The legislature has tasked DCYF with convening an advisory group to develop a five-year strategy to expand training in trauma-informed child care for early learning providers statewide, and to reduce expulsions from early learning environments. The five-year strategy will be delivered to the Governor and the Legislature by November 1, 2018. To learn more about the bill requirements, please see Engrossed House Bill 2861 (EHB 2861).
The Advisory Group must develop a five-year strategy that includes:
- Plans to deliver training to early learning providers and administrators in trauma-informed child care;
- Recommended changes to the early achievers program quality rating and improvement system to better rate and support providers serving high needs children;
- Plans for outreach to parents to expand awareness about the availability of trauma-informed child care;
- An analysis of all available federal, state, and local funding sources that may be used for funding elements of the five-year strategy;
- Best practices for supporting family day care providers in the provision of trauma-informed child care;
- Recommended child care center staffing ratios, requirements for access to specialty providers, and subsidy rates for providers specializing in trauma-informed child care; and
- Systems for tracking expulsions from child care and methods to reduce expulsions by fifty percent over five years.
Members
As required by EHB 2861, the Advisory Group includes the following members:
- one or more child psychologists;
- a child care provider specializing in working with traumatized children;
- a child care provider specializing in working with children with developmental disabilities;
- a child care provider operating a program in which a racially diverse group of children is served;
- an expert on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and impacts on child development;
- an expert in racial diversity in education;
- a provider of the Early Childhood Intervention and Prevention Services (ECLIPSE) program;
- a representatives of a nonprofit that provides quality improvement services to Early Achievers participants;
- a parent of a child with three or more ACEs;
- a representative of a nonprofit organization with expertise in developing social-emotional curricula for early learning environments;
- a representative of a union representing child care providers;
- a nonunion representative of child care providers; and
- a representative from a statewide organization representing early childhood education and assistance program providers.
Meetings
The TICAG will convene for six meetings over three months to develop recommendations for the five-year strategy. Members of the public are welcome to attend TICAG meetings. All meetings will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Renton.
September 27, 2018
September 11, 2018
August 30, 2018
August 15, 2018
July 26, 2018
July 10, 2018