The Sierra County Child Care Council (SCCCC) serves as the Local Child Care Planning Council for Sierra County.

This plan is the result of the vision and leadership of the members of the Sierra County Child Care Council (SCCCC). Their commitment to quality child care for all of Sierra County has guided all of the planning results found in this document. Members are appointed by County Board of Supervisors (CBS) and County Superintendent of Schools (CSS).

Sierra County Child Care Council Members

Child Care Providers

    Charlene Kreeger, Sierra Nevada Children's Services (CBS)

    Pam Filippini, Toddler Towers (CSS)

Consumers

    Vacant (CBS)

    Vacant (CSS)

Public Agency Representatives

    Anne Berardi, Child Protective Services (CBS)

    Linda Guffin, Sierra County Office of Education (CSS)

Community Representatives

    Paul Guffin, United Methodist Church (CBS)

    Vacant (CSS)

Discretionary Representatives

     Vacant (CBS)

    John Ringwald, Sierra Cascade Family Opportunities, Inc., Head Start (CSS)

Sierra County Child Care Council Staff

    Pamela Worden, Coordinator

Social Entrepreneurs, Inc, a company dedicated to improving the abilities and capabilities of human service organizations and thereby improving the quality of life for individuals and communities, provided support and guidance throughout the planning process. SEI can be contacted at 6121 Lakeside Drive, Reno, Nevada 89511 (775) 324-4567, or on the Internet at http://www.socialent.com.

This Project was made possible through funding from the California Department of Education, Child Development Division.

Executive Summary *

Background *

Child Care Legislation *

Sierra County Child Care Council *

Mission, Vision, Guiding Principles *

Mission Statement *

Vision *

Guiding Principles *

Stakeholders *

Planning Process *

Planning Objectives *

Creation of the Child Development Plan *

Situational Analysis *

Strategic Assessment *

Sierra County Child Care Trends and Needs *

Focus Areas, Goals and Objectives *

Goals and Objectives *

Partnerships *

Strategies for Achieving Goals and Objectives *

Implementation Plan *

Evaluation Process *

Conclusion *

Appendices *

A. Child Care Council Membership List *

B. Meeting Summaries *

C. Resources *

D. Glossary *

Executive Summary

Congress enacted the Child Care and Development Block Grant and the Title IV-A

At-Risk Child Care Program in 1990 with the purpose of increasing the availability, affordability and quality of child care throughout the United States. In July 1991, the California Department of Education offered funding to each county to establish a Local Child Care Planning Council (LPC) with the purpose of developing countywide priorities for child care and development services needed by low-income families.

The Sierra County Child Care Council (SCCCC) was established to develop local priorities for child care through the Federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). The Sierra County Child Care Council, referred to throughout this plan as the council or SCCCC, determines and plans for local community child care needs by performing a situational analysis and developing a countywide child care Child Development Plan. 

The Sierra County Child Care Council is a collaboration of consumers, service providers, public agencies and other community representatives working together to assess and coordinate the delivery of quality child care services and programs. The 2002-2007 Child Development Plan is the first five-year workplan adopted by the Sierra County Child Care Council, and represents months of research, planning and assessment. The plan is anchored in: 1) the mission to serve as a catalyst in mobilizing resources designed to meet child care needs in Sierra County; 2) the vision that Sierra County; and, 3) eight guiding principles. The guiding principles of the SCCCC are to:

1. be a well informed Local Child Care Planning Council that values teamwork, professionalism, accountability, diversity, personal and professional development, commitment and dedication, innovation and leadership;

2. respect and value the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each individual child and family;

3. focus the public's attention on the rights and needs of children;

4. bring into active collaboration all individuals and groups concerned with children;

5. promote a well-qualified, well-compensated core of child care and early education professionals who care for children;

6. encourage continuous professional growth of child care and early education providers;

7. commit to a high quality child care and early education system that is inclusive, diverse, flexible and which involves parents; and,

8. establish resources to help all parents access quality child care.

The 2002-2007 Child Development Plan was developed through a three-phase approach comprised of a Situational Analysis to determine major needs and assets related to child care within the community; a Strategic Assessment to determine the direction to take to enhance child care quality and access; and the development of an Implementation Plan, which outlines specific steps and accountability measures necessary to achieve desired results.

The Situational Analysis included two facilitated sessions which SCCCC members identified the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats which impact the degree to which all children in Sierra County receive quality child care services appropriate to each child's needs. Periodically, throughout the planning process, the contents of the Situational Analysis were reviewed and revised to reflect the changing circumstances of child care services and needs in Sierra County.

The Strategic Assessment began by identifying other resources that would help the council understand the unique circumstances affecting children in Sierra County. Source documents were reviewed to compare data with the key points of the situational analysis. Once agreement was reached on the data and strengths as well as areas for improvement, the council engaged in strategic planning to create the Child Development Plan. This included defining long-term goals, intermediate objectives for the next one to three years and developing strategies to achieve the goals and objectives of the plan.

