POLICY:

NOCAC Child Development program will assist a Pregnant Woman (PW) participant in transitioning her newborn into the NOCAC Early Head Start Program.

PROCEDURES:

1. Once the PW has her baby, the Home Visitor will contact the Social Services Manager with the newborn name and date of birth.
   1. The Home Visitor will continue using the Growing Great Kids Curriculum by beginning modules in the Birth to 12 months guide.
   2. The number of pregnant women to be enrolled is identified within the grant application.  Programs are not required to maintain this number of pregnant women throughout the entire program year.  Instead, programs must ensure they reach the total number of pregnant women identified within their grant application within their program year.  (https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/no-search/service-to-pregnant-woman-families.pdf)
   3. Enrolling pregnant women will remain flexible so that the program can ensure it has the appropriate program slot open for the baby’s enrollment.  (https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/no-search/service-to-pregnant-woman-families.pdf).
2. The Home Visitor will work with the family to set up a home visit to complete the Early Head Start Two Week Home Visit Form for the newborn that is completed by the Home Based Manager.
3. After the baby is born, the Social Service Manager will transfer the enrollment from the PW to the newborn.  An enrollment email will then be generated for an enrollment pack to be put into the home visitor’s mailbox by a Data System Specialist.
   1. The enrollment pack will consist of the following:  Early Head Start Handbook and 0-12 Month Enrollment Folder.
   2. The enrollment folder consists of the following:  left side – Selection Criteria, 18 Vision Development Milestones From Birth to Baby’s First Birthday, Parent/Guardian and Home Visitor Agreement Form, Child Enrollment and Health Information for Child Care (EHI) Form, Health Record Form, NOCAC Head Start/Preschool Enrollment Consent, Age 0-12mo Health/Dental/Dietary History Form, Devereux Early Childhood Assessment For Infants Record Form, CACFP Infant Meals, CACFP Enrollment Form, Source of Health Care Questionnaire, and NOCAC Head Start/ECE Family Strengths and Needs Survey.  Right side – Online Assessment Letter, Family Interest Survey, ABC’s and 123’s About My Child, Portrait of a Health Child, Recommended Immunizations, Young Children and Vaccines, Oral Health, Health Department Hours, and In-Kind Good as Gold.
4. The Home Visitor will complete the birth module in ChildPlus after the baby is born.
5. The Home Visitor will go through the enrollment pack with the mom.
   1. The following forms will be sent to the Data System Specialists at the Central Office (CO) once completed:  Selection Criteria, 18 Vision Development Milestones from Birth to Baby’s First Birthday, Parent/Guardian and Home Visitor Agreement, EHI, NOCAC Head Start/Preschool Enrollment Consent, Age 0-12mo Health/Dental/Dietary History Form, CACFP Infant Meals, CACFP Enrollment Form, and Source of Health Care Questionnaire.
   2. The Health Record Form will be sent to the Data System Specialist at the CO after the first Well Baby Check.
   3. The Devereux Early Childhood Assessment for Infants Form will be sent to the Intervention Manager at the CO once completed at minimum age of 1 month.
   4. The following forms will be filled out and kept in the Home Visitor’s file for the child:  Online Assessment letter, Family Interest Survey, and ABC’s and 123’s About My Child.
   5. The following literature will be discussed and given to the mom:  Portrait of a Healthy Child, Recommended Immunizations, Young Children and Vaccines, Oral Health, Health Department Hours, and In-Kind Good as Gold.

Data Entry:

The Data System Specialist will enter the named forms from #5a and #5b into ChildPlus once received then file in the child’s CO file.

Forms and Additional Guidance:

• Early Head Start Two Week Home Visit Form
• Selection Criteria
• 18 Vision Development Milestones From Birth to Baby’s First Birthday
• Parent/Guardian and Home Visitor Agreement Form
• Child Enrollment and Health Information for Child Care (EHI) Form
• Health Record Form
• NOCAC Head Start/Preschool Enrollment Consent
• Age 0-12mo Health/Dental/Dietary History Form
• Devereux Early Childhood Assessment For Infants Record Form
• CACFP Infant Meals
• CACFP Enrollment Form
• Source of Health Care Questionnaire
• NOCAC Head Start/ECE Family Strengths and Needs Survey
• Online Assessment Letter
• Family Interest Survey
• ABC’s and 123’s About My Child
• Portrait of a Health Child
• Recommended Immunizations
• Young Children and Vaccines
• Oral Health
• In-Kind Good as Gold

POLICY:

NOCAC Child Development will accommodate a family’s request for a transfer from one classroom/center to another classroom/center or the home base program option within the program service area, based upon availability of requested classroom/center or home base option.

