Caring for young children is one of the most rewarding, and yet challenging, careers that one can choose.  In order for caregivers to provide high quality care for children, they must also be taking care of themselves.  The Devereux Early Childhood Initiative has recently published a new resource for adults that can help them strengthen their protective factors so they can “bounce back” from adversity and challenges. Building your Bounce: Simple Strategies for a Resilient You is an adult resiliency journal designed to meet you where you are and take you to a place of greater strength and determination. Through reflective readings, activities and written responses, you will uncover strategies for strengthening your own relationships, initiative, internal beliefs and self-control.

The strategies suggested in Building your Bounce: Simple Strategies for a Resilient You correspond to the reflective statements that comprise the Devereux Adult Resiliency Scale (DARS).  I invite you to complete the DARS by clicking here.

 If you are interested in getting a peek inside of this wonderful resource, please click here.

Article contributed by Linda K. Likins, National Project Director for the Devereux Early Childhood Initiative (DECI). Linda has been a zealot regarding the need for high quality services for children and families throughout her entire career. She began as a teacher, moved on to direct a large multi-county Head Start Program in Western Kentucky and later built on her grassroots experience to become the Director of Governmental Affairs for the National Head Start Association. In this position, and later as Director of Policy for the National Center for Family Literacy advocated for early childhood and other issues that impacted the lives of young children and their families. She has provided consultation services for the National Head Start Bureau, the U.S. Department of Education, Proliteracy Worldwide as well as being active on many state and national boards including PBS Ready to Learn, National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, and Region IV Head Start. Linda joined the Devereux Early Childhood Initiative in 1997. As National Director, Linda has provided leadership to this national Initiative to create working partnerships among early childhood educators, families and behavioral health professionals to optimize the social and emotional development of young children.

In efforts to effectively support young children with behavioral problems in early childhood settings and promote the use of positive behaviors, many communities have been using Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation.  A recent publication from the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development outlines the model and highlights its use in six consultation programs across the country where positive outcomes were demonstrated. 

According to the Center for Mental Health in Schools (2005), the prevalence of clinically significant emotional and behavioral disabilities among young children ranges from 4 to 10%, with significantly higher estimates for low-income children.  These statistics highlight the importance of the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation model.  As an advocate for early childhood mental health consultation, I want to encourage you to visit the link below, which will take you to this recent publication.  Please share this link with your colleagues and others who you feel can use this information to expand the use of Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation across communities nationwide.  What Works? A Study of Effective Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Programs

Article contributed by Linda K. Likins, National Project Director for the Devereux Early Childhood Initiative (DECI). Linda has been a zealot regarding the need for high quality services for children and families throughout her entire career. She began as a teacher, moved on to direct a large multi-county Head Start Program in Western Kentucky and later built on her grassroots experience to become the Director of Governmental Affairs for the National Head Start Association. In this position, and later as Director of Policy for the National Center for Family Literacy advocated for early childhood and other issues that impacted the lives of young children and their families. She has provided consultation services for the National Head Start Bureau, the U.S. Department of Education, Proliteracy Worldwide as well as being active on many state and national boards including PBS Ready to Learn, National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, and Region IV Head Start. Linda joined the Devereux Early Childhood Initiative in 1997. As National Director, Linda has provided leadership to this national Initiative to create working partnerships among early childhood educators, families and behavioral health professionals to optimize the social and emotional development of young children.

Despite the continually growing body of research that emphasizes the importance of primary prevention and early intervention, less than one percent of young children with emotional behavioral problems are identified (Conroy, 2004).   This statistic is heartbreaking, knowing the unneeded suffering that this creates for the children, families and caregivers impacted by the lack of access to primary prevention and early intervention services.  It is also mind boggling to me, knowing that our nation continues to invest in more costly responses to the problem—like building prisons--- rather than investing in the healthy development of our nation’s most valuable resource, our children.  

