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Council Connections
December 2010

Greetings!  

Enjoy the December edition of School Age Connections, an e-newsletter from the Child Care Council of Westchester. 
 Wishing everyone very happy holidays and a healthy, prosperous 2011!

 
Susan M. Edelstein

Director, ISACC
School Age Newsletter
School Age Child Care Regulation Review
TA Tip of the Month
New References for School Age Staff
Upcoming Events and Trainings
School Age Child Care Regulation Review
In reviewing many of the recent 50% inspections completed by the Council's registrars, we've noticed that many programs do not conduct monthly evacuation drills. Take a moment to review the Fire Protection section of the School Age Child Care regulations to make sure your program is in compliance.

414.14 Fire Protection 

(a) Suitable precautions must be taken to eliminate all conditions which may contribute to or create a fire hazard.

 

(b) Evacuation drills must be conducted at least monthly during various hours of operation of the school-age child care program in accordance with the recommendations of the local fire marshal or fire department. A record of these drills must be kept on file using forms furnished by the Office or approved equivalents.

 

(c) Fire detection, alarm and firefighting equipment appropriate to the type of building construction, size, height and occupancy must be provided.

 

(1) All fire alarm and detection systems must be inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with the applicable requirements of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code. All such inspections, testing and maintenance must be conducted by service personnel licensed by the New York State Department of State to perform fire alarm systems maintenance, repair and testing. All staff must be instructed in the function and operation of fire alarm and detection systems used in the school-age child care program.

(2) All fire suppression equipment and systems must be tested and maintained in accordance with the applicable requirements of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code. All such inspections, testing and maintenance must be conducted by service personnel qualified to perform fire suppression systems maintenance, repair and testing. All staff must be instructed in the function and operation of fire suppression equipment and systems used in the school-age child care program.

 

(d) Except for programs located in public school buildings currently used for elementary, middle or secondary education programs regulated or inspected by the State Education Department, the school-age child care program must have an inspection once every 12 months conducted by the local government authority having jurisdiction for determining compliance with the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.

 

(e) Adequate means of egress must be provided. Children may be cared for only on such floors as are provided with readily accessible alternate means of egress to other floors, in the case of fire-resistant buildings, and to the outside in the case of non-fire-resistant buildings. Such means of egress must be remote from each other.

 

(f) All corridors, aisles, and approaches to exits must be kept unobstructed at all times.

 

(g) Steam or hot water boilers must be inspected and approved in accordance with the requirements of the New York State Department of Labor by an inspector from the New York State Department of Labor or by an insurance company which is licensed to write boiler insurance in the State. All other fuel burning heating systems and equipment and boilers not subject to the New York State Department of Labor requirements must be serviced by a heating contractor once every 24 months.

 

(h) Trash, garbage and combustible materials must not be stored in the furnace room or in rooms or outdoor areas adjacent to the facility that are ordinarily occupied by or accessible to children.

 

(i) The director or a designated qualified staff member must conduct monthly inspections of the premises to observe possible fire and safety hazards. Any such hazard must be corrected immediately. A record of all inspections and all corrections must be maintained at the program.

TA Tip of the Month - Homework Help

Homework assistance has become an integral part of many after school programs and providing this assistance raises many important issues. How well does your homework center serve the  children in your program? Take a few minutes to answer the following questions in order to take stock of your homework assistance program.

  

1.  Do you have a homework assistance policy? Is it communicated to the staff, children and parents? Is it consistently followed by each?

 2.  Take a look at your Homework Center.  Is it set up to provide a variety of environments that will suit the varied learning styles of the children in your program?Does the homework area have:

  • Plenty of light and good ventilation?
  • Areas that are set up for small group work, individual work and soft space?

 3.  Is the homework area  well stocked with: 

  • Plenty of homework tools (pencils, lined and plain paper, colored  pencils, rulers, crayons, scissors, glue, etc.)? 
  • Homework Resources, including encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesaurus atlas and computer?

 

4.  Is your homework scheduled for the same time each day and for the same amount of time each day?

 

5.  Are there a  variety of activities accessible to the children, once homework is completed?

6.  Has your staff been trained on appropriate homework assistance strategies?

The Council offers technical assistance and training to maintain compliance with OCFS regulations and to familiarize school age staff with best practices in school age care. Contact Mary Ann Brendler at maryannb@cccwny.org or 914-761-3456 x 172 if you would like additional assistance on this topic or any other topic relating to school age care. 

New References for School Age Staff
Assessing Self-Regulation in Children and Youth: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Program Practitioners (October 2010)
Being able to suppress impulsive behavior and to adjust behavior as appropriate has been linked to positive outcomes for children and adolescents. This brief defines self-regulation and why it is important, provides three measures of self-regulation skills of children and teens, and includes tips for enhancing self-regulation skills in out-of-school time programs.

Assessing Stress in Children and Youth: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Program Practitioners (October 2010)
It is important for families, schools, and program providers to be able to recognize and help youth cope with stress to minimize the risk for negative health and behavioral development. This brief identifies characteristics of youth who may be particularly vulnerable to stress, provides two scales to measure stress among adolescents, and includes tips and resources for helping youth deal with stress.  
Upcoming Events and Workshops
Register for Professional Development workshops via ABC Signup. Click here to register for workshops and events.
 
Saturday January 8, 2011 9:00 am - 6:00 pm at the Council
Medication Administration Training (MAT) Course
Training Code:  01081              Cost:  $150

Tuesday January 18, 2011 10 am - 11 am at the Council
School Age Director's Network Meeting 
 
Tuesday January 18, 2011 11 am - 1 pm at the Council
Directors' Leadership Academy: Child Care Custody Issues Faced by Child Care Professionals
Training Code:  10319             Cost: $33M/$43NM
SADN members receive a discount on this training. Call 761-34456 x 113 for information.
 
Saturday January 22, 2011 9 am - 1:15 pm at the Council
School Age Child Care Half Day Mini-Conference
Training Codes:  10333A - F      Cost: $43M/$33NM
AM Workshop Topics: It's All About Body Confidence; School Age Regulations: The Foundation of Quality; Take a Deep Breath! Understanding and Managing Challenging Behaviors. PM Workshop Topics:  Make Middle School Programs Cool; Improving your Program Using the SACERS; Understanding Child Abuse and Shaken Baby Syndrome.