10000 Child Care Providers

This section includes information regarding different types of providers, the process for client selection of a provider and h ow to enroll a provider for DCF payment purposes.

 

KDHE is the state agency primarily responsible for issuing a license to regulate child care providers. Information regarding KDHE Rules and Regulations can be found at the following web site: http://www.kdhe.state.ks.us/bcclr/index.html. A Memorandum of Agreement has been established between DCF and KDHE to eliminate duplication of functions assigned to staff of both agencies. This is updated and signed every 2 years.

 

Child Care and Development Fund federal regulations emphasize that informed parental choice is important and that clients should be permitted choice from a wide range of child care providers. Clients have the responsibility to investigate all types of providers when choosing a provider for their child(ren).

 

10010 Provider Selection - To assist families in selecting a child care provider, the EES staff and parent must take into account the individual needs of the child including the reasonable accessibility of the care to the child's home and school and the client's place of employment or training, needs of the client and the appropriateness of the care to the age and special needs of the child. Local Resource and Referral Agencies provide a resource to assist parents with choosing child care arrangements.

 

The EES staff is responsible for informing the parent of the different types of child care providers whose services may be purchased and how payments can be made to a provider. Staff may need to inquire whether or not there are special considerations in finding appropriate child care to meet the needs of the child.

 

NOTE: Payment shall not be made to a provider who is a member of the same child care case or resides in the same physical household of a client who is receiving child care services. Providers may apply for child care for their own children but care cannot be paid to their facility if they are the owner. An exemption can be made for a child in the custody of the Secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families and is participating in the Foster Care Child Care Program. This exception would allow foster/relative and kinship parents who are owner/operator of a licensed child care facility to make payment to that facility.

 

10011 Role of Resource and Referral Agencies - All 105 Kansas counties receive child care resource and referral services through a statewide contract with Child Care Aware of Kansas. R&R's assist the client in locating child care providers and in making an informed choice when selecting a child care provider, including assisting families in how to access current survey findings and complaints associated with their selected provider. Additional consumer education services include a variety of other materials and resources a family may be eligible for including but not limited to child development and developmental screenings, food assistance, TANF assistance, WIC, and medical assistance. All families may benefit from having a referral made to Child Care Aware of Kansas and Child Care in Kansas (CCinK).

 

Services are provided through 4 Regional Resource and Referral Offices and a Statewide Call Center located in Topeka, KS. All families needing child care can call toll-free 1-877-678-2548 for assistance or visit the Child Care Aware of Kansas website at www.ks.childcareaware.org.

The four regional Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies directly serve families, child care providers/early education staff and communities in every county through the following R&R regional offices:

Region One: Salina, Hays, Colby

Region Two: Wichita Region

Three: Topeka, Lawrence

Region Four: Kansas City

For more information on specific counties served by these regional offices visit www.ks.childcareaware.org.

 

EES staff shall provide child care applicants and recipients with this telephone number. EES staff shall also provide information about the following services available through the local R&R:

 

  1. R&R's assist families searching for child care by:
     

    1. Helping families understand and evaluate available child care options,
       

    2. Providing lists of available child care providers within the community/area,
       

    3. Responding to special concerns and needs, and
       

    4. Providing information on quality indicators and features to look for in a quality child care program.
       

  3. R&R's work to build and maintain the supply of high quality local child care by:
     

    1. Conducting educational workshops and trainings for child care providers,
       

    2. Offering technical assistance to new and existing providers, including Out of Home Relative providers,
       

    3. Supporting the retention of existing providers, and
       

NOTE: An Infant-Toddler Initiative began in October 1999. Infant-Toddler Specialists are available in each of the 7 R&R's to provide training, technical assistance, and consultation to child care providers.
 

  1. R&R's educate communities about local child care needs and issues by:
     

    1. Collecting, analyzing and sharing information on availability, affordability and quality of local child care,
       

    2. Identifying gaps in child care services, and
       

    3. Planning and developing new child care options.
       

  3. R&R's provide employers with child care information by:
     

    1. Consulting with employers about the child care needs of their employees and providing information on child care options,
       

    2. Offering enhanced referral services as an employee benefit,
       

    3. Offering and developing child care resources specific to the organization's needs, and
       

    4. Offering and presenting parenting seminars for employees at the worksite.

 

For a list of the Resource and Referral Agencies in Kansas and the counties they serve, see WebLinks.