As goals, strategies and strategic relationships were defined; SCCCC evaluated and prioritized the goals and took a further look at the action steps necessary to achieve those goals. This became the foundation for the Implementation Plan. The Implementation Plan is intended to be a management and accountability tool which can be used by SCCCC to organize and track the work of the SCCCC and its progress toward the goals found in the Child Development Plan.

The complete list of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats identified by the council is found in the Situational Analysis section of this plan. Some of the issues noted include:

Identified strengths related to child care in Sierra County involve the enactment of the Children and Families Act of 1998 (Proposition 10), and the impact it has had within the county in terms of services and support, which include plans for children and families centers in Downieville and Loyalton.

A lack of licensed child care homes and centers in certain geographic areas throughout the county was identified as a weakness and impacted council decisions in developing the plan. A substitute pool of qualified child care providers does not exist and has been identified as a weakness.

The council wished to capitalize on opportunities including both the trend in Sierra County for increased collaboration without duplication of resources, and college-based credit classes through distance learning.

The county is facing barriers in terms of child care providers including the stringent requirements of Desired Results Instruments (DRI) testing for compliance that could result in providers choosing to leave the profession.

The Strategic Assessment process evaluated the issues identified by the council and compared those issues to the data available regarding Sierra County. This data included US Census figures, results of the Children and Families Commission Needs Assessment, and the latest economic and demographic data published on the county. Together this information laid the foundation for identifying the areas upon which the council will focus its efforts.

As a result of the assessment and analysis phases, the SCCCC 2002-2007 Child Development Plan is designed to impact four focus areas:

Focus Area	A	Collaboration – Enhancing and Focusing Stakeholder Efforts
Focus Area	B	Quality Care – Professional Development and Training
Focus Area	C	Capacity/Retention – Across all Types of Care Settings
Focus Area	D	Council Development/Effectiveness

Within those four focus areas the SCCCC has seven goals:

Goal	A.1	Collaboration among stakeholders will be enhanced and focused, thereby improving outcomes for child care and the child care system.
Goal	B.1	The variety of quality trainings to providers will be broad and flexible enough in order that all providers will participate.
Goal	B.2	Child care providers will have the tools to meet the diverse child and family needs within Sierra County.
Goal	C.1	Child care providers will receive compensation/benefits/incentives that encourage and enable them to stay in the profession.
Goal	D.1	The community will look to SCCCC to identify child care needs and set priorities for the county.
Goal	D.2	The discrepancies experienced by being a sparsely populated, rural county will be reduced.
Goal	D.3	SCCCC members will be knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities to the council and to the community, and about child care and the child care profession.

The intent is for this Child Development Plan to be utilized by the Sierra County Child Care Council and other organizations and planning groups to guide actions, make informed decisions, and coordinate efforts among the various stakeholder groups. By using the plan in this way, Sierra County can improve the quality, affordability and access to care for children.

BACKGROUND

This section is designed to provide a general understanding of the Sierra County Child Care Council, how the council was formed, and what it seeks to accomplish. Included is the context and historical perspective which led to the current planning process. Hopefully, it will enhance understanding by providing the framework for readers who were not involved in creating the plan.

Child Care Legislation

The Child Care and Development Block Grant and the Title IV-A At-Risk Child Care Program were enacted in 1990 by Congress under the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1990, (Public Law 101-508). The purposes of the new federal child care programs were to increase the availability, affordability and quality of child care throughout the United States. Administration of the Child Care and Development Block Grant within California was awarded to the California Department of Education by Governor Pete Wilson. In July 1991, the California Department of Education offered funding to each county to establish a Local Child Care Planning Council (LPC) for the purpose of developing countywide priorities for child care and development services needed by low-income families.

Sierra County Child Care Council

The Sierra County Child Care Council was formed as the state-mandated LPC in 1991 to develop county-specific priorities for Sierra County related to issues of child care and other associated services needed by low-income families in the county. SCCCC did not have funding other than the original block grant allocation from the Department of Education. It met sporadically at that time, mainly providing networking and information sharing opportunities for members.

The council struggled in the beginning because there were few resources to actually implement the changes that were identified as priorities by the council.  

In August 1997, AB 1542 was passed mandating that each county in California establish a formal Local Child Care Planning Council.  The new law required the involvement of both the County Board of Supervisors and the County Office of Education.  More specific responsibilities and mandates were added to law as part of the legislation creating California’s response to federal welfare reform (CalWORKs), and additional funding was identified.  In 1999, the Legislature and Governor were convinced that Local Child Care Planning Councils had become an important part of the local government infrastructure at the county level and should be provided with stable, ongoing funding.

The current SCCCC is a ten-member council with representation from child care providers, consumers, community members, public agencies and other discretionary members. There are currently four vacancies on the council. Many council members have been involved in issues of child care in Sierra County for a number of years. In fact, one member of today's council has been a member since its inception.

Mission, Vision, Guiding Principles

The Child Development Plan is rooted in the mission, vision and guiding principles of the council. The mission articulates the fundamental purpose for the council to exist; the vision provides a broad description of the kind of future the council is trying to create; and the guiding principles are the core values and beliefs that guide all activities of the organization. When used together these elements provide direction and give meaning to all of the work necessary to make the organization flourish.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Sierra County Child Care Council is to serve as a catalyst in mobilizing resources designed to meet child care needs in Sierra County.

