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#1 - New Law Requiring the Posting of OCFS Inspection Histories:
NYS Social Services Law was amended this past legislative session to require all child care programs to post and maintain in a prominent place, a notice containing the results of their most recent Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) inspection history, effective January 1, 2015. Beginning in January 2015, OCFS will mail out the required postings as a separate document in the envelope with its inspection letter. Remember to post the inspection history report only, not the inspection letter, which may contain confidential information. If you have questions, please contact your licensor or registrar.
#2 - More Child Care Subsidy Help for Westchester Parents in 2015
Child care is very expensive. Do you have parents who qualify for the Child Care Subsidy Program? Please urge them to call the Council at 914-761-3456 ext. 140 to find out. Westchester has funding for low-income and Title XX child care subsidies and the Council Resource and Referral counselors can pre-screen for eligibility.
The Council will also be adding a subsidy specialist to educate parents about subsidy eligibility and help them apply. Meanwhile, please let your parents know that the Council is here to help them with the subsidy.
#3 - Revised Day Care Center and School Age Regulations
The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) just released revised regulations for day care centers, small day care centers and after school programs, which go into effect on June 1, 2015. The 6 month interval between adoption and effective date was intentional, to help programs become familiar with the revised regulations and come into compliance with them. The Council welcomes the regulatory changes, which support higher quality.
To view the revised regulations, click here:
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YOUR BUSINESS IS OUR BUSINESS
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Professional Development Opportunities!
Don't miss our great trainings scheduled for the New Year.
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Grow Your Child Care Career!
Become a Child Development Associate (CDA).
The CDA is given by the Council for Professional Recognition in Washington, DC. It is the most widely recognized credential in early childhood education and accepted by New York State licensing requirements to be a head teacher.
The Child Care Council's In-Person On-line eCDA course is your first step toward earning the CDA credential. Click below for more info:
The eCDA Program
Congratulations To These Newest Child Development Associates
We are very proud of our Infant-Toddler In-Person CDA course students who completed the application process and are now Child Development Associates, a credential given by the Council for Professional Recognition.
These early childhood educators have worked hard to improve their skills and knowledge of working with young children. The children in their care, their parents, and their programs are very fortunate to have such dedicated caregivers working with them.
Bravo to:
- Donyella Baker
- Wendy Mumford
- Michelle Soto
- Tarika Virgo-Frances
To find out more about the CDA credential or for information about the Council's CDA classes, please contact Idie Benjamin, Director, Professional Development, at [email protected]
The Council is grateful to the Westchester County Office for Women for its support of this program which builds skills and improves career mobility.
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Know Your Regs!
Regulation Reminder 417.6 (j):
Please be aware that if your program provides transportation to children then parents whose children receive transportation services must receive, at the time of enrollment of their children, a copy of the program's transportation plan. If the plan is amended, parents must receive a copy of the amended plan prior to its start date.
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Health Tip
2014-2015 Influenza (Flu) Season
Influenza Activity on the Rise
Take the free AAP/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention online course
Click Here Now!
"Influenza Prevention & Control: Strategies for Early Education & Child Care Providers".
Influenza is a serious contagious disease that spreads every winter, usually between October and May. It can lead to hospitalization and sometimes death. According to the NYSDOH
Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report, Influenza activity was categorized as widespread. There were 816 laboratory influenza reports, a 107% increase over the previous week. There were also 202 patients admitted to the hospital with laboratory confirmed influenza, a 57% increase from the previous week.
Anyone can get the flu, but the risk is highest among children. The NYSDOH reports that 20,000 children under the age of five are hospitalized each year because of flu related complications. To learn more about Influenza
prevention, how it spreads, signs/symptoms, and control information, click here:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older. The flu vaccine should be given as soon as it becomes available to ensure that as many people as possible are protected before the flu season begins. To learn more about the 2014 - 2015 guidelines for flu vaccination, click here:
To share information with parents about which flu vaccine children 2 to 8 years old should get, click here: Children Flu Vaccination
There are recommended procedures you can use to protect the health and safety of children, as well as staff in your program. For more, click here: Flu Prevention
All child care programs and schools are required to post influenza educational material where it can be easily viewed within the program. The purpose is to ensure that families receive information about influenza and the benefits of vaccination. For options re posting educational materials for parents, click here:
Influenza Information
Influenza Information For Parents
For information about health and infection control regulations, health care plans, how to become approved to administer medications, and how to become an Asthma Friendly Child Care Program, contact the Health Services Department at 914-761-3456 ext. 154
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WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE COUNCIL
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(Potluck Holiday Brunch, Council Staff and Members of the Spanish Club)
The Council's Spanish Providers Club
The Spanish club was created to help support quality improvement in Spanish family child care settings. About 30 family child care providers attend monthly meetings to receive
intensive technical assistance on requested topic areas from members of the club and Council Quality Improvement Specialist Aniberca Rosario.
Are you interested in joining? To join you must speak Spanish and have the desire to provide quality care. Our next meeting will be on January 13, 2015 from 6:00pm-9:00pm at the Council office.
If interested in participating, please contact Aniberca at: [email protected] or call (914) 761-3456 Ext. 142.
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"The Council's Toys for Tots Drive"
Thank you to those who supported Westchester children by donating a new, unwrapped toy this season to brighten a child's holiday.
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January is National Soup Month
It may be cold outside but soup can make everyone feel warm and cozy. It is perfect for lunch or snack. Making soup is a great opportunity to cook with children. They can explore different vegetables, learn about nutrition, and practice using spoons. You can expect a little mess but a great a wonderful experience for everyone.
