THE MISSION of the New York Child Care Coordinating Council - a statewide, not - for - profit, membership organization - is to promote excellence in early care and education with equal access for all families. We do this primarily through the support of and in partnership with a strong network of community-based organizations that provide Child Care Resource and Referral services.

Established in 1975, the New York State Child Care Coordinating Council is guided by a set of organizational goals adopted in 1989.

• To ensure affordable, accessible, quality child care for all children needing care.
  
  
• To involve parents in all aspects of child care.
  
  
• To advance the professional status of child care providers.
  
  
• To increase the understanding of child care issues among policy makers, child care providers, families, employers, and other individuals.
  
  
• To foster a statewide network of local affiliates which provide child care resource and referral services.
  
  
• To promote supportive governmental and workplace policies which address work and family issues.
  
  
• To develop comprehensive policies for the provision of child care.
  
  
• To build a strong statewide consensus on child care and to bring together all classes, races, and ethnic groups in a powerful, cohesive statewide approach to child care policy, which builds on local efforts.
  
  
• To strengthen the role of affiliates in local communities.
  
  
• To maintain the NYSCCCC office at the State Capital to carry out the mission of the organization.

PUBLIC POLICY DEPARTMENT

The State Council and its membership is organized to be a key participant and contributor to the public policy debates concerning early care and education services. Staff and Council members serve on various State and local Boards, committees, and workgroups in support of advancing ideas and solutions. The State Council, consistent with its mission works in partnership with other groups and individuals to promote a common agenda for children and families. Among these efforts are the Emergency Coalition to Save Universal Pre-kindergarten and the Child Care that Works Campaign.

The Child Care that Works Campaign (CCtWC) was co-convened by NYSCCCC and the State Communities Aid Association and has been organized by more than 30 organizations statewide that are involved with policy and services impacting on young children. This campaign has had an unprecedented impact on defining the funding and policy priorities for child care and early education in New York State. The CCtWC supports affordable child care to all families who need it, high quality child care to meet the educational and developmental needs of children, and available child care when and where families need it.

CHILD CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL TRAINING PROJECT

The Child Care Resource and Referral Project (CCR & R) operates under the mission of strengthening and supporting a statewide CCR & R affiliate network. The CCR & R network is an essential infrastructure system for child care providers and consumers across the State. CCR & R agencies assess community need, develop supply, offer ongoing technical assistance and support to programs, and help families make informed child care choices. This project provides technical assistance on the implementation of state-contracted services, individual on-site technical assistance on operational issues and CCR & R staff training conferences. Funding primarily under contract with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.

DAY CARE CENTER MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROJECT

Through a contract with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, The New York State Child Care Coordinating Council develops and delivers management training for day care center directors throughout the state. Full day training workshops are currently offered in seven topic areas: Motivating Staff to Improve and Excel, Hiring and Orienting Day Care Center Staff, Strengthening Supervisory Skills, Conducting Effective Performance Appraisal, Marketing Your Child Care Center to Meet the Needs of Families, The Directors Role in Developmentally Appropriate Practices: With Materials and The Directors Role in Developmentally Appropriate Practices: Room Arrangement. Topics offered, including dates and locations, are determined in consultation with the Bureau of Early Childhood Services Regional Managers.

In addition, NYSCCCC provides technical assistance to numerous day care centers throughout the state. Selected centers receive long-term, hands-on, practical, individualized consulting services from a team of NYSCCCC staff members. Together with the center director and the programs licensing representative, NYSCCCC staff develop a plan to address specific areas to focus on during the course of the technical assistance. Areas that can be addressed include personnel and parent policies, supervision of staff, performance appraisals, fiscal management, payment policies, and all aspects of developmentally appropriate practices.

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood ® New York

T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education And Compensation Helps), is a unique scholarship program that provides educational opportunities for teachers and child care providers working in regulated child care programs (center and home based). Nationally recognized, this model program is the first to link increased education with increased compensation. Licensed by Day Care Services Association of North Carolina, T.E.A.C.H. is operated in New York State by NYSCCCC.

The goals of T.E.A.C.H. are to: increase the knowledge base of teachers working with young children, thus improving the care children receive, encourage child care programs to support the continuing education of their staff, provide increased compensation that is directly related to increased education, and reduce staff turnover by supporting the above goals, while also requiring from participants a one year commitment to child care after their scholarship year.

These goals are achieved as a result of a three-way partnership in which the scholarship recipient, sponsoring employer, and T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood ® New York pays a portion of the education-related costs.

The project is supported with funding from The New York State Education Department, and private funders including the American Business Collaborative and community foundations.