Vision

Sierra County provides quality child care services appropriate to each child's needs.

Guiding Principles

The guiding principles of the SCCCC are to:

be a well-informed Local Child Care Planning Council that values teamwork, professionalism, accountability, diversity, personal and professional development, commitment and dedication, innovation and leadership;

respect and value the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each individual child and family;

focus the public's attention on the rights and needs of children;

bring into active collaboration all individuals and groups concerned with children;

promote a well-qualified, well-compensated core of child care and early education professionals who care for children;

encourage continuous professional growth of child care and early education providers;

commit to a high quality child care and early education system that is inclusive, diverse, flexible and which involves parents; and,

establish resources to help all parents access quality child care.

Stakeholders

Although the membership of the council provides a strong foundation of knowledge and expertise, the council is interested in countywide involvement and representation during the planning process and beyond, to ensure that a thorough and thoughtful plan is developed and implemented. One of the key steps in the planning process was to identify stakeholders and the best means to involve them. For purposes of this planning effort, a stakeholder is any person or group who is directly served by the results of the Child Development Plan or who has a significant vested interest in the outcomes of the planning process. The stakeholder groups and the roles the groups play are shown below.

Stakeholders

Stakeholder Roles

1. Families with children 2. Licensed and exempt child care providers 3. Family Literacy 4. Sierra County Children & Families Commission (Prop10) 5. Sierra Nevada Children's Services 6. Sierra County Office of Education 7. Sierra-Plumas Joint Unified School District 8. Sierra-Plumas School Board of Trustees 9. Sierra County Board of Supervisors 10. Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Advisory Board 11. Sierra County Department of Health and Human Services 12. Sierra County Child Abuse Council 13. Faith-based Community 14. Mountain Circle Family Services 15. Alta California Regional Center 16. Rainbow 17. Head Start 18. Lassen, Feather River, and Sierra Community Colleges 19. Private Individuals, Organizations and Civic Groups 20. Primary Health Care Providers 21. Law Enforcement including Probation and Animal Control 22. California Division of Community Care Licensing 23. Volunteer Fire Departments/ Emergency Medical Technicians/Emergency Responders

1. Information Exchange. Provide necessary data and information during the situational analysis and strategic assessment phases to ensure that accurate, current and relevant data is obtained and used in developing Sierra County's needs and priorities and continue to exchange data after the completion of the plan.     2. Coordination and Partnering. Review the Child Development Plan goals, objectives and strategies to identify opportunities for leveraging efforts and resources.     3. Review and response to Strategic Assessment. At various points, review, respond and provide feedback on objectives, strategies, partners, etc.   4. Co-sponsor specific projects or events. Identify specific activities within the Child Development Plan and partner with the Local Child Care Planning Council to achieve results.   5. Meet multiple mandates. Coordinate and combine efforts wherever possible to meet similar mandates related to children/child care.   6. Funding and Other Resources. Provide funding and other resources (i.e., in-kind professional services, access to facilities, trainings, etc.) to support child care and the child care system.

Planning Process

From April 2001through January 2002 the members of the Sierra County Child Care Council engaged in a series of planning activities to create the SCCCC's 2002-2007 Child Development Plan. A summary of the planning process is captured here so readers/future council members can understand the objectives of planning, how the plan was created, the level of participation, and the various considerations and thought processes that went into the final Child Development Plan document.

The SCCCC was committed to taking the time to engage in thoughtful consideration of the issues impacting child care throughout Sierra County and crafting a plan that can act as a road map for strengthening and supporting quality, affordable child care choices for the community.

A summary of meetings is contained in Appendix B.

Planning Objectives

The primary objectives of the planning process are to:

communicate to the public the future goals and the direction of the council;

create a countywide tool for addressing child care needs;

advise, inform and consult with other stakeholders on issues regarding child care; and,

define and establish the council's role in relation to the human and social services in the county.

Creation of the Child Development Plan

The planning process consisted of three major phases: Situational Analysis, Strategic Assessment, and Implementation Plan.

Situational Analysis. The Situational Analysis included two facilitated sessions in which SCCCC members identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and barriers that impact the degree to which all children in Sierra County receive quality child care services appropriate to each child's needs. Periodically, throughout the planning process, the contents of the Situational Analysis were reviewed and revised to reflect the changing circumstances of child care services and needs in Sierra County.

Strategic Assessment. The Strategic Assessment began by identifying other resources that would help the council understand the unique circumstances affecting children in Sierra County. Source documents were reviewed to compare data with the key points of the situational analysis. Once agreement was reached on data, strengths, and areas to improve, the council engaged in strategic planning to create the Child Development Plan. The major activities of this phase included:

defining long-term goals or statements of desired change over the next five years;

defining intermediate objectives which are the precise changes sought in the next one to three years;

developing strategies or the overall approaches or methods by which the Child Development Plan's goals and objectives will be achieved; and,

defining the strategic relationships of import within Sierra County. These include the interconnected groups of parents, providers, business, government, and children and family services providers key to the success of a long-range plan.

