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Important News!
Child Care Providers Needed Throughout Niagara County
Registered and licensed in-home child care providers are needed throughout Niagara County. If you would like to run your own in-home child care business and love children this could be right for you. Become a registered or licensed child care provider with assistance from the Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara. Please contact the Clearinghouse at 716-285-8572 for more information. Start-up grants to assist with opening a registered or licensed in-home child care program may be available.
Please Note: The New York State Office of Children and Family Services requires all individuals caring for more than two children in their home, for more than three hours a day, to obtain a child care registration or license.
Can’t Afford a Crib?
Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center is a partner agency of the national Cribs for Kids program. Cribs for Kids provides safe sleep education with the intervention of a portable crib to families who cannot otherwise afford a safe place for their babies to sleep. The program is open to infants and caregivers in Niagara County who meet eligibility criteria related to need and who agree to participate in safe sleep education and follow up. Call the P3 Center for Teens, Moms and Kids at (716) 278-4423 to apply!
May is National Community Action Month
Niagara Community Action Program, Inc. has served the low-income families throughout Niagara County for 57 years through offices in Niagara Falls, Lockport and North Tonawanda. Please click here to see all of the services provided by Niagara Community Action Program, Inc, Niagara County’s Community Action Agency. For additional information on Niagara Community Action Program, Inc., please visit their website at www.niagaracommunityactionprogram.org
New York State COVID-19 Resource Guide
During this difficult time, we are all facing challenges that seem daunting and that we may feel unprepared for. This resource guide is intended to help navigate life with children through the pandemic and the days that follow. Please click here to access the resource guide.
Attention Homeowners
Let Niagara Community Action Program, Inc. weatherize your home. Energy conservation measures provided by an energy audit may include: furnace/’boiler cleaning, tune or repair, insulation in walls and/or home perimeter, and/or weather stripping, caulk, repair or replace broken windows and exterior doors. To qualify, Niagara County residents must fall under specific family size and income guidelines. Please Contact Niagara Community Action Program, Inc. at 716-285-9681 or email weatherization@niagaracap.org for more information.
Events
Are You Interested in Becoming a Registered or Licensed Child Care Provider?
Introduction to Family Child Care Training
Please Note: The New York State Office of Children and Family Services requires individuals caring for more than two children for more than three hours a day to become registered or licensed. For assistance with becoming a registered or licensed in-home child care provider, please call the Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara at 716-285-8572 or toll free at 1-800-701-4KID for information on how to register for one of the following trainings.
An “Introduction to Family Child Care” training for those interested in becoming registered family child care providers will be held September 4, 2024, from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM at Niagara Community Action Program, Inc., 1521 Main Street, Niagara Falls. There is no charge for this training.
Preventing Suspension and Expulsion in Early Childhood Settings in New York
Click here for a copy of the New York State Pyramid Model Leadership Team Brief which includes information on suspension and expulsion of children from early childhood programs.
Quality for Kids Initiative
Niagara Community Action Program, Inc.’s, Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara, in partnership with the Early Care & Learning Council (ECLC) and the network of Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agencies across New York State, has announced the launch of a new state-wide initiative intended to raise community awareness about the importance of quality early learning experiences for children.
The United to Promote Quality initiative is the first phase of the Quality Investments for Children (QIC) initiative, which seeks to not only educate communities about the importance of Quality, but to generate new resources that support Quality such as volunteers, grants, in-kind donations, and the influence of community leaders.
The initiative is a partnership effort between ECLC and the network of Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agencies serving as quality resource centers throughout the state. They will be using the United to Promote Quality tagline and core messages about quality early learning, as they reach out to parents & service providers, business & community leaders, funders, and public officials about what Quality is and why it is so important.
The QIC United to Promote Quality initiative will raise awareness not only about how critical Quality is to a young child’s brain development, but also how Quality is important to local businesses by ensuring their employees are solely focused on their jobs, and not distracted by whether their children are in a safe, nurturing, and stimulating early learning environment.
