ECEAP Reminders & Links -- November

Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families sent this bulletin at 11/29/2022 02:31 PM PST

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ECEAP is Washington’s pre-kindergarten program that prepares 3- and 4-year-old children furthest from opportunity for success in school and life.

November 2022 Issue

November

Guidance to Prevent and Respond to COVID-19 in Child Care

Dear Tribal Partners, Child Care, and Early Learning Providers,

We recently shared with you the rescission of all remaining COVID-19 emergency proclamations and what providers can expect starting Nov. 1.

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has published its newest guidance for child care and early learning providers: Guidance to Prevent and Respond to COVID-19 in K-12 Schools and Child Cares. Highlights of this new document include:

  • Consolidated sections and indicating which COVID-19 prevention and response strategies are supported by Washington State statute and Labor & Industries rules
  • Updated criteria for defining outbreaks
  • Revised recommendations for return from isolation to include repeat testing

This guidance is subject to change, as COVID-19 conditions can shift rapidly, and our shared efforts in schools and child cares must remain responsive.

If you have any questions, please contact the DOH COVID-19 information hotline by dialing 1-800-525-0127.

In This Issue:

DCYF Training Opportunities, Events, & Support

Other Training Opportunities

Resources

Questions?

Email questions about newsletter topics to eceap@dcyf.wa.gov or your Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Specialist.

For additional information about ECEAP or the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), please visit our Contractor webpages.

ECEAP Updates

DCYF-ECEAP Parent & Family Voices (PFV) recruitment of Representatives happening now!  

PFV is a group of current ECEAP and Early ECEAP volunteer parents and family members who will provide input and feedback on emergent issues affecting ECEAP and Early ECEAP statewide. For more information, see the PFV one-pager.  If you have an interested parent/family member, please complete the online PFV Representative interest form:

 

Family Support Staff Qualifications

Starting in 2022-23 ECEAP Family Support Staff can have both ECE and ECE/SA age credits counted towards their qualifications. This includes credits aligned with Washington’s Early Care and Education Core Competencies that overlaps birth to age 8 and elementary education. This does not include coursework that covers School Age (SA) only.

For updated information, please review this ECEAP staff qualifications document.

Grants and Funding Opportunities

Early Learning Facilities Grants

2022 Federal Funding - Child Care Minor Renovations Grant

  • Grants can be used to make minor renovations to existing buildings used by childcare and Early learning providers licensed or certified by DCYF on or before March 23, 2020.
  • The Program Guidelines are provided in English, Spanish and  Somali  on Commerce’s website
  •  964 applications received through ZoomGrant by Commerce.  
  •  In October, all applications reviews completed and decisions made.
  • 253 organizations were awarded.
  • An official  Minor Renovation Award announcement will be done soon on Commerce’s website
  • Notification emails already sent out to the awarded and not awarded organizations. 
  • On 10th November 2022 Commerce hosted three debriefing webinars: one in Spanish, one in English, and one in Somali.  All three will be posted soon to Commerce’s website in case you missed it.

Eligible Organizations Competitive Grant

  • The next funding round of the Eligible Organizations Competitive Grant around summer of 2023.  
    • Click herefor the press release with a list of the 2021-2023 Eligible Organization awardees. 

Public School District Funding Round

  • The K-12 School District Funding Round clo
  • Applications reviewed and scored, with recommendations for funding and sent to the Legislature.
  • Funding decisions will be made when the next Capital Budget is approved 2023 and applicants will be notified of funding decisions at that time.
  • Next round will be 2024.
  • Visit Commerce’s website and sign up on their mailing list for updates and be notified when the funding round opens.

Trainings, Funding Opportunities, and Resources Offered by External Partners

Haring Center Individualization Internships and Mini Extensions

  • Open to any coaches or teachers in the Early Achievers network (ECEAP/HS/CCA)
  • Register here 

Addressing the Impacts of Parent and Caregiver Loss on Children

This resource from the Administration for Children & Families shares programs and resources to support families after parent and caregiver loss. This comprehensive resource covers multiple topics, including economic supports, to kinship and family support, assistance and benefits, behavioral health, trauma, resilience and grief resources, and more. 

Equity, Child Development, Education, & Health

Child Care and Preschool Immunization Reporting

Schools, preschools, and child cares must complete and file an immunization status report to the Department of Health each year per WAC 246-105-060. For the 2022-23 school year reporting will be due December 1, 2022.

How to Report for Preschool and Child Care

  1. Use the Child Care-Preschool Annual Report Worksheet (PDF) to gather the information you need and survey link for the report.
  2. For more information watch the Preschool and Child Care reporting video.

Learn why immunization data is important here.

Immunization information for families

Plain Talk About Immunizations

Visit Healthychildren.org for resources available in English and Spanish