1 EECs Draft Regulations Overview A new look for Group, School-Age and Family Child Care Regulations...

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EEC’s Draft Regulations Overview

A new look for Group, School-Age and Family Child Care Regulations

Looking for your Input and Feedback

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EEC Guiding Principles

Put children and families first Be flexible and accountable Balance access, affordability, quality, and

coordination/continuity of care Prioritize the needs of low-income families Build on strengths of current system; minimize

weaknesses; maximize resources Seek input from staff and stakeholders Keep interested parties informed of progress Provide timely and comprehensive information to

Board for decision-making

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Family Child Care

Group & School Age Child Care

Pre-K Standards

Current Regulations Promulgated 10/12/2003

Current Regulations have beenIn place since 1997

Standards implemented 2003for Public Schools & Community Partnership Programs

Building From The Work Of Our Legacy Agencies- OCCS and ELS

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Our Approach

Children and families first! Keep the Tri-lemma in balance; Take the best from our current regulations and

standards; Align regulations across program type when possible ; Research regulations and standards from other states,

NAEYC, Head Start, NIOST, NAFCC, and the military care system.

Make regulations consistent with those of other state agencies where needed;

Carefully consider the effect of all changes on providers or programs,

Maintain or increase quality.

Push and Pull

Every change recommended by the committee was based on weighing its impact on each leg of the Tri-lemma.

Quality, Affordability and Access

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The Core Regulations

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What Is a “CORE” Regulation ?

A “Core” regulation: Works for children in all types of settings. Is flexible enough to be developmentally

appropriate for a wide age range of children. Assures that children in Family Child Care,

Group Child Care, and School-Age Child Care get the same good education and care.

Aligns similar requirements across different care types.

*PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

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What Is a “Program Specific” Regulation?

A “program specific” regulation:

● Recognizes that there are differences in Family Child Care, Group Child Care, and School-Age Child Care programs.

● Addresses a unique feature of one type of care.

● Examples Follow


How Will the New Regulations Physically Look?

Family involvement is a Core Regulation that all types of care must follow.

At the bottom of the page 7.08(9) is just for Family Child Care providers

7.08 Family Involvement. The following requirements apply to all programs, including family child care, small, non-residence care and large group child care. Additional requirements for family child care are found at 606 CMR 7.08(9).

(7) Parent Conferences. The licensee must make Educators available for individual conferences with parents at parental request. (8) Notifications to Parents. The licensee must inform parents:

(a) immediately of any injury which requires any medical care beyond minor first aid or of any emergency administration of non-prescription medication; (b) immediately of any allegation of abuse or neglect involving their children while in the care and custody of the licensee; (c) immediately of any change in Educators; (d) at the end of the day regarding any minor first aid administered; (e) in writing within 24 hours of any incident described in 7.08(7)(a, b, or d), above; (f) whenever special problems and significant developments arise, as provided at 7.06(5); (g) whenever a communicable disease or condition has been identified in the program; (h) in writing seven days prior to the implementation of any change in program policy or procedures; (i) in writing prior to the introduction of any pets into the program; (j) in writing of the types of herbicides and pesticides used, if any, and prior to their use whenever possible; and (k) whenever the program deviates from the planned menu.

(9) Additional Requirements for Family Child Care. The provider must notify parents: (a) in writing of the existence of a firearm in the family child

care home. This notification must be given upon enrollment and/or when the firearm is brought into the family child care home;

(b) of any changes in the regular composition of the household. The provider must notify the parents of anyone regularly on the premises.

Core Reg.

Program Specific Requirements for only

Family Child Care


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Highlights, Changes, and What Stays the Same

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New Definitions

Educator– is the new umbrella term referring to all early education and care staff in the draft regulations.

It includes all FCC staff, all GCC staff, and all SACC staff.

The word “educator” makes it easier to read the regulations.

And it's what early education and care staff do every day.

Individual titles are still used if a requirement (like qualifications) pertains to a specific position

Lead Teacher Teacher Assistant Teacher• Director I, II Program Administrator Site Coordinator Group Leader Assist. Group Leader Family Child Care

Provider Certified FCC Assistant Regular FCC Assistant


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The Proposed Regulations have Three Program Types

Family Child Care Up to 10 children, infants to school-age, in a residence.

Small Non-Residence Up to 10 children but not in a residence.

Large Group 11+ children (up to capacity) including both group and school-age under one license.