The vision of Devereux’s Early Childhood Initiative (DECI) is to change the way this nation prioritizes children’s social and emotional health.  As the director of Devereux’s Early Childhood Initiative, it is my charge to advocate, educate and help people better understand that this is a crisis for our nation—and that we can do better! 

I truly believe that quality early childhood education is key to changing the way that this nation addresses children’s social and emotional health.  Having worked in the early childhood field for more than 35 years, I have seen the lives changed by caregivers working with families to ensure that young children received the services that they need.   

I appreciate this forum to communicate about this important topic and will be using it to share information about research, policy, service delivery successes and resources that can support the DECI vision.  A wonderful new policy brief is available from the National Center for Children in Poverty called Social-emotional Development in Early Childhood—What Every Policymaker Should Know.  http://www.nccp.org/publications/pub_882.html

I encourage you to download this free resource and use the information to inform not only your policymakers, but your family and friends and anyone who will listen.  If we are to change the way that this nation prioritizes children’s social and emotional health, we need to make sure that we are not just “preaching to the choir” but sharing this important information with those who are not aware of the magnitude of this problem. 

Be Realistic: Base your plan on realistic goals and capabilities.

Document and Provide Evidence: Do thorough research; document and detail your facts about child care operations.

Illustrate Uniqueness of Your Program: Describe what makes your program appealling, and the services you will offer that will keep your center in demand.

Present Your Plan as a Road Map: Your plan should provide ways to monitor your program constantly. It should have flexibility for modifications and changes when needed.

Technology at Work: Computer and computer software can be a tremendous help in creating your plan, particularly the financial plan.

Presentation and Packaging: The plan should be impressive, clean, conservative, and simple. Your document should be well prepared, clearly written, error-free, and appropriately bound. Use graphs and tables to illustrate data and finances. (For internal use, a 3-ring binder is convenient for updates.) 

You've finalized your vision of your child care program, selected locations for consideration, done the necessary research of the child care market in your community, and developed a general marketing plan for recruitment of families. Now it is time for you to take all of this information and put it into a single document − the document that will be the heart and soul of your child care center: THE BUSINESS PLAN.

This business plan will enable you to raise the capital, maintain the focus on the child care market in your community, and create a document that your program can follow. In order to provide a complete picture of your program, your operations, and the income you will generate, your plan must demonstrate that you have the expertise and knowledge to operate a successful child care center. Your plan must also illustrate how financial investments will be used, as well as the stability of your child care center as a business. Marketing and services provided to families should be clearly outlined. The plan you create should be concise and accurate. It needs to be written with clarity, and have accurate data and statistics to support your rationale and operational plan. You will need to consider your current finances, and show initial start-up costs, plus first-to-third-year projections of expenses and income. You will need two consultants to help you create your business plan: an accountant for the financial component and an early childhood/child care specialist for the program component.

You should use the following outline as a guide in the concept of your business plan. It goes through each section of your plan step-by-step, detailing what information should be included. Of course, you will provide the special and unique aspects of your plan, based on your individual market or community.

Your cover page should have...

YOUR CHILD CARE CENTER NAME

Name

Address and Telephone Number

(Name of institution or investor you are submitting this proposal to for financial consideration)

Your table of contents page should have...

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Executive Summary

II. Child Care Market Analysis

III. Program Summary

IV. Strategic Planning

        A. Operations

        B. Marketing and Recruitment

V. Management and Staffing

VI. Financial Operations and Projections

VII. Key Success Factors

VIII. Appendix

• Your outdoor play area should be considered your outdoor classroom. Children will spend hours playing outdoors developing physical creativity, problem-solving, and social skills.
• The first consideration for the outdoor play area is SAFETY. Conduct monthly safety inspections of all outdoor play areas.
• A well-planned outdoor area is not only a stimulating  and fun place to play; it is also an added value to your program.
• The location of your playground should be approved first by zoning. Consider the most visible location for the playground so that it is inviting to families.
• Regulations require specified square footage per child outdoors. Most states require separate play areas for different age groups.
• Outdoor areas must be contained within a fence; there may be specific fencing requirements in your community.