For further information about the QIC United to Promote Quality program, contact Angela Burns, Child Care Supervisor, Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara at 716-285-8572 Ext. 105.
Robert Pecoraro
Board Chairman
Niagara Community Action Program, Inc.
Niagara Community Acton Program, Inc.’s
Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara Becomes a Cavity Free Kids HUB
Cavity Free Kids is oral health education for young children and their families. It is designed for use in Head Start and Early Head Start, child care programs, preschool, home visiting, and other programs and for families to use at home. Cavity Free Kids includes a rich collection of lessons, activities, stories, songs and other resources that actively engage young children in fun-filled, play-based learning and help parents practice good oral health habits at home and connect to dental care.
Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease of early childhood and it is almost 100% preventable. In order to help prevent tooth decay the Cavity Free Kids curriculum explains the five basics of oral health:
1. Baby Teeth Are Important
2. What Causes Cavities
3. Water and Tooth Healthy Foods
4. Brush, Floss, Swish
5. Going to the Dentist
Oral health is a part of a child’s overall health. Poor oral health can lead to:
1. Pain
2. Attention problems
3. Delayed social development
4. Sleep deprivation
5. Tooth loss
6. Poor nutrition
7. Missed school days
Parents, please ask your child care program if they are a Cavity Free Kids program when enrolling your child in the program.
For more information on the Cavity Free Kids project, please visit the website at www.cavityfreekids.org.
Affordable Child Care for Families
Improving access to affordable, quality child care is one of the goals of the national association Child Care Aware of America and the local child care resource and referral agency known as The Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara. Child care is a necessity for working parents, however, the high costs associated with child care strain family budgets and force parents to make compromises about the quality and safety of care they choose for their children.
Since 2000, the cost of child care has increased twice as much as the median income of families with children.
· Child care costs are high.
· Child care costs are rising.
· Child care costs are high compared to family incomes.
· Child care costs are high compared to household expenses.
· Child care costs are high compared to college costs.
The Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara and Child Care Aware of America recommend Congress:
· Increase federal investments in child care fee assistance for eligible children and quality improvement efforts.
· Provide resources for planning and developing child care capacity to increase the availability of quality child care options for working families.
· Reduce barriers in the subsidy administration process that prevent families from accessing assistance.
· Require states to have more effective sliding fee assistance phase-out plans to ensure that parents who receive a modest raise do not lose all child care assistance.
· Provide child care assistance to families who do not qualify for current funding and who cannot afford the market cost of child care in their community.
· Require Health & Human Services to undertake a study of quality child care to assist all families with young children in affording the quality child care care.
· Improve federal and state tax codes to help families at all income levels pay for child care.
Robert Pecoraro, Board Chairman
Niagara Community Action Program, Inc.
Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies – Working for Quality Child Care
There are more than 600 state and local Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (CCR&R’s) nationwide. These agencies help ensure that families in 99% of all populated zip codes in the United States have access to quality, affordable child care. They not only help families find child care, but CCR&R’s train more than 650,000 child care providers a year and offer technical assistance to providers in a diverse array of settings to improve the quality of care, including meeting the needs of special needs children.
The Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara is the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency for Niagara County.
The Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara supports policies that:
· Ensure stable and adequate funding for child care subsidy programs, so that families in need, families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and families earning low incomes, who do not receive assistance, can access quality child care.
· Make quality child care options universally accessible and affordable.
· Support families in providing the best quality early learning opportunities for their children.
· Promote transparency in their child care licensing practices so that parents have access to inspection results and substantiated complaints through the internet.
Better child care means a more focused work force which enables the whole community to grow and prosper.
For more information please contact the Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara at 285-8572 or 1-800-701-4 Kid or visit our website at www.childcareofniagara.com
Robert Pecoraro, Board Chairman
Niagara Community Action Program, Inc.
Child Care in America Today
More than 11 million children under the age of five years spend a portion of their week in the care of someone other than their parents. The average length of time is about 35 hours per week. About one-quarter of these children are in multiple child care arrangements strung together to meet the hours required by their parent’s job. The quality of this child care varies greatly and many working families struggle with the costs especially in a weakened economy.
