Best Practices for State Networks

Quality Assurance for State Networks

Quality Assurance means that a state network has demonstrated to the national organization that they meet Best Practices Criteria for delivering outstanding Child Care Resource & Referral services to local CCR&Rs serving parents, providers, businesses, and communities. The Best Practices Criteria are all based on research; they include outcomes, rationales, and indicators for meeting each criterion.

From October 1, 2012, through September 30, 2013, Child Care Aware® of America is not accepting applications for the Quality Assurance program. Instead, Child Care Aware® of America will spend fiscal 2013 considering how best to adapt the current program processes and procedures, drawing on the feedback and experience of state and local CCR&Rs who have achieved Quality Assurance. Child Care Aware® of America plans to launch a redesign of Quality Assurance in fiscal year 2014.

Best Practices Criteria for State Networks

Click on the link below to view the Quality Assurance Best Practices Criteria for State Networks:

State Network Best Practices - Full: All the State Networ k Best Practices ( 18.06 MB )

Should your server have trouble downloading that large file, you may download each of the following smaller pdfs to access the State Network Best Practices. The names of each tell you which of the nine elements are in the individual files.

State Network Best Practices - Section 1: About NACCRRA, Acknowledgements, Table of Contents, Preface, and Glossary of Terms ( 1.53 MB )
State Network Best Practices - Section 2: Element 1: Services for Local CCR&Rs and Element 2: Stakeholder Relationships ( 4.81 MB )
State Network Best Practices - Section 3 Element 3: Data Analysis and Reporting, Element 4: Public Policy, and Element 5: Child ( 4.39 MB )
State Network Best Practices - Section 4: Element 6: Public Awareness and Element 7: Strengthening and Supporting CCR&R through ( 3.15 MB )
State Network Best Practices - Section 5: Element 8: Administration and Element 9: Governance ( 4.33 MB )

A State Network interested in applying for Quality Assurance will need to follow certain steps to begin the process, to submit documentation for validation and to maintain the Quality Assurance validation. The information a State Network needs to understand the process are outlined below:

Process

A State Network seeking Quality Assurance must first complete a Self Assessment. Upon completion of the Self Assessment, the State Network may apply for Quality Assurance.

Upon receipt of an application, the State Network will have up to 24 months to complete the entire Quality Assurance submission process.

A State Network may apply for validation in Best Practices for State Networks, an assessment of the nine components of service delivery critical to the success of a State Network.

Once a State Network submits all required documentation and evidence and pays the validation fee, the Quality Assurance validation panel will review the submission and recommend to the Child Care Aware® of America Executive Director validation for the State Network as Quality Assured. Upon notification of validation, the State Network may use the Quality Assured brand on all marketing and communications materials.

For each of the first four years of validation, the State Network will submit an annual report and annual review fee to Child Care Aware® of America for continued validation.

State Network Validation Process

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How To Apply

Register for Self-Assessment

A State Network ready to begin the Quality Assurance (QA) process start by submitting a QA Registration Form ( 59.14 KB ). This form may be submitted at anytime. The $250 fee for Self Assessment must accompany the registration form. Upon receipt,Child Care Aware® of America will provide the State Network with the Self-Assessment Guide and Scoring Sheet and schedule training on the Quality Assurance process and conducting a self assessment.

Apply for Quality Assurance

Once the State Network has completed their Self-Assessment Scoring Sheet and determines it is ready to apply for validation, the State Network may apply for the Submission Phase by submitting the NQA Application State Networks Final ( 69.95 KB ). This form may be submitted at any time. The $1,000 application fee, organizational and staffing charts and the completed Work Plan must accompany the application form. The application fee will be credited to the State Network's fee for NACCRRA Quality Assurance.

Upon receipt, Child Care Aware® of America will contact the State Network to provide a start date and discuss a payment schedule for the remainder of the fee. All State Networks which apply will have a start date that begins on one of the following dates: January 1, April 1, July 1, or October 1. The State Network will be assigned the start date that is closest to the date of receipt of the application. The State Network will have 24 months from the start date to complete their submission for Quality Assurance.

Costs & Incentives

Child Care Aware® of America has made every effort to keep the costs to operate Quality Assurance to a minimum, but costs to administer a program of this caliber and magnitude are considerable. These costs must be passed on to applicants in the form of fees.

Please note that a $250 registration fee for Self Assessment and a $1,000 application fee are nonrefundable. These fees provide a State Network with:

Self -Assessment Guide for State Networks
Self-Assessment Scoring Sheet for State Networks
Work Plan Template for State Networks
Online training courses on the Quality Assurance process for State Networks

The cost for State Networks to become validated under the new Quality Assurance is $9,950.

Payment Schedule

Child Care Aware® of America has made every effort to accommodate the financial situations of State Networks. We will work with State Networks to ensure that Quality Assurance can be a reality for all.

Once the $1,250 in fees for Self Assessment and application are paid and the State Network enters the Submission Phase, Child Care Aware® of America will invoice the State Network for quarterly payments over the 24-month submission period. This allows a participating State Network to pay the costs of Quality Assurance over either a two â€“ or three-year fiscal period depending on the network's start date.

Child Care Aware® of America Services

Child Care Aware® of America will provide the following services for all State Networks participating in the Quality Assurance program:

Training on the Quality Assurance Process
Templates for submitting self-assessment scores, work plan and matrices
Samples of submissions, when available
Review and feedback on the submission of each criterion
Consultations with Child Care Aware® of America staff by telephone or email
Referral to training and technical assistance, as needed

For More Information

State Networks interested in more information or discussing participation in the Self Assessment or Submission Phases may contact:

Gail Upton
Director of Quality Assurance
Gail.Upton@naccrra.org
(571) 527-3213