Implementation Plan. As goals, strategies and strategic relationships were defined, SCCCC evaluated and prioritized the goals and took a further look at the action steps necessary to achieve those goals. This became the foundation for the Implementation Plan. The Implementation Plan is intended to be a management and accountability tool that will be used by SCCC to organize and track its work and progress toward the goals found in the Child Development Plan.

Situational Analysis

A summary of the Situational Analysis developed in discussions with the SCCCC is as follows:

Strengths of Sierra County Related to Child Care:

Prop 10’s positive impact on child care in Sierra County through leadership, funding priorities, and value placed on child care;

Prop 10 partially funded a day care center in Goodyears Bar;

Prop 10 funded, and United Methodist Church provided space for, a playgroup in Downieville;

Prop 10's Retention Grant for ECE/Child Development stipends, site development, and educational support;

Family Child Care Home providers' retention – many have provided care continuously for a long period of time, offering stability for children and families;

Sierra County Office of Education Special Education Preschool;

small county (everyone knows each other);

higher family child care rates charged by providers in Loyalton result in provider retention and sustainable services;

accredited classes through Feather River and Lassen Community Colleges;

experienced "grandmother-types" as informal care providers for children;

Family Resource Center in Loyalton;

increased awareness of assets and collaboration within the community;

Sierra County Mental Health Department's staffing and implementation of Children's System of Care;

Head Start;

Toddler Towers Child Care Center; and,

Child Care Resource and Referral Agency located in Loyalton and Downieville.

Weaknesses:

insufficient licensed care availability: on west side, there are only two licensed child care homes and one child care center (pending); on the east side, there are only three licensed family child care homes and one child care center;

because of lack of staff, resources, and/or training, there is a lack of services for children with multiple or severe disabilities;

no licensed providers offering "non-traditional hours" of care;

Family Child Care Homes or center-based care providers are unable to take advantage of educational opportunities because a substitute pool of qualified care providers doesn't exist;

lack of potential child care sites that could meet health and safety licensing regulations;

few regulations attached to license-exempt care;

no financial support for families with incomes above the subsidy threshold;

requirement that subsidy reimbursement rate is equitable, and licensed providers' willingness to hold rates down for sake of families not receiving subsidies results in lower income for providers;

Sierra County, as a small rural county, does not meet eligibility requirements to apply for grants or other funding supports available in California;

licensed providers, primarily on the west side of the county, are paid less than exempt/informal care providers, yet they have to meet higher standards/training requirements;

higher overhead costs for child care centers (as opposed to home care, exempt/informal care) discourage establishment/expansion of centers;

lack of understanding about SCCCC; and,

only three locations (Auburn, Chico and Susanville) are available to Sierra County residents for licensing orientation, which can mean a 150-mile plus distance to travel.

Opportunities:

proposed location for children and families center in Loyalton and the Downieville area;

recruit more home providers while keeping balance between supply and demand for care;

Head Start expanded recruiting for home-based preschoolers in the west side;

trends in Sierra County for increased collaboration without duplication of resources;

ongoing opportunities for college-based credit classes through distance learning; and,

increased training opportunities for providers as a result of implementing the Desired Results Instrument (DRI).

Barriers:

Sierra Pacific Mill closing has reduced the number of qualified child care workers;

supply of providers and demand for child care fall in and out of balance;

loss of families receiving subsidies to pay for care could result in loss of revenue for centers, and potential closings;

families migrating into Sierra County from higher income areas driving up the cost of child care;

stringent requirements of DRI testing/compliance could result in providers not offering care for children receiving subsidies;

reduced subsidy dollars coming into Sierra County due to reduced child population would make it difficult for providers to stay in business; and,

providers leaving child care for other higher-paid professions.

This information was compared to and evaluated in the context of other known information about Sierra County. The council used the Situational Analysis as a starting point to engage in a strategic assessment of Sierra County's Child Development Needs. The results were then incorporated into the plan.

Strategic Assessment

After reviewing a variety of data and resources related to Sierra County, some key points were used to make sense of the needs and assets of the county related to child development.

Sierra County Child Care Trends and Needs

General

The total 1998 population of Sierra County was 3,403. By 2000, it had increased to 3,555. In population, Sierra County is the second smallest of California's counties. Towns in Sierra County include: Alleghany, Calpine, Downieville, Goodyears Bar, Loyalton, Pike, Sattley, Sierra City and Sierraville.

