Portland Metro Area Child Care News

Effective on January 1^st, 2009, several changes by the Child Care Division in Oregon went into effect.  These changes affect all Registered and Certified Family Child Care Providers, in the sate of Oregon.

• Announced Review Visits-Beginning in January, 2009, the Child Care Division will be making annual Announced Review visits to all Registered Family Child Care Providers, meaning that the Licensing Specialist will make arrangements with Family Child Care Providers ahead of time.  The purpose of this visit is so that the Licensing Specialist can answer any questions about rules and regulations, update Providers on any new information that may be important for them to know, and to touch bases with each Provider. 

• Nothing Above the 2^nd Floor-Beginning January 1^st, 2009, the Child Care Division will no longer license new Registered or Certified Family Child Care Homes that will operate solely on the second floor or above.  Again, this change will only affect new Providers, if your registration or certification already allows you to use your second floor or above, you will only be asked to provide care on the first floor if possible.  The reasoning for this change is to bring Family Child Care Providers in line with Oregon State Building Codes, and has been put in place based on the safety and risks associated with the need to evacuate children from the second floor or higher.

• Quality Indicators (QI) Project goes Statewide-Starting in January of 2009, the Quality Indicators Project will become statewide.  This is a project that makes information about Family Child Care Providers available to parents.  How does this work?  Information is gathered on seven indicators during a Child Care Division Licensing Review Meeting.  This information is compiled into an annual report.  This will give us an idea of the quality of care that more than 90,000 children in Oregon are receiving.  Parents can look at this information and make a decision based on the things that are most important to them in a child care setting.  Child Care Facilities can use this information as a marketing tool.  Lawmakers and Policymakers can make changes based on measurable information.  The seven indicators of child care quality are:

1. Ratio of child to adult
2. Group size
3. Education
4. Training of teachers/caregivers/providers
5. Staff turnover rate(stability in child/caregiver relationship)
6. Accreditation
7. Teacher compensation levels

 For more information on the changes listed, please contact:

Employment Department

Child Care Division

875 Union St NE Room 308

Salem, Oregon 97311

(503)947-1400

(800)556-6616

FAX(503)974-1428

Or find them on the web at www.childcareinoregon.org

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