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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06022009 - C.75RECOMMENDATION(S): ACCEPT the attached report from the Local Child Care and Development Planning Council on the Countywide Child Care Plan, as recommended by the Family and Human Services Committee. FISCAL IMPACT: None. BACKGROUND: On May 18, 2009 the Local Child Care and Development Planning Council provided to the Family and Human Services a report on the Countywide Child Care Plan. The Family and Human Services Committee requested that the attached plan be submitted to the full Board for information and future planning purposes. The report outlines activities during calendar year 2009 as they related to the implementation of the Comprehensive Countywide Child Care Plan 2009-2011 in the areas of 1) Promoting access to quality child care, 2) Developing and nurturing a trained workforce, 3) Fostering and promoting coordination and collaboration with the community, and 4) Advising sponsoring entities on local issues and priorities in child care and development. APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 06/02/2009 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Susan A. Bonilla, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: Dorothy Sansoe, 335-1009 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: June 2, 2009 David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: Katherine Sinclair, Deputy cc: C.75 To:Board of Supervisors From:David Twa, County Administrator Date:June 2, 2009 Contra Costa County Subject:Local Planning Council Countywide Child Care Plan Update ATTACHMENTS Referral 92 5-18-09 Report M E M O R A N D U M DATE: May 18, 2009 TO: Family and Human Services Committee Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema, District III, Chair Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V, Vice Chair Contra Costa County Office of Education Dr. Joseph A. Ovick, Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Susan Magnone, Associate Superintendent FROM: Ruth Fernández, LPC Coordinator/Manager, Educational Services SUBJECT: Local Child Care and Development Planning Council Countywide Child Care Plan-Update Referral #92 RECOMMENDATION(S): ACCEPT the below written report of activities during calendar year 2009 for the Local Planning Council for Child Care and Development (LPC) as they relate to the implementation of the Comprehensive Countywide Child Care Plan 2008-2011 in the following goal areas: Promoting access to quality child care, 2) Develop and nurture a trained workforce, 3) Foster and promote coordination and collaboration with the community, 4) Advise sponsoring entities on local issues and priorities in child care and development. MAJOR ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING REPORTING PERIOD (JANUARY 2009 -MAY 2009) Foster and promote coordination and collaboration with the community 1. Development of a speakers’ bureau which is one of the strategies identified in the Contra Costa Comprehensive Countywide Child Care Plan to increase the visibility of the LPC in the County and to promote collaboration and partnership with community stakeholders. A presentation packet was developed by an adhoc committee with the support of the LPC Coordinator. Next steps for the Speakers Bureau include recruiting bureau presenters, scheduling more presentations with service clubs, City Council meetings and other pertinent entities in Contra Costa. The first presentation was made for the Rotary Club Meeting for the City of Concord on January 21, 2009. Presentations are also scheduled during the summer for the Richmond Soroptimist Club and the Richmond Rotary Club. 2. Plan the 6th Annual Young Children’s Issues Forum to be held on Saturday, October 17, 2009 at Maple Hall in the City of San Pablo from 10:00 to Noon. The theme for this year’s forum will be: How is the economic crisis affecting our youngest citizens? Promote access to quality child care 1. On March 23, 2009, the LPC hosted a Child Care and Housing Elements Workshop in collaboration with LINCC. The purpose of the workshop was to inform City/County planners and planning consultants, as well as LPC members and other child care advocates about child care policy language for Housing Element plans and reports. Additional resources for implementation and advocacy were also shared at the workshop that included child care/housing element sample language from other counties and LPC needs assessment information with city specific data. The workshop was a success we had 16 people in attendance of which 6 were Contra Costa LPC members, we had two LPC members from Napa County participate as well and the rest were city and county planners from the cities of Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Concord, Pinole and Richmond. The feedback from the planners was extremely positive. Below is a quote from David Boatwright, Housing Planner City of Pleasant Hill from a follow-up e-mail with LPC Coordinator: “Thank you for the email. I was just at http://www.plan4kids.org/about/needsassessment.html and had opened the same info, particularly the city data info and was incorporating it into the City of Pleasant Hill Housing Element. I may even put in a chart and perhaps suggest that one of the Housing Element program goals be to establish some sort of linkage (perhaps for larger developments) that would help create additional child care supply” 2. Healthy and Active Before Five – is a local Contra Costa County initiative lead by Contra Costa County Health Services Department, Kaiser Permanente, Families CAN, the Contra Costa Child Care Council and First 5 Contra Costa. The goal of this initiative is to support the reduction of Childhood Obesity among children 0-5 in Contra Costa County. The LPC is committed to support the work of this initiative as it also provides an opportunity for the LPC to work with parents and families of young children, in addition to providers and other community partners. This initiative is included as one of the strategies in the LPC’s Comprehensive Countywide Child Care Plan. The LPC Coordinator is part of the Leadership Council that is implementing and monitoring