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Small Non-Residence Care

EEC has developed a hybrid! Small non-residence care combines elements of family child care and group/school age child care. It creates new options for the care of a small number of unrelated children.

Allows for ten or fewer children to receive care in a non-residence, such as a church, community center, or similar setting

The regulations are less restrictive than group child care to reflect the nature of a smaller group

Works well for the provider whose home may be unsuitable for family child care

Works well for a community agency that needs a small on-site program for staff or clients

The proposed regulation change will accomplish the following:

Community Services


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Definition of Family Child Care Current regulations

for FCC limit the operation of a family child care home to an occupied residence. Family child care providers want some flexibility in this definition.

Continue to allow family child care to operate in an occupied residence.

Allow family child care to occur in a building attached to the residence of the licensee (garage).

Allow family child care to occur in an unattached building on the land of the licensee’s primary residence

The proposed regulation change

will accomplish the following:

Continued on next slide


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Definition of Family Child Care

• Allow family child care to occur in a vacant unit in a duplex if the licensee resides in the other unit of the residence

• Allow family child care to occur in an unoccupied apartment in a residence of up to three stories (potential for three separate dwelling units) if the licensee lives in one of the units.


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Group Assignment Current regulations for GCC

require that children be assigned to groups (classrooms) based solely on their chronological age. This does not always meet the needs of the children

Provides the flexibility to assign children to classrooms according to their developmental needs

Allows an older toddler to be moved into a preschool classroom under certain conditions

Allows a child who is not ready to move into the next age group to stay in their current classroom under certain conditions


Continued on next slide


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Group Assignment

Decisions for group assignment will be made on a combination of factors, including the child’s chronological age, where the child is developmentally, parental input, and the ability of the child to fit into the proposed group.

Providers and parents have been requesting this flexibility…we have listened!


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Family Groupings in Large Child Care

Sometimes children do better in a small group of mixed ages. The proposed regulations would allow limited use of “family groupings” in a large group setting (group/school age child care) and small non-residence settings.

Works well for non-traditional programs, like domestic violence women’s shelters or back up child care

Allows children going through a stressful period to be in smaller group with their older or younger siblings.

Allows children with disabilities to grow and learn with their peers in smaller groups.

Acknowledges that older and younger children can learn from each other in a family grouping setting



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Supervision of Children in School-Age Programs Appropriate supervision of

younger school-age children (ages 5-8 years) is very different from that of older school-age children (ages 9-13 years). The current regulations do not differentiate between the needs of these two age groups.

Continue to require programs to provide developmentally appropriate supervision to all school-age children

Create two new categories: “younger school-age children” and “older school-age children”

Recognize that older school-age children should be allowed some independence appropriate to their age and developmental abilities.

Give better guidance to programs around expectations for the supervision of the “younger” and the “older” school-age children.



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Alignment of Ratios and Groupings

• Current school age child regulations require a 1:13 staff to child ratio.

• Current group child care regulations require a 1:15 staff to child ratio for children 4 yrs. 9 mos. of age or older but not yet enrolled in school.

• EEC is proposing to align these ratios by requiring 1:15 ratio for school age children.

• However, EEC is also proposing a 1:10 staff to child ratio if it is a mixed age range grouping of preschool and young school age children (up to age 9).

Align the staff to child ratios across preschool and school age programs.

Give programs that serve both preschool and school age children more staffing options.

Create a new transitional grouping that meets the needs of older preschoolers and younger school age children.

The proposed regulation changes will accomplish the following:


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How adults interact with children affects healthy development.

We all know this from thescience of child development. EEC is proposing an entire section in the draft regulations that addresses the quality of adult/child interactions;



Promote interactions betweenadults and children that support the development of:

Self esteem,

Self expression,

Social competence,

Independence, and

School readiness.

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Administration of Medication

Training in the “5 Rights” of medication administration

Training by a licensed health care practitioner

Trained educator always on the premises

All educators trained to recognize side effects


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Progress Reports

EEC will: Offer flexibility in the choice of report formats, Provide templates providers can use, Provide training in observation, documentation, and

writing progress reports

Current FCC, SACC regulations focus communicating concerns

but proposed regulations focus on GROWTH.

• Already required by GCC regulations

• Recognize the professional role of educators

• Communication with families about children’s strengths and needs

• Help children grow and learn by adapting the program


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Fall Zones for

Outdoor Play

Playground accidents account for many trips to the emergency room.

