/HHB & OPRE. February 2004.

Schilder, D., B. Chauncey, M. Broadstone, C. Miller, A. Smith, S. Skiffington and K. Elliott. Child Care/Head Start Partnership Study: Final Report Executive Summary Newton, MA: Education Development Center (EDC). 2005.

National Association for Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRA). NACCRA’S mission is to provide vision, leadership, and support to community child care resource and referral and to promote national policies and partnerships committed to the development and learning of all children.

National Infant Toddler Child Care Initiative (NITCCI). HHS/ACF/ACYF/Child Care Bureau. *NITCCI works collaboratively with Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) administrators and other partners to advance system initiatives to improve the quality and supply of infant/toddler child care. Through customized technical assistance, NITCCI works with States, Territories, and Tribes to develop a deeper knowledge about specific elements of the early care and education system that supports quality infant/toddler child care. NITCCI collects and disseminates information on infant/toddler child care supply, investments, and initiatives; produces materials and resources; and responds to requests for information and technical assistance related to infant/toddler child care.

Partnerships, Alliances, and Coordination Techniques (PACT) Initiative. HHS/ACF/ACYF/Child Care Bureau. PACT provides State, Territory, and Tribal policy-makers—particularly Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Administrators and their partners—the resources, training, and technical assistance they need to build more comprehensive and collaborative early care and education systems for better serving children and families.

Paulsell, Diane and Ellen Kisher. Quality Care for Low-Income Infants and Toddlers: A Study of Community Strategies. Zero To Three Journal 22(4), 181. Feb/March 2002. 03/10, (05/03)

This Tip Sheet is not a regulatory document. Its intent is to provide a basis for dialogue, clarification, and problem solving among Office of Head Start, Regional Offices, TA consultants, and grantees. If you need further clarification on Head Start Policies and regulations, please contact your Regional Program Specialist.