Here are some ideas for cooking soup with children.
Cooking is Science! Cooking is mixing and transformation. You start with ingredients in one form and they end up different. What happened? Sout is a different kind of cooking for children because it involves cutting and chopping and a hot stove. But children can help peel carrots, measure ingredients, and observe how the ingredients have changed and how they now taste.
Make Friendship Soup! Ask each child to bring a n ingredient from home (carrots, onions, squash, seasonings, rice, etc.). What happens when everyone works together to make soup?
Read Stone Soupt! Read this classic story about three hungry men who trick a fearful town into showing their generosity.
Try these children friendly recipes.
Click Here for easy and delicious recipes to make with children.
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When Is It Too Cold To Go Outside?
OCFS regulations require that "Programs must offer daily supervised outdoor play, except during inclement or extreme weather or unless otherwise prohibited by a health care provider."
Going outside in the winter gives children fresh air in an open space. They can move and get exercise, use their imaginations as they explore the winter environment, and get Vitamin D. Cold weather does not cause the cold or flu, so children dressed appropriately should go outside whenever there are not extreme temperatures.
But when is it too cold to go outside for infants, toddlers, preschool, and school age children?Click Here for the Child Care Weather Watch chart. Find the day's temperature and wind chill and see if it is a day to go outside. Green always means go outside. Yellow is "caution" and means children who are dressed warmly can go outside. You might want to keep infants and young toddlers in on those days. Remember that children benefit from going outside for even 5 minutes.
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Inside the Community Fun:
"Fun Crafts For You"
January 15th
4pm-5pm
FREE event.
Our Westchester Library System continues to offer low-cost and free events for our children. The Scarsdale Public Library has a monthly crafting program to nurture our children's creative side.
Scarsdale Public Library
54 Olmstead Road
Scarsdale, NY
914-722-1300
For more information visit the website below:
Scarsdale Public Library
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Council Events
Children's Legislative Breakfast
February 19, 2015
10 am
White Plains Public Library
Legislators and youth participants from the 2014 Breakfast
Don't miss our annual breakfast on the unique and important needs of Westchester's children and youth. State and county elected officials talk directly to children and youth on the issues that matter most.
Presented by the Council and the Westchester Children's Association.
Registration info shortly!
Annual Awards Breakfast
June 5, 2015
Doubletree by Hilton
Tarrytown
Audience networking before the start of the 2014 Awards Breakfast
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Nominate an Outstanding Early Childhood or School Age Professional Now!
One of last year's Joey winners, Basia Kinglake, Westchester County Dept of Community Mental Health (2nd left) shown here with John Sterbenz, Council Board of Directors, Tara Rosenblum of News 12 Westchester, Master of Ceremonies and Frank Williams, White Plains Youth Bureau, former Joey winner.
Send in your nomination today! Nominations close Friday, Jan. 9, 2015.
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COUNCIL
2015 MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN IS HERE!
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Join the Council in 2015!
Ask about our EARLY BIRD special!
New and improved Benefits including:
*Valuable discounts on workshops, on-site trainings & conferences
* Listing on our website, including a link to your website
* Free postings on the Council's job bank
* Membership certificate to post at your site
* Printed Council Training Calendar
* Free access to our Children's Resource Corner
* Early announcements of special programs and opportunities
* Free Notary Public Services
* Invitation to attend free member only networking meetings
* Complimentary Council 2015 Calendar
* Participation in our membership referral program
* Invitation to attend exclusive member only annual events
Click Below to join today!
English Form
Spanish Form
Call
(914) 761-3456 ext. 106 or visit our website below.
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Special Night Out
Join us at
"Game Night"
vs. Maine
February 21st, 2015
Westchester County Ctr
Tix are limited so reserve now!
For more info email Juanita Pope:
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Jennifer Sorby, Pre-school Quality Improvement Specialist has been promoted to become our new Infant/Toddler Regional Coordinator.
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What's Cooking?
Recipes from The Child & Adult Food Care Program (CACFP)
Are you enrolled? CACFP is a nutrition education and meal reimbursement program helping providers serve nutritious and safely prepared meals and snacks to children and adults in day care settings.
"Apple Bread"
Ingredients
Recipe makes 1 loaf
2 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups apples, peeled and diced
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or more to taste
Check All Add to Shopping List
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a loaf pan.
2.Beat eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl; add apples.
3.Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon in a separate bowl; add to apple mixture and stir just until evenly combined into a thick batter. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
4.Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Cover loaf pan with aluminum foil; continue baking until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes more. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
Serve and Enjoy!!!!!
For more information about enrolling in CACFP
contact: Noreen Delacey at (914)761-3456 ext. 110
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Special Discounts for Council Members
Magical Memories Entertainment is a one stop shop for all your entertainment needs. They currently provide discounted rates for their services for all Council members.
For more info click here:
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Let's READ!
Great Books For Learning the Message of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
For young children, learning about Dr. King is a celebration of "we are all different and we are all the same." Here are some great books for children that honor that idea and Dr. KIng.
- Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King - Jean Marzollo
- The Land of Many Colors - the Klamath County YMCA Family Preschool
- My Family, Your Family - the Kindergarten Children of Westfield School in Sacramento, CA
- The Sneetches - Dr. Seuss
- We Are a Rainbow - Somos Un Arco Iris - Nancy Maria Grande Tabor
- We're Different, We're the Same - Bobbie Jane Kates
- What is Beautiful - Maryjean Watson Avery & David M. Avery
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