Section 50.630  Requirements for Approval in the Child Care Collaboration Program

a)         To be approved by the Department as a Child Care Collaboration Program, providers must demonstrate all four of the following quality items to the Department.

1)         Programming Enhancements.  Providers must detail exactly how the collaboration improves or will improve the quality of early care and education including, but not limited to:  group size; improvements in staff qualifications, salary, and/or retention; enhanced curriculum, educational experiences, and outcomes for children; and comprehensive services, such as family support and health.

2)         Extended Service/Continuity of Care.  Providers must detail how the collaboration has extended service and how children have stability and continuity of care in location and staffing.

3)         Parent Share/Self-Sufficiency.  Providers must demonstrate that parent co-payments are being collected and documented, according to Department rule (see Sections 50.310 and 50.320), and how the funds are being used to enhance and/or supplement the collaboration program.

4)         Community Collaboration.  Providers must demonstrate how the collaboration is coordinated with the larger local early childhood community and how the collaboration is based on community need, including, but not limited to, how the slots are needed in the area, what other services are available, and how the collaboration coordinates or will coordinate positively with other providers.  This is especially critical in cases where one agency is collaborating both types of funding.

b)         The Department and/or its agents and/or staff will determine eligibility for participation in the Child Care Collaboration Program by reviewing and approving, if appropriate, all requests from providers.

(Source:  Added at 27 Ill. Reg. 12090, effective July 14, 2003)