Opportunity to receive a "Mock Licensing Compliance Visit"
CDD is requesting applications for Center Based Child Care and Preschool Programs AND Registered and Licensed Family Child Care Homes to participate in mock compliance visits in October and November. The intent of these sessions will be to learn the new rules together, in a real environment. These sessions will NOT be actual compliance visits, and would not result in official licensing determinations. Rather, this is an opportunity for programs and licensing staff to explore the practical implications of the new rules in real time, on site. Programs who are chosen for mock compliance visits will be contacted by the division directly to set up a time for a visit.
If you are interested in your program being considered for a mock compliance visit please fill out this survey by October 15th, 2016: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mock_visit_app
The division used mock compliance visits for training licensing field staff when the Afterschool Child Care Regulations were updated in January 2016.
Here is what we heard from four programs who participated in those mock visits:
- It was extremely helpful for licensers to come in and answer multiple questions we had about the new state regulations.
- When CDD offered a mock compliance visit in response to new regulations that were unrolling in the beginning of last year, we jumped at the opportunity. We had our systems in place, but we wanted to make sure we were in full compliance with the new regulations. Two licensors came and completed a mock visit; afterward, we met and discussed areas that were strong, and a few areas that would benefit from improvement. This visit was incredibly valuable to our program. The new regulations were clearly articulated to us in person, we were able to ask questions, and we now have complete peace-of-mind and can move on with what we do best: safely serving kids and families!
- "We found our mock compliance visit to be extremely helpful. The licencors spent several hours at our site. Every program has little details that are unique to that particular site and we were able to go through all of those. We were also able to understand more clearly the reasons behind the new rules. The licencors listened carefully to our questions and thoughts and came back with detailed answers to all of them. The mock compliance visit allowed us to feel much more confident that our first "real" site visit will go smoothly."
- The mock compliance visit that we were able to arrange with the Division last spring provided valuable opportunities to have the licensing team review one of our afterschool programs in greater detail, with an eye to the new regulations and their impacts in the daily operation of a safe, enriching environment for our schoolagers. We were able to ask questions, troubleshoot solutions to problems that might arise in the future, and in general, become more at ease with rules to protect the children that we care for daily. In another sense, because I was able to attend the de-briefing portion of the visit, I was able to glean information to share with the four other sites I supervise. I felt that it was more than worth the time, and would wholeheartedly recommend the process to other providers.
- The mock compliance visit was incredibly helpful for me and my staff. Not only did we receive valuable feedback from the licensors regarding the new regulations, they were available to answer our questions specific to our program! I recommend any childcare program to volunteer for this opportunity.