Quality Rating and Improvement System

[sharlan]

That is what happened in my state when the FCCERS was implemented 13 years ago....Only a third of FCC providers remained licensed...the rest went unregulated, some legally.....some not!!!!!

I will just call it a day and retire.

[Annalee]

Yes, because in order to score high in one area, you often have to give up something else.

All hands must be washed and the table sanitized before the children sit down. Ok. But, children should not sit at the table and wait for more than 3 minutes, and if they touch anything on the way back to the table, they have to go around again. If you have 2 kids, that'd be a challenge, but if there are 7, and 1 of you, how can you do both?

Many areas are a "catch 22"... not fair to FCC providers....

[Blackcat31]

Many areas are a "catch 22"... not fair to FCC providers....

.....because ideally the state does not want family providers in business.

They want child care providers with a minimum of a CDA, a 2 yr and/or 4 yr degree to operate a child care in the same fashion as Head Start.

They do not want in-home providers to be in business anymore.

[Annalee]

.....because ideally the state does not want family providers in business.

They want child care providers with a minimum of a CDA, a 2 yr and/or 4 yr degree to operate a child care in the same fashion as Head Start.

They do not want in-home providers to be in business anymore.

Yep, and that is frustrating!

[Heidi]

Typically I wash and sanitize the table and have them play in an area that is away from the table while I get the last minute things ready for lunch. Then I line them up to wash hands and while they are doing that I dry the table. Thankfully with my set up and the ages of kids I have (almost 3 - 5), I can do that. They also know not to touch anything on the way from the sink to the table. I usually tell them to fold their hands or if I have a younger group, clap their hands on the way to the table.

but, that's precisely the problem. While you run more of a preschool program with 3-5 year olds, family childcare is traditionally a mixed age group of infants-preschoolers, with one adult. I'm not knocking your program, please don't think so. But, what's realistic for your preschoolers is not in any way realistic for my 4 infants and toddlers. This is not an institution. It's a home. I don't sanitize, I clean (within regs of course).

They can't paint us all with the same brush and say "this is quality". Quality is prioritizing based on the needs of each group of children and their families. Ok...on that old soap box again, sorry!

[Leanna]

.....because ideally the state does not want family providers in business.

They want child care providers with a minimum of a CDA, a 2 yr and/or 4 yr degree to operate a child care in the same fashion as Head Start.

They do not want in-home providers to be in business anymore.

I've heard you mention this before...do you really believe this? Why? Please explain. Why would it be in the interest of the state to close all home based child care...wouldn't that create a bigger child care crisis (especially for infants and toddlers)?

[Blackcat31]

I've heard you mention this before...do you really believe this? Why? Please explain. Why would it be in the interest of the state to close all home based child care...wouldn't that create a bigger child care crisis (especially for infants and toddlers)?

Yes, I do really believe this.

I think that if providers are required to be educated and required to have a curriculum, then it is essentially preschool. (We even have curriculum requirements for infants/toddlers )

The big push right now is safer everything. The recommendation for ALL states is that ALL providers be licensed. More money.

All providers need to have a curriculum. More money.

All children will be required to be observed and assessed. More money.

It's all about the money. Our public school system is flawed as it is and now the government is pushing early education and higher standards of care for ALL children and children birth to age 5 are not yet in the public school system so what better way to reach them than through family child care providers.

But since child care is a private entity, it's tough for the government to regulate....but NOT if they start having common standards and common requirements across the country....

In home family child cares are a gold mine of untouched employees who so far have not had to live under the thumb of government rules...until now.

I had a great article that really helped explain this....much better than I am doing. I will search for it and will link it or PM it to you.

[momofsix]

.....because ideally the state does not want family providers in business.

They want child care providers with a minimum of a CDA, a 2 yr and/or 4 yr degree to operate a child care in the same fashion as Head Start.

They do not want in-home providers to be in business anymore.

Agree completely.
I don't know what I'm going to do when it becomes mandatory. I'm not old enough to retire-we still need the $ and there's absolutely no option for legally unlicensed here
Obviously the parents don't care about stars-I have one just for being licensed and I've not even begun to try to get anymore. I think I could get 3 just the way I am but why bother? Every one of my families is word of mouth and I get calls from the state website (that shows my one lonely star: all the time.

