Child Care Aware of America is hosting the Coronavirus Hub for CCR&Rs and Child Care Providers. It is where you can stay on top of the latest news and information to help child care providers and Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agencies as CCAoA closely monitors the situation around COVID-19. Also, find resources around funding and tools to help your business during this difficult time. To go to the Coronavirus Hub for CCR&Rs and Child Care Providers, click here.

On March 22, 2020, DCF Secretary Chad Poppell signed an

Emergency Order that included training information:
“Suspend section 402.305(2)(e), Florida Statutes, for the purpose of promoting flexibility and allowing for alternative educations and testing methods for child care personnel where COVID-19 has prevented access to same.”

The purpose of this EO is to allow a six-month extension for the completion of competency exams, as these are primarily conducted at our local colleges, which have been closed. Therefore, students that need to take the competency exams, will have until Sept. 21, 2020, to complete their testing.

Training Coordinating Agencies have been granted the option to offer virtual classes that will provide students the opportunity to interact in the manner as it is outlined for the instructor-led class. The viable alternative will be allotted to our community as well as the high school programs.

The virtual classes will be conducted in a manner that is guided by the instructor and which will allow for participation by the students. For further details please contact the Education Department at 407-532-4158.

The Office of Child Care Regulation has “opened the time-frame window” to allow for the completion of online courses beyond the 45-day requirement. For those students who enrolled in an online class as of Jan. 28, 2020, and later, will be allowed additional time to complete the course. The course will also be left open so that the student can go back and review prior to taking the competency exam.

Will I still receive payments from the state/CCDBG if I am forced to close my child care program?

Where can I take my children if they are sick (but not with coronavirus)? Is there sick child care in my area?

Read Child Care Aware of America‘s response to those and other frequently asked questions from providers and parents about coronavirus and its impact on child care, click here.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act has allocated $350 billion to help small businesses keep workers employed amid the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn. The Paycheck Protection Program provides 100 percent federally guaranteed loans to small businesses.

To download the CORONAVIRUS Emergency Loans Small Business Guide and Checklist from the US Chamber of Commerce, click here.

Are you a provider looking for a way to engage families on your social media platform. The Early Literacy Social Media Toolkit is designed to leverage digital media channels to drive awareness and increase the reach of Florida’s statewide early literacy collaborative efforts between the Office of Early Learning and the Department of Education.

The toolkit includes social media best practices, a four-month calendar of early literacy posts, and graphics to most effectively engage with Florida parents on the importance of early literacy.

• Early Literacy Social Media Toolkit 2020
• Early Literacy Tips for Families, English | Spanish

The Child Care State Capacity Building Center has released resources that are available in Spanish, including the new Office of Child Care Spanish Language Glossary, and numerous other resources for child care providers and families on the Child Care Technical Assistance (CCTA) website.

For Child Care Providers

• Guía de recursos para bebés/niños pequeños: Capítulos para Proveedores de Cuidado para Bebés y Niños Pequeños (Infant/Toddler Resource Guide chapters for infant/toddler care providers)
• Guía de recursos: Empezando y operando un negocio de cuidado infantil (Resource Guide: Starting and Operating a Child Care Business)
• Guía de recursos: Recursos para la preparación, respuesta y recuperación ante emergencias para los programas de cuidado infantil (Resource Guide: Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Resources for Child Care Programs)

For Families

• Guía de recursos: Información de cuidado infantil para familias (Resource Guide: Child Care Information for Families)
• Guía de recursos: Recursos para el desarrollo infantil dirigido a padres y proveedores (Resource Guide: Child Development Resources for Parents and Providers)

The Early Learning Coalition of Orange County has released a letter to child care providers concerning the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The document includes information about the disease, those at risk, and the steps child care providers should take to be prepared and prevent the spread of sickness.

The letter also reminds providers that those with School Readiness and/or VPK contracts must notify the ELC if it has any Coronavirus cases or suspected cases at its facility.

To review the letter, click here

Here’s important information from the Florida Department Children and Families specific to Clearinghouse Renewals.

Per Florida Statute, retained fingerprints must be renewed every five years in order to maintain eligibility for employment. To maintain the retention of fingerprints within the Clearinghouse, the employer must request a Clearinghouse Renewal through the Clearinghouse Results website (CRW) prior to the retained prints expiration date.

By initiating a Clearinghouse Renewal through the CRW, the current fingerprints retained on file at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will be resent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation allowing for an updated criminal history to be processed by the Clearinghouse.

If the employer does not initiate a Clearinghouse Renewal, an employee’s prints will no longer be retained, the employee’s eligibility determination will expire, and the employee must be re-fingerprinted at a Livescan Service Provider at an increased cost to comply with background screening requirements.

Providers may initiate a Clearinghouse Renewal 60 days before the Retained Prints’ Expiration Date is reached. If the Clearinghouse Renewal is not initiated before the retained prints’ expiration date, a new screening must be initiated in the Clearinghouse, and the employee must be fingerprinted again.

Employers will receive notification of upcoming expiring retained prints for those employees listed on the Employee/Contractor Roster. Instructions on how to add or edit employment history can be found here.

The benefits of initiating Clearinghouse Renewals are as follows:

• Request and pay for the renewal of a screening in one system while also receiving cost savings.
• The current cost for a Clearinghouse Renewal is $42. That’s a cost-saving of more than $30 with the average cost for a new screening being $75!
• Faster processing time since the request is immediately sent to the Clearinghouse. No need to wait for the employee to be fingerprinted at a Livescan Service Provider.
• An updated criminal history to ensure compliance with background screening requirements.
• Extend the retained prints expiration by another five years.

Clearinghouse Renewals Frequently Asked Questions

It’s the cold and flu season. And news reports about coronavirus is causing even more stress. Here are links to learn more about coronavirus and how to keep children safe:

“Coronavirus: What Child Care Providers Need to Know” from the Child Care Aware of America Blog

“2019 Novel Coronavirus” on Healthychildren.org

“Coronavirus Disease 2019: Myth vs. Fact” from Johns Hopkins Medicine

Early childhood educators, don’t miss an opportunity to refresh, rebuild, and get tips on how to take care of the most valuable resource in Early Education . . . you.

Join the Early Learning Coalition of Osceola County on Saturday, April 4, for the 16th annual Ready, Set, Grow Conference to learn hot topics related to professional wellness, restoring passion for our work, and creating joyful work environments. This conference is intended for directors and teachers in early learning settings.

The registration fee includes breakfast, lunch and materials. For more information, click here.