Analyst Team Reports

Assuring Program Quality

Ian Alchin, Australia

Respect for people delivering the service — professionals and community
Know the needs of the community
Create partnerships with external organizations — share ideas
Use social capital
Key to success of organizations is research – knowing strengths/weaknesses
Value the importance of relationships
Measuring Quality — test for services – “Is what we want to do good for families and children?”
Direct link to community was reason for success
- Quality — respect for professionals and community
- Strong links, includes acceptance of each other
- Creating strong partnerships with people who deliver services and sharing ideas
University research identified common treads and ideas
Assessment tool available on web-site www.healthychildhood.org
The success and quality of a program is linked to the feedback and time contributions from the community
Government funding is best kept to a minimum (not advisable to rely on government aid because it can become a problem when funds are cut or when elected representatives have their own agenda)
To move forward, there is a need to understand the multi cultural/cultural heritage of the people we serve and identify the specific element that threatens integration

Ashling Hooper, Ireland

Develop practical resources that helps the sector HACCP document
Conference calls with childcare professionals (10 to 12 participants) and a key professional on a specific topic — maximise on resources and develop support networks
Ensure quality by using quality trainers
Self assessment tool — get from web site
They have written a book on ethics
Publications — We like this space
Way Forward for School-Age Child Care
Quality Matters — 10 files that were short and staff could read them on their lunch hours
The National Children’s Nurseries in Ireland developed a phone in support service for remote areas; experts are brought in during pre-allocated times for conference calls to provide expert advice. In rural-based nurseries, direct assistance is provided from experts in specific fields at an appointed time.
The Irish National Children’s Nurseries have also developed a center of excellence, which is user friendly and applicable.
With only 6 staff, touches on the issue of quality.
Advice (when faced with limited and financial resources):
- Don’t spread yourself too thin
- Establish a cadre of dedicated people who can deliver TA and support geographically
- Identify partners who can make your program integrated and multi-dimensional. Try to localize your staff — both rural and cities.
County child care committees in all counties. Sit at tables strategically. When people want to join the organization, it is difficult to restrict your membership. Bring other organizations to sit at the table. Look at fees; they may be too low.
Telephone discussions — staff have mobile phones which they have available at all times. www.ncna.net for more information.
Decided to pilot conference calling — providers don’t know laws around HR. Needed to let people know about a new program to support them. Inspectors identify those to participate based on challenges they are having and on their interests.
Boundaries, rules, punishment, goodbye (Partou standard). Three levels: starter, professional, and senior (the coach for the starters). No difference in salary. Small world at the top: there’s only a manager and a director. Have collective agreement. Didn’t like the public curriculum for training teachers, so they do it themselves. Has staff retention of 10-15 years (not sure if this is an average or the range across all positions).

Many presenters at the meeting mentioned sending people out to manage centers who do not know how to manage.
Credentials for child caring staff are not consistent and standardized, not just across countries, but from state/province to state/province.
Success:
- The first thing you have to do is make money. Can’t do anything to improve such as staff development if you don’t make money. (Partou)

Bob Siegel, United States

Mentoring systems work
Use a pool of internal consultants/multidisciplinary teams
Need to strengthen organizations and communities in addition to working with the children
Organization developed a link to university and the university used their organization as a study to do research
Just because we are larger doesn’t mean we are more successful
Who decides what quality is and how to measure it?
The test for making change, “Is it going to be good for families and children?”
Need to create strong partnerships with other organizations to draw expertise to utilize knowledge and experience
Advocate/agitate persistently
Assessment tool — implementation guide operating standards for High Quality and Inclusion
Quality comes when you understand what works
Quality is a process, commitment to the process is more important than the outcome
Quality is defined by each person depending on their terms of reference
Mentoring system and having a pool of consultants
Operating Standards — developed by them, turnover decreased by 22% when they introduced the tool
Need to be given the opportunity to fail to be able to move toward a higher level of quality
It’s not just about kids — it’s about the community as well
Staff can talk to each other over the Internet
Enrollment conferences with parents — being consistent with message and information
Quality is a process and with a commitment to the end product
Develop regular scheduled conference calls. An expert to participate by talking on an agreed subject with the remainder of time for questions.
Self-assessment tools for accountability of quality to be on those delivering the programs. These will define and measure the expectations of managers.
Mentor in the area of service
When Bob Siegel started, the question looming: “Was day care a communist plot?” We’ve come a long way … challenge of quality has not changed.
Easter Seals (ES): serving children and adults with disabilities. Doing child care for seven years now. IDEA said that services to children with special needs receives services in same environment as children without disabilities. ES has taken on:
- Providing quality to those who need it
- Accessibility for children with special needs
Average of seven centers contacted by parent of child with a disability before the child can be enrolled
First enrollment lasts 6 weeks before child is expelled. Michigan has an expulsion prevention expert whose job it was to prevent expulsion.
Easter Seals consists of 90 local organizations. Provide support, assistance, to those organizations. Inclusive child care center model: there is a child with a disability in every classroom.
Quality begins when you understand what works
They have to find out what the system is in each state
Commitment to the process, not commitment to the end result is quality
Things change. A true support position doesn’t say “You need to do this.” Be part of the process. If you have to beat it into them with a stick, it won’t work. Give them the opportunity to fail so they will learn what quality is — the direction to move.
Do info-share calls. Training at their own desks using webinars. Can ask questions of 83 consultants. Mentor system for new directors. Pool of internal consultants who can deliver to folks. 84 centers/26% of children have special needs.
Group developed operating standards in the form of a self-assessment to see if you are a center that can meet our model:
- Turnover decreased (didn’t expect this result)
We haven’t paid enough attention to organization and structure. This will enable us to do more for children.
Do it over and over again and do it well — the word will get out
Bringing in other partners helps us do our best work
Biggest obstacle is attitude — yes, I’d like to work with you — it’s the right thing
Accreditation is the tool for quality evaluation. The Implementation Guide: Operating Standards integrates with NAEYC accreditation standards.
With additional funding, they run smaller group sizes and rehab therapies and lower ratios