Child care may be one of the first sacrifices made when family budgets are strained. As parents lose their employment or as their hours or pay are reduced, there is little flexibility with regard to household expenses. “Fixed” bills, like rent or mortgage payments, food and transportation costs compete with child care, and parents may feel forced to make due with whatever arrangement they can find and hope it is safe.
In June of 2010, the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA – now known as Child Care Aware of America) conducted a nationwide telephone survey of 1,000 parents with children under the age of 12 years. The polling found that the two biggest concerns for parents in regards to child care were quality and affordability. While quality was the top concern, about three-quarters of parents (76%) rated affordable child care as the most or one of the most important factors in helping working families.
It should be noted that in 40 states and the District of Columbia, the average price for child care for an infant in a child care center exceeds the cost of a year’s tuition at the state’s four-year public college.
It would appear that if we wish to support working families within our communities, we should continue to fund programs that increase quality child care initiatives and programs that subsidize working parent’s child care costs.
Robert Pecoraro, Board Chairperson
Important Information Regarding New Crib Standards
The new Consumer Product Safety Commission crib standards will go into effect on December 28, 2012. Please click here for guidance on how to tell if the crib you are using is in compliance with these new standards.
Crib Recall
As you may already know there has been a massive recall on drop-side cribs. If you have a drop-side crib, please contact the manufacturer to see if your crib is included in the recall. If your crib is part of the recall make sure you stop using the crib immediately as there have been serious injuries and deaths resulting from the defect. You can request a free repair kit from the manufacturer of the crib. Please visit www.cpsc.gov for more information on the crib recall and to obtain more information on Roman and Roll-up Blinds and Dorel Infant Care Seat/Carriers recalls.
The following article is from the Buffalo Evening News
Niagara County WorkSourceOne
Click here to access the Niagara County WorkSourceOne website and obtain information on services provided by many agencies throughout Niagara County. The participating agencies can assist individuals looking for community resources. “All partners included in the website are equal opportunity employers/programs and will provide support services upon request to individuals with disabilities.”
Common Regulation Violations of Fire Safety and Building Codes
The Fire and Safety Representatives from the Buffalo Regional Office have created a summary of common fire, safety and building code regulation violations for each modality of care. The violations listed are followed by the correct section of the fire or building code and are intended to be a reference tool. These documents can assist a program in remaining in compliance with the Office of Children and Family Services regulations. Please reference the document below related to your modality of care.
Code_Compliance_for School Age Child Care and Day Care Centers
Code_Compliance_for Family Day Care_and Group Family Day Care
New Regulations for all Child Care Programs
Attached are links to 2 additional bills that were signed into Law that effect day care programs. The pesticide bill (effects OCFS Day Care Centers – not in NYC) becomes effective November 14, 2010 and the CPR/First Aid bill (effects all programs) becomes effective December 11, 2010. Please review the bills and contact your registrar or licensor if you have further questions. For those providers in need of a CPR and First Aid training, please click on the Training Calendar tab in this website and click on the CPR and First Aid link to obtain a registration form to an upcoming CPR and First Aid training.
Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation and First Aid Bill
Procedures for Reporting Child Abuse and Maltreatment
There has been a change to the Social Services Law concerning who must report child abuse and maltreatment allegations. The change was made by Chapter 193 of the Laws of 2007, amending section 413 of the Social Service Law. This act became law on July 3, 2007 and became effective on October 1, 2007.
This law changes the procedures for reporting abuse and maltreatment as set forth in the New York State Codes, Rules and Regulations, specifically section 418-1.10(c) of the day care center regulations and section 414.10(c) of the school age child care regulations. Under the changes to the mandated reporting law, when a report of alleged abuse or maltreatment of a child or children in a day care center or school age child care program is being made by a mandated reporter who is a staff member of the day care center or school age child care program, the report must be made by a staff member who has direct knowledge of the allegation(s) of suspected abuse or maltreatment. The mandated reporting law no longer permits a mandated reporter to fulfill his or her mandated reporting responsibility by advising the director of the center or program, or the director’s designee, of the alleged abuse or maltreatment and having the director or designee make the call to the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and maltreatment. Under the new law, a mandated reporter with direct knowledge of the alleged abuse or maltreatment must personally make the call to the State Central Register. (Note: The State Central Register has access to interpreters to assist non-English speaking reporters.)