Quality outdoor play areas have separate areas for a variety of activities:

• Large, open, grassy areas for running and active games.
• Areas for sand and water play.
• Age-appropriate climbing structures.
• Bike paths separate from major foot traffic patterns; play structures for role play.
• Adequate storage space for outdoor play equipment.

Design features for safety and health of children should include:

• Proper drainage of your outdoor areas.
• Sturdy, child-safe fencing that meets construction requirements.
• Cushioned surfaces under climbing structures, slides, and swings to break falls. It is recommended that you take on the one-time investment and expense for a high-quality cushioning surface.
• Children need access to drinking water when outside.
• An outdoor bathroom is a great aid to the supervision of children.
• Consider short-term and long-term maintenance in your outdoor play design; include the cost of repairs and replacements in your budget.

PLAYGROUNDS - CHOOSING SAFE SURFACING

The surface under and around playground equipment can be a major factor in determining the injury-causing potential of a fall. It is obvious that a fall onto a shock-absorbing surface is less likely to cause a serious injury than a fall onto a hard surface. Because head impact injuries from a fall have the potential for life-threatening, the more shock-absorbing a surface can be, the more likelihood that the severity of the injury will be reduced. However, it should be recognized that injuries due to falls cannot be prevented no matter what playground surfacing material is used. (The paragraph above is taken from The Handbook for Public Playground Safety, distributed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.)

Surfacing Options:

• Playground Quality Wood Chip
• Cast-In Place/Pad Systems
• Tile Systems
• Pea Gravel
• Sand

DO NOT INSTALL ANY PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT OVER PAVED SURFACES SUCH AS CONCRETE OR ASPHALT.

The complete area, including the space under and around all playground equipment, must be covered with an impact-absorbing material. For guidelines and recommendations, consult the 1997 Handbook for Public Playground Safety published by:

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affairs

Washington, D.C. 20207

or for your convenience, call use for a copy of the current CPSC guidelines through our toll free number: 1-800-334-2014 or Email: Playground@Kaplanco.com

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

• Selection of materials should be based on developmental practices of supporting the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive growth of children.
• Select and purchase similar furniture and materials for each classroom. This gives a refined look at your center.
• Purchase the following for each child: cot, chair, table space, and cubbie for personal belongings.
• Selection of furniture and equipment should be based on how often each will be used on a daily basis.
• Select materials and equipment that are high quality; you will save on replacement and repair costs.
• Materials and equipment must be durable and safe.
• Look for furniture that is well-built and has easy-to-clean surfaces.
• Purchase furniture from an established school supply company.
• Materials should be open-ended and allow for a wide range of manipulative and creative uses by children.
• Cultural representation of the program's enrollment should be integrated throughout the classroom with appropriate materials and props.
• Creative and expressive materials that stimulate thinking, problem solving, and emergent literacy should be selected for all play areas in the classroom.

LEARNING CENTERS

• Each classroom should have learning centers. These centers provide children with appropriate, stimulating learning environments. Materials used in all learning centers should include items that reflect language, culture, and diversity in the broader world.

Art:

• Children will create a wide range of artwork: drawing, painting, coloring, clay sculptures, collages, and structures.
• The art area requires a table and chairs for a group of children to work comfortably.
• Storage cabinets are needed for containers of materials and tools children will use. SUGGESTED MATERIALS:  paper in a variety of sizes and textures for drawing and coloring, construction paper, painting paper, collage materials, and clays. SUGGESTED TOOLS: crayons, markers, colored pencils, paints, brushes, cups, aprons, clay tools, trays, storage containers, and work trays.
• The floor covering should make it easy to clean up messes.
• The area should have a bulletin board to display children's work at their eye level.
• The area should have easels for painting and a place for drying artwork.
• The area should have different clays and assorted surfaces.
• Children should have easy-toclean work surfaces and height-appropriate chairs.
• The area should feature space for displaying finished work or work in progress.