The following are facts about the people found in Sierra County from the 2000 Census:

 

Sierra County People Facts	Sierra County	California
Population, 2000	3,555	33,871,648
Population, percent change, 1990 to 2000	+7.1%	+13.6%
Persons under 5 years old, percent, 2000	4.1%	7.3%
Persons under 18 years old, percent, 2000	23.3%	27.3%
Persons 65 years old and over, percent, 2000	17.7%	10.6%
White persons, percent, 2000 (a)	94.2%	59.5%
Black or African American persons, percent, 2000 (a)	0.2%	6.7%
American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2000 (a)	1.9%	1.0%
Asian persons, percent, 2000 (a)	0.2%	10.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2000 (a)	0.1%	0.3%
Persons reporting some other race, percent, 2000 (a)	1.0%	16.8%
Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2000	2.4%	4.7%
Female population, percent, 2000	49.5%	50.2%
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2000 (b)	6.0%	32.4%
White persons, not of Hispanic/Latino origin, percent, 2000	90.3%	46.7%
Housing units, 2000	2,202	12,214,549
Homeownership rate, 2000	70.7%	56.9%
Households, 2000	1,520	11,502,870
Persons per household, 2000	2.32	2.87
Households with persons under 18 years, percent, 2000	29.5%	39.7%
Median household money income, 1997 model-based estimate	$34,941	$39,595
Persons below poverty, percent, 1997 model-based estimate	11.6%	16.0%
Children below poverty, percent, 1997 model-based estimate	15.2%	24.6%

(a) Includes persons reporting only one race.

(b) Hispanics may be of any race, so also are included in applicable race categories.

Poverty

The county has the lowest statewide percentage of young children living in poverty. According to Children Now, 10.6% of Sierra County's children ages 0 to17 live in poverty.

Sierra County has one of the highest rates of children eligible for Women Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition services who actually receive those services.

A review of free and reduced lunch information for October 2001 indicated the number of children receiving assistance at schools. There is a considerable variance in the numbers receiving free or reduced lunches, ranging from 21% to 56% percent of students, depending on the school:

Sierraville reported that 28% of its meals were free or provided at a reduced rate. This amounted to an average of 6 out of the 22 students who received meals from the cafeteria o a daily basis.

Pliocene Ridge reported that 56% of its meals were free or provided at a reduced rate. This amounted to an average of 36 out of the 65 students who received meals from the cafeteria o a daily basis.

Loyalton reported that 29% of its meals were free or provided at a reduced rate. This amounted to an average of 181of the 617 students who received meals from the cafeteria o a daily basis.

Downieville reported that 21% of its meals were free or provided at a reduced rate. This amounted to and average of 24 of the 106 students who received meals from the cafeteria on a daily basis.

Child Care

The amount of licensed care available is insufficient: on west side, there are only two licensed child care homes and one child care center (pending); on the east side, there are only three licensed family child care homes and one child care center.

The average cost to families for preschool in Sierra County in 2002 was estimated at $184 per month per child. For those families who achieve the average median income, this translates into 6.3% of their income, per child.

Knowledge of families about available financial assistance varies widely throughout the county.

Children and Families

Based on the Children and Families Commission Needs Assessment (dated July, 2000) and the experience of the SCCCC, a number of needs and trends were identified:

percentage of children being cared for in licensed-exempt, relative-care settings is in general higher than the rest of the state;

lack of infant care countywide;

need for affordable child care;

lack of licensed providers on the west side;

uneven distribution of child care settings throughout the county;

need for non-traditional care settings for: children with short-term illnesses; special needs children; and, non-traditional hours of care; and,

need for more financial assistance for working women and families with annual income of less than $25,000.

Health

There is no hospital within Sierra County. Therefore, most women travel to Truckee, Grass Valley or Reno to give birth. This impacts their confidence level related to prenatal care, as well as well-baby care.

Figures reported by the County Department of Health indicate the birth rate for the county is approximately 25 births per year. Consistently, Sierra County has experienced few low birth weight babies, and no infant mortality cases.

The County Department of Health uses immunization rates as an indicator of county health. Rates are tracked for children in child care, entering kindergarten, and entering seventh grade. The data for 2000 shows that 100% of children in child care were fully immunized; 78% of children entering kindergarten were admitted with full immunizations, while another 18% were entered conditionally (not all immunizations in place at the time of admission); 68% of children entering seventh grade were fully immunized (2^nd Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccination and Hepatitis B), while another 25% of seventh graders were admitted conditionally.

Services

There are a number of services available in Sierra County, and some of those are described below.

Sierra Cascade Family Opportunities, Inc. has a Head Start program that serves 12 families in Sierra County using the home-based model. Currently, Sierra Cascade is working to recruit families in Sierra Valley, Sierra City, Downieville and Goodyears Bar.

Toddler Towers, a child care center based in Loyalton, is licensed for 21 pre-school children. They have a waiver to care for school age children due to the lack of available services for that age group. Their services include preschool, school-age care, respite care, and transportation to and from school. They are funded through a combination of client fees, CalWORKs, child care subsidy programs, and social service funds

Sierra Nevada Children's Services (SNCS) provides support to families and child care providers in Nevada and Sierra Counties. SNCS maintains offices in both Downieville and Loyalton. Services include:

Resource and Referral Program

The Child Care Resource and Referral Program is a free service available to all families regardless of income. The program helps parents locate child care services which meet their needs and those of their children. Parents are informed about the types of child care options available to them and are provided with a guide to choosing quality services. The program is part of a statewide effort that includes 62 resource and referral agencies in 58 counties.