This means that the provisions of the regulations cited above that require that mandated reporters advise the director of the program or the director’s designee of any allegations of abuse or neglect so that the director or designee may call the State Central Register are no longer operative. Under current law, reports to the State Central must be made by a staff member who has direct knowledge of the alleged abuse or maltreatment. The mandated reporter is then required to notify the director or designee that a report has been made. The director or designee is then responsible for all subsequent internal administration necessitated by the report, including completion of the form LDSS 2221A.
No longer does notification to the director or his or her designee absolve the original mandated reporter of his or her responsibility to personally make a report to the State Central Register. In addition, when making a report to the State Central Register, the mandated reporter must include the names, job titles and contact information of every staff person who is believed to have direct knowledge of the allegations contained in the report.
Guidelines for Mixing Bleach Solutions
The current bleach sanitizing solution guidelines for sanitizing food contact surfaces, including counter tops, dining tables and high chair trays has been updated. CLICK HERE for the new guidelines.
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) has revised the Crediting Foods in CACFP guide to comply with new federal guidelines. The guide encourages all child care programs to plan meals with a variety of whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meats, legumes and low-fat dairy products.
What this means for your program is that some items that were creditable in the past will no longer be creditable as of January 1, 2014.
Each Food component list in the new guide is now divided into three sections:
1. Recommended: These are healthy food choices that are creditable and are encouraged.
2. Not Recommended but Allowed: These are less healthy food choices that are creditable but should be served only occasionally.
3. Not Allowed: These foods are not creditable and do not count toward meeting the CACFP Healthy Meal Pattern requirements.
Some of the changes include the following:
· Vegetables/Fruits Component: Juice may be served no more than once a day. Jell-O salads are not creditable, even if made with fruit or juice. Cranberry sauce, olives, onions and pickles are not creditable but may be served to enhance a meal. The amount of dried fruit required to meet meal pattern requirements has changed. Now ¼ cup of dried fruit–like apricots, cranberries, prunes or raisins–equals ½ cup of fruit.
· Grains/Breads Component: More items have been added to the list of sweet grains. Brownies, cake, cupcakes, coffee cake, gingerbread, rice pudding. and pound cake are no longer creditable. Chips of any kind, including tortilla chips, are also no longer creditable. There is a page that lists recommended low-sugar cereals. Some are also whole-grain cereals.
· Meat/Meat Alternates Component: Only yogurt that is fat-free or low-fat and is prepared without artificial sweeteners is creditable. American cheese labeled “pasteurized process cheese” is creditable; however, if labeled “cheese product” or “imitation cheese” it is not creditable.
· Infant Foods: For infants over 8 months old, 100% fruit juice is permitted no more than once per day and only at snack; and plain toasted oat cereal (Cheerios) is the only adult cereal creditable for infants.
The new CACFP Crediting Foods in CACFP guide is available by accessing www.health.ny.gov/cacfp.
Newsletters
Click here to view a copy of the Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara’s Fall 2024 Newsletter.
Click here to view a copy of the Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara’s Summer 2024 Newsletter.
Click here to view a copy of the Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara’s Spring 2024 Newsletter.
Click here to view a copy of the Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara’s Winter 2023 /2024 Newsletter.
Click here to view a copy of the Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara’s Fall 2023 Newsletter.
Click here to view a copy of the Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara’s Summer 2023 Newsletter.
Click here to view a copy of the Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara’s Spring 2023 Newsletter.
Click here to view a copy of the Community Child Care Clearinghouse of Niagara’s Winter 2022 Newsletter.