Blocks:

• A large, carpeted area is ideal for construction  and building activities. Carpet keeps the noise level down.
• Each classroom should have several complete sets of blocks.
• For a center with multiple classrooms, consider purchasing a wide variety of complete block sets that can be rotated.
• Props may include play figures, transportation toys, play animals, block-size doors, windows, and signs, include containers for appropriate storage.
• Hollow blocks add dimension and variety to construction.
• Include adequate space for storage.

Dramatic Play:

• Each classroom needs child-size house furniture that includes table and chairs, refrigerator, stove, sink, cupboard, doll beds, ironing board, high chairs, sofa, and a rocking chair.
• Role play props include dolls and doll clothes, variety of dress-up clothes, play food, dish sets, and pots and pans.
• This area should have an unbreakable mirror and storage for dress-up clothes.
• Puppets enhance the dramatic play area.
• Shelving and containers keep role play props organized.

Discovery/Science Area:

• Include a variety of collections of things like stones and seashells for children to explore, look at, and play with.
• Make scientific tools available such as magnets, scales and balances.
• Provide fish or other classroom pets in appropriate habitats.
• Arrange tables and chairs for children to look at work with the collections or science tools.

Water/Sand Play Area:

• Provide an appropriately sized water and/or sand table.
• Include props for both water and sand activities.
• Shelving and storage areas will be needed for play materials.
• This area should include aprons for water play.
• Flooring should be tile or messy mat.

Manipulative Area:

• Include materials that allow children to classify objects, build structures, and solve problems, such as table toys that fit together for building and designing, and puzzles.
• Include fine motor materials such as pegs and peg boards, beads and other items to string, and lace.
• This area should offer manipulatives to be used in creating designs.
• Provide tables and chairs for children to work at. Children also like to work on the floor; consider carpet for this area.
• This area will need storage containers for manipulatives and storage racks for puzzles.
• Include a shelving unit to hold racks and containers.

Literacy Area:

• Children will come to this area to read and look at books, create and listen to stories, and play with materials. Your book collection should include at least 3-5 books for each child in the classroom.
• A quality book collection should include picture books, story books, and poetry books, including a wide range of topics: families, humor, word and alphabet, cultural diversity, seasonal/holidays, fantasy and true stories.
• Centers with several classrooms may consider creating a center library for all classrooms and families to use.
• Literacy areas need tables and chairs and comfortable places to sit and relax. Consider a carpeted area for some activities.
• Literacy areas need a variety of age-appropriate literacy games and materials.
• Include materials for children to create pictures and stories: paper in a variety of sizes, writing tools, and writing boards.
• Story tapes and flannelboard stories are ideal for both individual and group use.
• Audio-visual equipment is essential to your literacy area. Include a tape recorder, listening center, and earphones.
• Place a bulletin board in the literacy area at a child's eye level, and display photo picture collections, children's stories, and art work.

Music and Movement Area:

• You will need a record player, CD, or casette player/radio for the area.
• Include a high quality collection of age-appropriate music.
• Create a classroom collection of musical instrument so each child has an instrument to play.
• Collect instruments that reflect diversity of sound and culture.
• Include storage and shelving.

Woodworking Area:

• This area needs a child-size workbench.
• Include safety goggles and apron for each child who works in this area.
• Include a basic carpenter tool set.
• You'll need a tool box and container for storage of wood, nails, screws, sandpaper and supplies, such as wood glue.

Indoor Large Motor Activities Area:

• Include climbing structures.
• Sturdy, movable play sets are essential to this area.
• Balls, hoops, and jump ropes are needed.

STORAGE

• Cots and rest mats require a large storage area.
• Each classroom should have an easily accessible closet or cabinet that can be closed, and is available on a daily basis.
• Storage areas should have adjustable shelving for flexibility as needed.
• There should be a main storage area for the entire center for large items, shared items, and bulk purchases such as art supplies and other materials.
• A locking closet should serve as a storage area for cleaning and maintenance supplies and equipment.
• Audio-visual equipment should have adequate storage. If the center has multiple classrooms, consider dedicating an areas as the main storage area.