Child Development Library

Each office maintains a lending library open to parents and providers. The library contains many educational toys, books and training videos on topics of interest to parents and caregivers.

Child Care Licensing

The offices provide information regarding the licensing process. For caregivers exempt from licensure, SNCS will assist with the TrustLine registration process. TrustLine is a registry of Child Care providers who have been cleared by the Department of Justice.

Child Care Provider Training

SNCS offers training and support to caregivers. Each office has established resource libraries equipped with educational toys, books, videos and curriculum materials. SNCS publishes a caregiver newsletter and facilitates a caregiver support group.

Subsidized Child Care Costs

SNCS administers a variety of child care subsidy programs. These programs offer families of low and moderate incomes financial support to offset the cost of child care. Eligibility is determined by income in relation to family size. Staff assists parents through the enrollment process, provides child care referrals, and offers ongoing support and information while respecting the parent's right to make decision regarding their children's well-being.

Sierra County Child Care Council

SCNS is the fiscal and administrative manager, and houses the SCCCC in Downieville.

The Sierra County Children and Families Commission (Proposition 10) Improving access to quality child care services is a primary objective of the SCCFC. It has allocated funds for development of Children and Families Centers in Loyalton and the Downieville area; developed and implemented a Child Care Workers Compensation and Retention Project, which funds stipends, site development, and educational support for care providers; and, supports programs that provide services to children, families, and care providers (e.g., literacy, safety education).

Sierra County Office of Education The Office of Education provides special education services for children 0 to 5 years old. This includes one preschool classroom at the Loyalton Elementary School, preschool services available to eligible children in a variety of settings throughout the county, and Early Start for infants and toddlers in their homes. The largest percentage of children served with special needs fall into the speech and language categories.

Focus Areas, Goals and Objectives

After reviewing the child development strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and barriers found in Sierra County, the council examined the resources and indicators noted in the Strategic Assessment to set priorities for the Child Development Plan. As a result of the prioritization, as well as other planning efforts, the SCCCC developed four focus areas, with seven goals and twelve objectives.

The four main areas the SCCCC will strategically focus its efforts over the next five years are:

A. Collaboration;

B. Quality Care;

C. Retention/Capacity; and,

D. Council Development & Effectiveness.

The council used these four focus areas to develop goals and objectives for the plan. Once the goals and objectives were agreed upon, the council developed strategies to achieve the goals.

For the purpose of this Child Development Plan, a goal is a long-range (five-year) statement of desired change, based upon the vision statement.

An objective is a precise description of the desired change that is short-term (one to three years) and measurable, and that supports the achievement of the goal.

Goals and Objectives

Once the focus areas were agreed upon, the SCCCC established seven goals. For each goal, one to three objectives were created.

The goals and objectives were reviewed, revised, and refined during the planning process to ensure the most important areas of need were addressed, and that the goals and objectives support the vision of the council.

Focus Area A: Collaboration – Enhancing and Focusing Stakeholder Efforts
Goals	Objectives
A.1 Collaboration among stakeholders will be enhanced and focused, thereby improving outcomes for child care and the child care system.	A.1.1. By Fall 2003, SCCCC will work with all stakeholders to identify available resources/gaps, and make recommendations for addressing identified needs.

Focus Area B: Quality Care – Professional Development and Training
Goals	Objectives
B.1.1. By Fall 2002, a qualified pool of substitute providers will be in place and available to providers.
B.1.2. By Fall 2003, all child care providers will be able to attend quality trainings.
B.2 Child care providers will have the tools to meet the diverse child and family needs within Sierra County.	B.2.1 By Spring 2002, all existing providers will receive training in providing care for special needs children and a process for providing ongoing technical assistance and support will be in place.

Focus Area C: Capacity/Retention – Across all Types of Care Settings
Goals	Objectives
C.1.1. By Fall 2005, all providers will engage in conversation about compensation benefits.
C.1.2. By Fall 2004, SCCCC will produce and disseminate a report to the community that documents the beneficial impact of the child care profession in Sierra County.
C.1.3. SCCCC will engage in conversation and advocacy activities at least four times per year with funding sources, providers and other key stakeholders about new/ongoing retention efforts at the local and state levels.

Focus Area D: Council Development / Effectiveness
Goals	Objectives
D.1 The community will look to SCCCC to identify child care needs and set priorities for the county.	D.1.1. By December of each year the SCCCC will inform the community about the state of child care in Sierra County.
D.2.1. By February 2003, meet with stakeholders to begin development of a countywide advocacy plan on behalf of child care providers/system.
D.2.2. By the Fall 2002 Children's Summit, the SCCCC will identify state-level advocacy opportunities that will benefit child care, with special emphasis on unique circumstances and /or opportunities (e.g. – CCCCA, Rural Caucus of the CCAFA), and by March 2003, will implement an engagement plan.
D.3.1. By May 2002, 100% of council members will receive training/ orientation about their roles and responsibilities, and will acknowledge their commitment to the council.
D.3.1. 100% of council members will annually participate in ongoing council development training.