[snbauser]

but, that's precisely the problem. While you run more of a preschool program with 3-5 year olds, family childcare is traditionally a mixed age group of infants-preschoolers, with one adult. I'm not knocking your program, please don't think so. But, what's realistic for your preschoolers is not in any way realistic for my 4 infants and toddlers. This is not an institution. It's a home. I don't sanitize, I clean (within regs of course).

They can't paint us all with the same brush and say "this is quality". Quality is prioritizing based on the needs of each group of children and their families. Ok...on that old soap box again, sorry!

Don't worry, I totally agree with you!! Like I said in my post, I know that I CAN do it because of my age group. In the past I had mixed ages and I know how unrealistic it is to accomplish a lot of what is in FCCERS.

[jenboo]

I worked in a few centers before opening my family child care...My main reason for leaving the centers...all the bogus rules and requirements! I was spending way more time labeling children's items, doing a 20 step diaper change, making sure i had the right amount of art hung on the walls with the approved description of it that I rarely got to interact with the children!! It was horrible!
I have a bachelors degree in child and family development that I worked hard for. I love having a family child care where the kids get what they need to grow and develop. I will never work at a center again. I really hope they dont ruin family chid cares for me.

[Annalee]

Don't worry, I totally agree with you!! Like I said in my post, I know that I CAN do it because of my age group. In the past I had mixed ages and I know how unrealistic it is to accomplish a lot of what is in FCCERS.

Having a non-mobile infant makes it near impossible to achieve with the FCCERS. Materials that are expected to be accessible for all children have to be brought to the infant even if it is a newborn that can't even hold it's head up....

[sharlan]

My eldest dd was the accountant for a school district's preschool program. She overheard her director and a head honcho from the YMCA discussing how they would like to see ALL home daycare providers gone within the next few years. Their philosophy was that all children need to be in an educational program from birth.

Our local schools provide free or greatly reduced afterschool care. They are open until 6:30 whereas I and most other providers close between 5:30 and 6:00.

I have nothing against centers, but it is not the right choice for all families. Home daycare is not the right choice for all families, either.

[Annalee]

Agree completely.
I don't know what I'm going to do when it becomes mandatory. I'm not old enough to retire-we still need the $ and there's absolutely no option for legally unlicensed here
Obviously the parents don't care about stars-I have one just for being licensed and I've not even begun to try to get anymore. I think I could get 3 just the way I am but why bother? Every one of my families is word of mouth and I get calls from the state website (that shows my one lonely star: all the time.

Our QRIS is set up in a report card where there are 5 components ranging from professional development to developmental learning...however, if you do not score at least a 4 on the FCCERS-R assessment, it is all null and void and you get 0 stars....as I stated earlier, I generally score well on the assessment but it is the negativity surrounding the system that upsets me.

It is mandated right now and has been for the past 13 years but I pray it becomes "voluntary" because I will then opt-out because I DO NOT LIKE it.

I have an Associate's Degree, CDA and multiple training hours but this does not weigh in to my report card unless I meet the state-mandated FCCERS-R assessment as well. Something is wrong with that!

[Heidi]

Our QRIS is set up in a report card where there are 5 components ranging from professional development to developmental learning...however, if you do not score at least a 4 on the FCCERS-R assessment, it is all null and void and you get 0 stars....as I stated earlier, I generally score well on the assessment but it is the negativity surrounding the system that upsets me.

It is mandated right now and has been for the past 13 years but I pray it becomes "voluntary" because I will then opt-out because I DO NOT LIKE it.

I have an Associate's Degree, CDA and multiple training hours but this does not weigh in to my report card unless I meet the state-mandated FCCERS-R assessment as well. Something is wrong with that!

Well, on the other side of that coin, we have providers here in WI who have been in business 20+ years, have taught non-credit childcare classes, and have won generally been held in high esteem because of their awesome programs. When the QRIS came in, they would have been 2-star programs because the providers do not have a FORMAL (meaning an associates degree or better) education in early childhood. It's an automatic disqualifier. So, you can score 7 on every FCCER's item, have professional business practices, meet or exceed Health and Safety requirements; but if you don't have a degree, you cannot be a high quality program.

Of course, these are ladies in their 50's who work 50+ hours a week, and the QRIS people just say "well, go back to school then".

[Familycare71]

I completely agree BC! And I have been told that by regulators in my area... Bottom line it is all so scary for our youth!!
I also worked at a center- I HATED it! The kids were led around like cattle with a one fits all approach. With the numbers there was no choice. I will never work in a center again. It isn't for me.
If I am pushed out of family care I will nanny or go in a diff direction.