Your child care facility design should combine your knowledge of child care regulations and of appropriate environments for young children. Child care facilities have specific design requirements that must be applied when you build or renovate. Remodeling your facility could be very costly if you overlook or ignore the basic design requirements. The following is a basic child care center design checklist which can help you to understand the space needed to care for children. This will be of great assistance to you as you work with your architect or contractor.

ADA ACCESSIBILITY

• Federal legislation and the Americans with Disabilities Act have established guidelines that impact facilities. These guidelines apply to your facility, its entrances and its parking area(s). Use these guidelines in the planning phase of your facility. Your facility should be accessible to all individuals of all ability levels.

BUILDING DESIGN

• Consider the traffic patterns between classrooms and outdoor areas. Children should be able to move directly from the classroom to the outdoors. It is preferrable that every room have windows.
• Children's area should be designed for ready supervision by adults.
• Classrooms which provide meals throughout the day should have tables and chairs for all children and adults.

BUILDING MATERIALS

• Fire-resistant building materials are required for walls, counters, and doors.
• Building materials selected should be highly durable and easy to maintain.
• Dual flooring is recommended for classrooms. Carpeting will absorb sound, and is ideal for many activities. A hard or tile floor is appropriate for eating areas, art areas, and water sources, such as sinks.

BUILDING SIZE

• Your center enrollment determines your income; therefore, plan adequately for your classrooms. The number of square feet per child is determined by the state. The NAEYC-recommended footage per child is 35 sq. ft., to provide adequate spaces for each child's activities.
• Support areas such as hallways, kitchens, storage, and bathrooms, are not included in the square footage required for children.
• Most regulations do not allow two-story buildings due to the need for quick evacuation in case of fire.

FACILITIES

• Regulations call for specific requirements for children's bathrooms. There is a ratio for the number of children per toilet, and toilets are usually child-size.
• Children's bathrooms should be inside or beside each classroom. You may want to consider having two classrooms share bathroom facilities of adequate size to accomodate the total number of children in both classrooms, thus reducing the number of separate bathrooms needed.
• Separate bathrooms for boys and girls may be required.
• Child-size sinks adjacent to bathroom areas are highly desirable, allowing for appropriate supervision and activities.
• The water temperature for children's bathrooms is required to be regulated.
• An adult-height sink with both hot and cold water is highly recommended for each classroom.

SUPPORT AREAS

Sick Child Area:

• Many states require a designated area for a sick child in order to isolate the child from other children until a parent can come to get him or her.
• The sick child area is usually located near the administrative office so the child can be supervised.
• The sick child area should be furnished with a cot and a chair so the child can rest comfortably.
• The sick child area should be near a bathroom.

Kitchen/Food Preparation Area:

• Meal service should be located near the classrooms.
• Your choice of on-site food preparation or catering will determine what equipment your center will require.
• Be sure to check with the regulatory agencies for what is required for on-site food preparation, as there are additional requirements for centers offering this service.
• The kitchen/food preparation area will require additional storage areas for food.

Staff Loung and Work Areas:

• Staff need a place to relax, plan, and work alone or together. Consider a room large enough to serve these purposes.
• The location of the Staff Loung/Work Area should be between the administrative areas and classrooms. Recommended furniture for the area: comfortable chairs, work tables, book shelves, and cabinets.

Parent Library/Resource Room:

• This area is an added value to your center and will be an excellent service to parents.
• The Parent Library should be located near the entrance of your building for eacy access to families.
• The Parent Library can be a great place to hold parent-teacher conferences.
• The Library should be comfortable, with tables and chairs for both adults and children. You will also need child-size book shelves for the library books.

