April 8, 2009
The Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services is preparing the Child Care and Development Fund State Plan for 2010-2011.
The plan supports the Child Care Subsidy Program, which provides financial assistance to low-income families, as well as early learning initiatives such as child care provider professional development, child care resource and referral, Kansas Early Head Start, and regulation and licensure of child care facilities.
SRS is hosting two public meetings to solicit stakeholder input. They will be from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. April 30 and from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. May 11 at the SRS Learning Center, 2600 SW East Circle Drive, Topeka.
People also can participate via teleconference from the Lawrence office at 1901 Del.
The draft plan is available to review and download at srskansas.org. Comments may be submitted by mail to SRS EES, DSOB, 915 SW Harrison St., Suite 580, Topeka 66612. Mark it to the attention of Sally Paige Kahle.
Comments also may be sent by e-mail to SallyPaige.Kahle@srs.ks.gov with “CCDF State Plan Comments” in the subject line.
Comments will be accepted through May 25.
(Topeka) - A joint committee of the Kansas legislature will consider a number of topics of interest to Kansas CCPT and family child care providers around the state.
The committee, comprised of five senators and five House members, is charged with studying children's issues, as well as the implementation and outcomes of health insurance programs for children.
High on the list of topics is Child Care. Specifically, the committee will explore:
1. Child Care Licensing. Study child care licensing in Kansas. Review whether the present system is providing the flexibility to meet the needs of working parents, while protecting the safety of children in Kansas. Review the estimated need of child care slots as compared to available child care slots.
Also study:
(1) increasing the number of before school and after school children allowed when more than one adult provider is present;
(2) adjusting regulations which apply to siblings as they contribute to the total
number of children allowed over five years of age when there is more than one adult provider present;
(3) increasing the number of children allowed over five years of age when there is more than one provider and one of the providers is a certified teacher or a pediatric or registered nurse;
(4) encouraging the expansion of the role of schools, cities, and counties in operating child care facilitiesfor the community if no state funds are involved;
(5) expanding the role of schools, cities, and counties in operating child care facilities if they meet Kansas Department of Health and Environment standards; and
(6) offering tax or other business incentives to individuals or businesses which are interested in starting child care facilities or upgrading to certain high child care standards.
Kansas Child Care Providers Together will be involved in providing to the committee information from the perspective of providers. CCPT will be tracking closely the progress of the committee as they hold hearings.