Page 3 - Emergency_CC_Bridge_Policy
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   Lessons Learned
Child Care Navigator (CCN): The biggest challenge the CCN has faced is learning about the multitude of subsidized child care options (CalWORKs, Head Start, etc.) and availability, eligibility requirements, and how to assist in the enrollment process. These systems are often difficult to navigate and choosing the right solution for each individual child can be crucial to future enrollment and as family needs change. In addition to securing child care, the CCN needs to possess the necessary skills and knowledge to be a “community connector” for the family, how to navigate the DCFS system, and how to secure concrete support including cribs, diapers and car seats. As part of our continuous improvement process, we are analyzing the effectiveness of the CCN’s role and how to strengthen or further develop it.
System Integration: Systems integration between child welfare and child care is difficult primarily because: different languages are spoken, collecting additional data on top of current workloads is burdensome, and data sharing is tough because of multiple constraints. We have learned that we cannot neglect relationship building or minimize the effort it takes for each partner to meet its objectives.
Trauma Informed Training: Child care providers in this pilot have told us that they find great value in the training and they are utilizing the new skills they have acquired through their classes and coaching. They realize that many of the children in their care have experienced trauma and that this applies to all of the children in their care not just foster children. One provider, in particular, said she used to tell a family with a child who was acting out to leave. Now she won’t.
Finding Ongoing Subsidized Child Care: We anticipated that this would be a challenge and it is! There is more work still to do in terms of policy and we will continue to work on it.
 “The program has been going great; the key element is the Navigators. Communication between the Navigators has been an important factor to the success of finding placement for these children.
CCRC Child Care Navigator
    



























































































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