Partnerships

The success of this Child Development Plan is largely dependent on the stakeholders who deliver much needed services to children within Sierra County. Equally important are the relationships among the stakeholders, as they form the safety net that supports the children and families they seek to serve. The council developed and evaluated their goals and objectives, and then tested them by considering the relationships necessary to achieve results.

The purpose of describing partner relationships is to help the SCCCC create a matrix or "map" of current or planned relationships between the SCCCC and its many local, regional and/or state constituents. The "map" shows the interconnected web of relationships within the child care system, and assists the council and its partners in recognizing and building on existing strengths.

Partners are those agencies, individuals, and/or groups that must work together to ensure positive outcomes for Sierra County's children and families.

Understanding partners' levels and what they can contribute to a relationship allows the council to avail itself of the community's skills and resources to achieve the Child Development Plan's goals in a manner that benefits everyone.

The matrix on the following pages identifies each of the various partners, their partner level(s), and some primary contributions.

The partner levels are:

1. Strategic - This applies to groups or organizations responsible for setting policy and direction for child care/the child care system.

2. Tactical - This applies to those groups or organizations that determine what needs to be done based on the identified strategic decisions.

3. Operational - This applies to the groups and organizations that implement programs, services and/or activities for/within the child care system.

4. Support - This applies to groups and organizations that benefit from or facilitate services/changes in the child care system.

 

Partner Level				Contributions
Strategic	Tactical	Operational	Supportive
Alta California Regional Center	X	X	X		Provide Information and Referral services, diagnosis and evaluation services, and financial assistance to help purchase services. Provide out-of-home placement and respite care. Connect people with public and private services, and provide programs for people with developmental disabilities
California Division of Community Care Licensing	X	X	X		Oversight, licensing, information and resources related to child care
Chambers of Commerce				X	Provide support for strategies that engage the public
Child Care Centers			X		Direct service child care to the community
Civic and Professional Associations				X	Vehicle to raise awareness and conduct outreach related to child care
Faith-Based Community			X	X	Resource information point of contact, family programs for membership, and after-school activities
Family Child Care Homes			X		Direct service child care to the community
Head Start			X		Educational opportunities in the home with a focus on pre-school children
Lassen, Feather River, and Sierra Colleges		X	X		Assess and provide college credit opportunities for child care providers
Law Enforcement			X	X	Outreach and safety training
Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health	X	X	X		Identify health care needs and resources for children and families
Mountain Circle Family Services	X	X	X	X	Assess and determine foster home status, make placement decisions, and provide transportation and trainings
Primary Health Care Providers			X	X	Provide referrals, CPR and first-aid training and information, as well as direct medical care
Rainbow	X	X	X		Identify, refer and set policy for special needs services across four counties
Sierra County Board of Education	X			X	Provide a forum that facilitates feedback regarding changes to the child care system, and allocate resources and set policies, which impacts child care systems
Sierra County Board of Supervisors	X			X	Provide oversight to SCCCC, approve actions and appoint SCCCC members
Sierra County Child Abuse Council		X	X	X	Provide parent training regarding child care and provide mini-grants to child care providers, car seat and bicycle helmet programs
Sierra County Children & Families Commission (Prop 10)	X	X	X	X	Strategic planning, service integration, child care retention funding, site development, and direct service programs
Sierra County Department of Health and Human Services	X	X	X	X	CalWORKs, provide a child care payment program, CHDP, WIC, public health nurses, public health clinics, well-baby clinics, Children's System of Care, and Child Protective Services
Sierra County Office of Education	X	X	X	X	Policy and special education for children ages 0-5 and youth with special needs. Currently developing a full-inclusion child care center, provide oversight to SCCCC, approve actions and appoint SCCCC members
Sierra Nevada Children's Services	X	X	X	X	Set payment plan policies, resources and referral as well as contracting for child care services and trainings, toy and resources lending library
Sierra-Plumas School District			X	X	Provide data on free/reduced lunches upon request and incorporates child development into ROP
Sierra-Plumas District Board of Trustees	X			X	Provide a forum that facilitates feedback regarding changes to the child care system, allocate resources and set policies, which impact child care systems
Volunteer Fire Departments	X	X	X	X	Provide training, education, and information regarding fire safety, and conduct fire inspections

Strategies for Achieving Goals and Objectives

Strategies identify the specific programs, services and projects to be pursued in order to achieve each objective. After developing the goals and objectives for the Child Development Plan, the council identified strategies to reach those goals. In addition, promising practices from other counties and systems were identified and reviewed for their applicability in Sierra County. The resulting strategies are those best suited for Sierra County.

The tables that follow are organized according to the goals and objectives listed in the previous section of the plan. Each objective includes the intended strategies, the community partners which will need to be involved for the strategy to be successfully implemented, and the estimated costs and available resources for implementation.

Strategies shown in bold text will be pursued during the first 12-month implementation period (January – December 2002).