Based on national safety standards. Lots of technical assistance is available. There will be options for compliance.

Impact absorbing material under swings, slides, and structures were mandated in group child care regulations in 1998.


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Transportation

existing RMV requirements apply to all a written plan for safety and supervision

of children appropriately licensed drivers car seats, safety carriers, restraints or

seat belts emergency communication system

If you provide or contract for transportation…


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Family Child Care: Policies, Plans, and Notifications

Recognize profession

Formalize “best practices”

Avoid common complaints due to miscommunication

Support compliance through training and templates


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Family Child Care: Policies, Plans, and Notifications

Proposed Regulations:Written Plans:

•Plan for Child Guidance (currently within license application)•Procedures to avoid the suspension or termination of a child•Statement of Purpose•Illness / Exclusion Policies (often in parent contract)•Medication Administration Policies•Transportation Plan, if applicable

Written Notice:•Fees (often in parent contract)•Program Schedule (holidays, closed days) (often in parent contract)•that child educators are mandated reporters•that the program is licensed by EEC (currently in parent’s enrollment packet)•that parents may contact EEC regarding the program’s compliance history, and EEC contact information (currently maintained on site by provider)

•the frequency of children’s progress reports•children’s records procedures


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Required Postings For FCC

Current regulations: Emergency numbers Current license Evacuation route Assistant certificates

Proposed regulations: Emergency numbers Current license Emergency and

evacuation procedures EEC contact info Allergy info Menus Activity schedule Staff schedule Child guidance policy Location of health care

policy and first aid kit


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Educators’ Qualifications Will Stay the Same For Now

Currently EEC is not making any changes to any of the required qualifications for educators working in group, school age, or family programs.

EEC is still in the early stages of developing competency-based qualifications as well as a system for on-going professional development.

EEC is proposing some changes in orientation, training, and professional development to support our workforce.


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Building a Foundation for the Early Education and Care Workforce

As new IT systems become operational over time, EEC is proposing mandatory enrollment in a workforce registry to: recognize the professionalism in our

field by issuing credentials and provide much-needed data about our

workforce. EEC is proposing enhanced professional

development hours Family child care would need 10

hours per year Group and school age staff would

need 5 to 20 hours per year depending on how many hours they work.

25% must address diverse learners EEC is proposing a required orientation

for all staff entering the field.


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An Opportunity For Educators And Families

These new regulations will:

Give educators more flexibility without losing quality and accountability;

Help all educators grow as the field of early education and care evolves;

Standardize care for children across all settings and developmental stages;

Give educators more ways to improve access and continuity for children and families.

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Western Central

Metro Boston & Central Office

Southeast & Cape

Northeast

YourInput on these Draft Regulations

YourInput on these Draft Regulations

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There are Two Ways to Give EEC Feedback

There is an on-line survey at www.eec.state.ma.us specifically set up for this informal review process.

And: There is a special e-mail box,

[email protected] for general comments about the draft regulations as a whole.

Tell us what you like about these draft regulations or point out areas you would like EEC to review and consider.


http://www.eec.state.ma.us/

mailto:[email protected]

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Provide your comments at:http://www.eec.state.ma.us/RegSurveyPublic/RSPIntro.aspx

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Comments continued…

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Comments continued…

This is a great idea!

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Regulation Review ProcessTimeline

Board provides input on alignment approach December 2005 EEC develops draft regulations January 2006-April 2007 Intensive informal external review process May-July 2007 Board vote to send out for public comment Fall 2007 Implementation preparation Fall 2007 Board vote on final regulations after revisions Winter 2007 Technical assistance/training Spring/Summer 2008 New regulations take effect Fall 2008*

* Some regulations may be phased in over time

What Will Happen to my Comments?

All the comments that EEC receives will be grouped together by subject area and reviewed by the Regulations committee and EEC’s Internal Quality Committee.

All suggestions will be reviewed and help to inform changes to this draft.

Where appropriate, changes in the draft regulations will be made. Other suggestions may result in changes in policy, technical assistance, or licensing procedures

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We Will Move Forward Together!

EEC is dedicated to moving forward with the early education and care community.

This is an opportunity to give us guidance on the draft regulations.

Your informal comments add value by improving the draft regulations.

Our common goal is to begin the formal comment period this fall with the best possible draft regulations!

Thank you.

1 EECs Draft Regulations Overview A new look for Group, School-Age and Family Child Care Regulations...

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