CLASSROOMS

• Children who spend their days in your care will need appropriate environments that foster positive learning and social interaction. For that reason, classrooms that exceed the minimum footage required are highly recommended.
• Classrooms should have space for children to meet as a large group, work in small groups, and have time alone with adequate supervision.
• Child-size furniture and equipment are essential to the classroom. Chairs, tables, cabinets, and shelving should be of appropriate heights for preschool children.
• Each learning center should have at least two areas for storing materials. Cabinets and open shelving units can be used to define the center areas.
• Learning center materials that children use each day should be kept in storage bins, and easily accessible.
• If children eat meals in classrooms, consider tables large enough to accomodate 6 to 8 children, instead of long, cafeteria-type tables.
• Classrooms should be light with neutral walls.
• Natural light provides an inviting area and gives a nice atmosphere to classrooms.
• Some states require minimal lighting levels; check with licensing regarding any regulations.
• Each classroom should have bathrooms available for children and one conveniently located for adults.
• Fire regulations may require two exits; one is your entrance to the classroom, and the other may lead to the outdoor play area. Check with your local fire department for requirements.
• Patios adjacent to classrooms provide additional areas for messy water activities.

NAEYC Academy of Early Childhood Programs provides excellent guidelines for early childhood environments. The academy has established appropriate child/adult ratios and group sizes that can guide the number of classrooms needed for your facility as you consider size. Call 1-800-424-4620.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Once you have a working knowledge of the child care regulatory systems, the zoning laws, and the requirements for your facility, the next step is to identify your location. You may already have one in mind; if not, it is critical for you to conduct more research. The facility you choose (or build) must mesh with the purpose and goals of your program. The program's success will be based primarily on its location. You may build a great child care center and establish a great child care program, but if you do not have an accessible location and a good, consistent marketing plan, parents will not find you! It is also important as you research your location to have an understanding of the child care market in the community and the community's view of a child care center where you want to establish your program. Consider property values, incomes, maturity of community, demographics, and commerical/residential development. You should seek out community resources that will help you get a profile of the community. Several agencies in your community can help you determine the need and market for your child care program.

LOCAL CHILD CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL has updated information on current child care programs, and can assist you in finding areas that need child care. They also may offer help with technical assistance in establishing your center. Once you have established your center and your program is underway, you will want to make sure that you are included in the resource and referral (R and R) database. Child Care Resource and Referral is ususally the first place parents look for assistance in locating child care in the community.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS maintain a current count of children in the community under the age of 5 years. In order to obtain this statistical data on ages and numbers of children, you will need to know the school district of each location you have in mind.

COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENTS have statistics on children and families, listed by geographic regions. They may be responsible for child care funds for low income families, and they may have a regulatory role in approving child care centers and family child care homes.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE is a good resource for potential locations. The Chamber will be able to provide you with information concerning business/industry growth and community trends. They may have a listing of businesses that can provide resources to assist you as you establish your child care center.

Some guidelines to consider when selecting a site:

1. Lot size
2. Primary access to the site (ingress/egress limitations)
3. Slope of property (can affect cost of site preparation)
4. Drainage (this is especially important for the playground)
5. Results of environmental studies and soil samples
6. Economics of property and its development
7. Setback requirements
8. Attitude of surrounding neighborhood

LOCATION CHECKLIST

Once you have determined that there is a need in your community for a day care center and decided on possible locations, you will need to analyze them. The following guidelines will help you evaluate the locations you consider for your child care center.

1. Locate the existing centers and find out the ages they serve and the programs they offer in the communities you are considering. You may also want to inquire about enrollment to determine if the centers are at capacity or have a waiting list.
2. Visibility of your center in a potential community will determine how successfully you will be in reaching your enrollment goal. You should select locations that have high visibility and accessibility to the communities you wish to serve.
3. Consider the traffic patterns leading to your chosen location. Experiment by traveling to your center from different directions to determine the accessibility of the location. The ease with which parents are able to reach your center each day will be an added advantage to your program.
4. Talk to others about the future of the community you are considering for your center. Learning about the residents of businesses in a particular neighborhood will help you understand the neighborhood's future direction. This is an important consideration.
5. Contact area corporations and businesses to determine child care needs. Your location's access to working families is critical to your center's stability in enrollment. Parents want child care that is easy for them to use and convenient to home or work.

As you select potential sites, use this checklist to determine if the location will be a successful one.