Child Care Consumer Education

Child Care Consumer Education A. Website In compliance with the reauthorization of the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act, the child care consumer education website is designed to be a current and comprehensive resource regarding child care in Mississippi. This website is located at www.mdhs.ms.gov. B. Additional Consumer and Provider Education The Division of Early Childhood Care and Development (DECCD) shares information through the consumer education website, the Child Care Resource and Referral Centers, as well as through DECCD’s staff in the Child Care Payment Program (CCPP) office. These outlets utilize a combination of the following methods: written materials, electronic communication, and face-to-face meetings. C. Inspection Reports The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) monitoring and inspection reports of all child care centers participating in CCPP shall be accessible on the consumer education website. Parents and other individuals who wish to access these reports may search by provider name, provider type, city, county, or year. Reports include the date of the inspection, any findings or violations, information on corrective action (if applicable), and the date the corrective action was satisfactorily completed. Inspection reports are kept on the website for a minimum of seven (7) years. D. Social –Emotional and Behavior Issues The MDHS position statement on social, emotional and behavioral health and the use of suspension and expulsion in early care and education settings states the following: DECCD will work with child care providers and other Mississippi early childhood stakeholders to invest in child care workforce preparation and development. This process shall be designed to ensure that early childhood programs promote children’s social- emotional and behavioral health and eliminate or severely limit the use of expulsion, suspension, and other exclusionary discipline practices.