FOCUS AREA A: Collaboration – Enhancing and Focusing Stakeholder Efforts
Goals	Objectives	Strategies
A.1. Collaboration among stakeholders will be enhanced and focused, thereby improving outcomes for child care and the child care system.	A.1.1. By Fall 2003, SCCCC will work with all stakeholders to identify available resources/gaps, and make recommendations for addressing identified needs.	a) Partner with Prop 10 to convene a Children’s Summit for all stakeholders in Fall 2002 to identify issues, roles/responsibilities, resources, and collaborations. (Jan. '02-Oct. '02.) b) Document outcomes of Children's Summit. Produce and disseminate Summary Report. (Oct. '02 – Dec. '02) c) Conduct gaps analysis based on Summit findings and develop a set of recommendations for addressing gaps/needs. (Jan. '03 – Aug. '03)
Costs & Resources: Cost is estimated at $5,000. SCCCC to provide 50% funding with partners providing the other 50%. Resources needed include child care, guest speakers, space, printed materials, facilitators, media packets, and refreshments.
Potential Partners: Prop 10; Sierra Child Abuse Council; Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (possibly for funding); County Health and Human Services (possibly for funding); SCCCC; Sierra Nevada Children's Services; child care providers; Sierra County Office of Education; and, Mountain Circle Foster Care.

FOCUS AREA B: Quality Care – Professional Development and Training
Goals	Objectives	Strategies
B.1. The variety of quality trainings to providers will be broad and flexible enough in order that all providers will participate.	B.1.1. By Fall 2002, a qualified pool of substitute providers will be in place and available to providers.	a) Partner with Sierra County agencies to provide funds and training for individuals wanting to become qualified entry-level substitutes. (Jan. '02 – Aug. '02) b) Explore viability of partnering with neighboring counties to share a qualified pool of substitutes. (May '02- Sep. '02)
Costs & Resources: Costs estimated at $10,000 at $10 to $12 per hour. Prop 10 and Sierra-Plumas School District.
Potential Partners: Sierra County agencies (county and community); Plumas, Nevada, Yuba, Butte, and Lassen counties; Prop 10; Sierra-Plumas School District (ROP); and, potential substitutes.
	B.1.2. By Fall 2003, all child care providers will be able to attend quality trainings.	a) Identify any additional barriers (beyond substitutes) to attending trainings; document and disseminate results to stakeholders. (Oct. '02 – Feb. '03) b) Develop and implement plan to address barriers identified through above strategy. (Mar. '03 – Sep. '03)
Costs & Resources: Costs estimated at $1,000 for postage, paper, printing, advertising. Prop 10, SCCCC, Cascade Families Opportunities, Inc. Head Start, and SNCS.
Potential Partners: Prop 10; child care providers; SNCS; and Cascade Families Opportunities, Inc. Head Start.
B.2. Child care providers will have the tools to meet the diverse child and family needs within Sierra County.	B.2.1. By Spring 2002, all existing providers will receive training in providing care for special needs children and a process for providing ongoing technical assistance and support will be in place.	a) Work with partners to fund and provide training for existing providers in caring for special needs children. (Jan. '02 – May '02) b) Outline process for delivering ongoing technical assistance/support to providers caring for special needs children; disseminate to partners and providers. (Jan. '02 – May '02)
Costs & Resources: Costs estimated at $2,000 for copying, binders, first aid and CPR instruction, postage/mailing.
Potential Partners: SNCS; Prop. 10; Alta Regional; Rainbow; SCOE; Children's System of Care (DHHS).

FOCUS AREA C: Capacity/Retention – Across all Types of Care Settings
Goals	Objectives	Strategies
C.1. Child care providers will receive compensation/ benefits/incentives that encourage and enable them to stay in the profession.	C.1.1. By Fall 2005, all providers will engage in dialogue about compensation benefits.	a) Use existing forums/meetings as mechanisms for dialoging with providers. b) Make financial planning professionals available to providers to provide specific information.
Costs & Resources: To be determined by June 2005.
Potential Partners: Providers, families, Prop 10, SNCS, SCOE.
	C.1.2. By Fall 2004, SCCCC will produce and disseminate a report to the community that documents the beneficial impact of the child care profession in Sierra County.	a) Conduct salary compensation study for Sierra County providers. b) Compare Sierra County provider compensation with other, similar counties. c) Perform an Economic Impact Study of child care industry upon Sierra County. d) Produce Summary Report for above strategies, with recommendations for closing gaps and increasing compensation where indicated. e) Educate community about Summary Report findings/recommendations through various mechanisms (media, meetings, etc.)
Costs & Resources: To be determined by June 2004.
Potential Partners: Providers, families, Prop 10, SNCS, SCOE.
	C.1.3. Beginning in 2003, SCCCC will engage in conversation and advocacy activities at least four times per year with funding sources, providers and other key stakeholders about new /ongoing retention efforts at the local and state levels.	a) Use existing communication channels and forums (Prop 10, SNCS, etc.) to update and inform various stakeholders.
Costs & Resources: To be determined by January 2003.
Potential Partners: Prop. 10; SNCS; SCOE; Child Abuse Council.

FOCUS AREA D: Council Development / Effectiveness