the carryout of the Healthy and Active Before Five Initiative. Development of a trained workforce During the past eight years the Contra Costa County Local Planning Council has successfully and collaboratively utilized AB212 funding to expand and enhance professional development services for staff working in state-funded programs. The LPC has made an intentional effort to collaborate with interested parties in the county such as First 5 Contra Costa to build and develop a Professional Development Program that supports the retention of qualified staff working directly with children ages 0-12 years old. AB212 funding has continuously been utilized to pay for financial incentives offered by the Contra Costa Professional Development Program (PDP) for Early Childhood Educators and for professional development incentives offered to school age providers. Also, trainings are offered to meet the needs of state-funded programs. Contra Costa’s Professional Development Program established a foundation for planned, organized, and intentional individualized professional development activities that engage program participants in self-assessment, reflection, and professional growth by supporting higher education, degree attainment and advancement in the Child Development Permit Matrix. During FY 2008-09, the LPC initiated a specific Professional Development Program for School-Age Educators that addressed the needs of providers working in state-funded before and after school programs. Additionally, AB212 funding supports two direct services full-time positions that work with all state-funded programs across the county. Staff is regionally located to increase access and communication with participants. The staff provides face-to-face individual and group coaching, mentoring, and advising to providers at state-funded programs through monthly site visits, individual appointments, phone, and e-mail communications. This face-to-face support drives the success of the Professional Development Program and ensures completion of program requirements by a large number of participants engaged in the process. New direction for 2009-2010 Professional Development Activities Staff working at state-funded programs is faced with a demanding set of expectations and educational requirements that are linked to contractual regulations with the California Department of Education, Child Development Division. During the past three years the LPC has intentionally offered targeted activities that address specific training activities, events, and mini-seminars that are customized to the needs of state- funded programs. Recognizing the natural evolution of professional development and growth for AB212 providers, the LPC proposes to diversify professional development opportunities that would continue to provide individ ual professional growth activities and incentives and add a center-based team professional development model . The center-based team professional development approach would strive to support the development of professional learning communities in state-funded centers by fostering: 1) Peer learning 2) Communication 3) Mutual cooperation 4) Professional development 5) Personal growth and emotional support for staff The purpose of AB212 funding is to increase the retention of qualified staff in state-funded programs. Moreover, the ultimate goal is to impact the quality of early care and education programs by supporting the retention of a stable and skilled workforce. The AB212 center-based team program would strive to assist and support programs in identifying areas of staff expertise and areas where staff growth opportunities exist or are required. We will link the results of State required reports and assessments to the AB212 center-based team model so programs will have flexibility and autonomy to develop a team professional development plan that supports growth without imposing a new set of requirements. Our goal is not to re-invent the wheel but to build on best practices from the field. BACKGROUND/REASON(S) FOR RECOMMENDATION(S): California Education Code (EC) Section 8231 requires the LPCs to prepare a comprehensive countywide child care plan designed to mobilize public and private resources to address identified needs. The Contra Costa County Local Planning Council for Child Care and Development (LPC) was established in April 1998. Required by AB 1542, which was passed in 1993, thirty members of the LPC were appointed by the County Board of Supervisors and the County Superintendent of Schools. Childcare consumers and providers, public agency representatives, and community representatives each comprise 20% of the LPC. The remaining 20% are discretionary appointees. Membership is for a three- year term. On January 7, 2003, membership was decreased from 30 to 25 members, due to the difficulty being experienced in filling all of the seats. Membership consists of the following: • Five consumer representatives - a parent or person who receives or has received child care services in the past 36 months; • Five child care providers - a person who provides child care services or represents persons who provide child care services; • Five public agency representatives - a person who represents a city, county, city and county, or local education agency; • Five community representatives - a person who represents an agency or business that provides private funding for child care services or who advocates for child care services through participation in civic or community based organizations; • Five discretionary appointees - a person appointed from any of the above four categories or outside of those categories at the discretion of the appointing agencies. Appointments to the Contra Costa County Local Planning Council for Child Care and Development (LPC) are subject to the approval of the Board of Supervisors and County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Joseph A. Ovick. The Board of Supervisors designated the Family and Human Services Committee to review and recommend appointments on their behalf. Dr. Susan Magnone, Associate Superintendent, has been designated to review and recommend appointments on behalf of the Superintendent of Schools.