Episcopal Children’s Services Child Care Resource and Referral is recognized as a model in our field as a Quality Assured Program through the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. Whether you are a brand new provider or have been in the business a while, we can offer you the highest quality assistance available through:
- Individualized technical assistance
- The CDA(E) Program
- Accreditation assistance
- Referrals to your business
Individualized Technical Assistance and Program Enhancements
Episcopal Children’s Services has a team of Program Specialists who work with providers and parents to ensure that children have the best chance to meet their potential.
Inclusion Specialists
- Work with child care providers and family child care homes to ensure children with special needs are able to participate successfully.
- Provide trainings on topics such as ADA, benefits of inclusion, behavioral and environmental adaptations.
- Offer technical assistance for children with special needs by operating a toll-free warm line 1-800-238-3463.
Screening Specialists
- Ensure all school readiness children are screened at enrollment and again annually with the Ages and Stages Questionnaire.
- Make referrals to appropriate community agencies, as needed.
New and exciting changes are in store for ECS and School Readiness Providers alike for the 2011-2012 year! Here is a brief overview of the changes that we are gearing up for:
-Environmental Rating Scales- As of July 1, 2011 ECS will be adjusting assessment and monitoring procedures for School Readiness providers in order to meet statewide guidelines. These new procedures will allow us to use assessments in each SR program to measure quality and best practices in order to offer guidance and support in providing quality care to all children. -Due to the amount of Environmental Rating Scale assessments that will need to be completed, ECS has changed the format of our education team, effective July 1, 2011. Our current team of Literacy Coaches, Environmental Specialists and Infant Toddler Specialists, will now be referred to as Education Specialists, who will be available to assist your program on the journey to achieving high quality child care. The Education Specialists will be assigned to providers and will be able to offer training and technical assistance as needed. As these new changes take place, we will continue to send updates through the Alert Now email system and on our website at www.ecs4kids.org. We look forward to working with you this upcoming year!
Episcopal Children’s Services has a team of Program Specialists who work with providers and parents to ensure that children have the best chance to meet their potential. As of July 1, 2011upon requests, our Education Specialists can offer the following Technical Assistance:
-work alongside Pre-K classroom teachers, providing training, modeling best practices, and offering curriculum support. Their goal will be to ensure that children are being prepared for kindergarten by a curriculum that exposes them to a wide variety of developmentally appropriate and high quality early childhood literacy activities, and that the State Performance Standards are being met in the areas of Language/Communication and Emergent Literacy
-employ standardized assessment tools to evaluate the preschool classroom environment. He/she will work with the director to create an action plan that will lead to overall improvement. Supply information regarding accreditation, and will be available to assist with developing both indoor and outdoor environments that will increase learning and meet children’s developmental needs. (back to top)
-work alongside infant and toddler teachers providing training, technical assistance, and support in order to create an appropriate, language rich, early learning environment for infants and toddlers. Education specialists will employ standardized assessment tools in the Infant/Toddler classrooms, and assist in the completion of action plans that address health and safety needs, establish age appropriate routines, and lead to the development of safe, healthy, nurturing relationships between providers and children. (back to top)
Accreditation: A Giant Step for Quality
Like any accredited school or college, child care programs that are accredited have attained a higher level of professional recognition and distinction than non-accredited programs. Accreditation represents the highest standard of quality child care, and it is awarded to centers and family child care providers who reach beyond the minimum child care standards defined by state licensing and registration agencies to meet standards of excellence.
Our Program Specialists can talk with you about accreditation requirements and may be able to assist you in locating grants to help your program offset the costs associated with accreditation. Child care centers or family child care homes accredited by an association as one whose standards are deemed exceptional by the State of Florida are designated as Gold Seal Quality Care Programs.
If you are a child care provider operating in Clay, Baker, Bradford, Nassau, Putnam or St. Johns Counties click here to find out how ECS can help you reach accreditation.
Referrals To Your Business
When you contact ECS Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R), we will send you an informational sheet for you to complete and return. You will include your schedule, contact information, curriculum, any enhanced services, rates and fees, and any other important information that you would want parents to know when they are looking for care for their child. The information is entered into our computer database and is updated every 6 months. Families who call us looking for care are given a computer-generated referral listing which includes detailed information on the providers that meet each family’s needs.
There are no charges/fees associated with a provider listing in the Child Care Resource & Referral Database or for referrals to your program. If you are asked to provide payment for a referral or listing in the Child Care Resource & Referral database, please call the Agency for Workforce Innovation's Office of Early Learning at 1-866-357-3239. The information reported about a provider's program is objective program information that is based on standards that are attainable for providers based on their type of care."
Child Care Resource and Referral provides referrals; NOT recommendations.
To learn more about the statewide Inclusion Initiative, click here.
To become listed with CCR&R, call (904) 726-1500 or 1-800-238-3463.
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