PROCEDURES:

1. A Request to Transform Form can be filled out by a parent/caregiver and submitted to the child’s current Teacher or Center Manager, an email can also be sent to the ERSEA Staff person.
2. A NOCAC Child Development participant will be given priority for placement over a new participant.
3. The following NOCAC Child Development Staff will be notified upon the request for transfer:
   1. Teacher participant is requesting to transfer from
   2. Center Manager participant is requesting transfer from
   3. Teacher participant is requesting transfer to
   4. Center Manager participant is requesting transfer to
   5. Family and Community Engagement Manager
   6. Notification can be done by a phone call or email
4. Open slot transfer:
   1. The transfer will be approved by the NOCAC Child Development Family and Community Engagement Manager and the NOCAC Child Development Director during an enrollment meeting.
      1. Enrollment meetings are typically held weekly.
      2. Enrollment meetings can take place in the event of an emergency situation.
5. No Open-slot transfer:
   1. The family of the participant who is requesting the transfer can choose to keep their child in the classroom they are currently in until a spot is available in the classroom/center they are requesting to transfer to.
   2. The family can choose to place the participant in the Home Base option if available.
   3. When it is not possible for a participant to remain in the current classroom/center
      1. the family can choose to self-transport their child to the current classroom/center until a spot becomes available in the requested classroom/center, or
      2. the participant will be withdrawn from the program and then placed on the waiting list for the requested classroom/center.  If or when a spot becomes available at the requested classroom/center the child will be taken off the waitlist and placed in the requested classroom/center.
6. If a participant moves out of the NOCAC Child Development service area the NOCAC Child Development Staff will help the family locate a Head Start center in their new area and work with the family and Head Start in order to provide a smooth transition.

Forms and Additional Guidance:

• Request to Transfer Form

POLICY:

NOCAC Child Development will keep a participants enrollment status updated in the ChildPlus database system.

PROCEDURES:

ADD PARTICIPANT RECORD (In ChildPlus under the Enrollment Tab)

1. Once an enrollment application has been verified by a trains NOCAC Staff person it must be determined if the newly added participant will be marked in ChildPlus as:
   1. New
      1. New status is usually used for children who are 2 years of age but will be 3 by their school districts Kindergarten cutoff date and their enrollment application is done at the beginning of the year but for the next program year.
      2. Any family that completes an online application will show up in ChildPlus as New.
   2. Accepted
      1. Accepted status is used when an enrollment slot has been guaranteed to a family/participant.
   3. Waitlisted
      1. Waitlisted status is used for any participant who is age eligible for the current program year regardless of their income status.
2. Enrolling a participant in their program option
   1. Once a participant has received a service their status can be changed to Enrolled.
      1. Service received includes a home visit, virtual/phone visit and the first day a child physically attends their classroom.
      2. When a participant is Enrolled the following must be entered:
         1. First day of Enrolled status
         2. Entry Date
         3. Site
         4. Classroom
         5. Funding
3. Transferring a child from one option to another
   1. When a participant needs to be in another option for whatever reason and a slot becomes available a Transfer needs to take place in ChildPlus.
      1. The information you need for a Transfer is what Site, Classroom and Funding you are transferring the participant to.
4. When a participant needs to be withdrawn from the program it is considered a Drop in ChildPlus.  The information you need to Drop a participant is:
   1. Last day Enrolled
   2. Drop Reason (dropdown box)
   3. Whether or not the participant:
      1. Completed Program Term
      2. Completed Program
      3. Waitlist for Re-enrollment
5. Mark a participant as Abandon when an enrollment application was completed and entered into ChildPlus however the family refuses enrollment or moves out of the service area before any services are received.

Forms and Additional Guidance:

POLICY:

NOCAC Child Development utilizes the online pre-application process through the ChildPlus Database system to recruit age and income-eligible families for the Early Hea Start and Head Start program.

PROCEDURES:

1. Once a family completes the online pre-application an email should be generated to the Family Advocate through the ChildPlus database system.
   1. Contact is made with the family to screen the family to determine if they are age and income eligible for the program.
   2. If they are determined to be both income and age eligible an appointment to complete the application will be scheduled.
   3. If a family is not determined to be eligible for our program the Family Advocate will refer the family to our community partners such as Help Me Grow, Early Intervention or The Educational Service Center whichever is appropriate.
2. Family Advocates run ChildPlus Report #2035 weekly to determine if there were any online pre-applications completed to ensure no online pre-applications are missed.
   1. Contact is made with the family to screen the family to determine if they are age and income eligible for the program.
   2. If they are determined to be both income and age eligible an appointment to complete the application will be scheduled.
   3. If a family is not determined to be eligible for our program the Family Advocate will refer the family to our community partners such as Help Me Grow, Early Intervention or The Educational Service Center whichever is appropriate.
3. Once contact has been made with the family who completed the online pre-application the Family Advocate will change the Enrollment Application Status in ChildPlus to reflect the eligibility of that family.  The Application Status options are:
   1. Accepted into another program
   2. Attending school or preschool
   3. Complete, needs birth certificate
   4. Complete and verified
   5. Complete, needs income verification
   6. Complete, Needs Medical Information
   7. Complete, Shot Record incomplete
   8. Departed Area/Moved Away
   9. Inactive
   10. Incomplete
   11. Incomplete, Infor Not Returned
   12. New Online Application
   13. No Show At Registration or First Day
   14. Other – Specify in complete
   15. Over Income
   16. Preschool Funded Child
   17. Too old for Program
   18. Too young for Program
   19. Transportation Problem/Out of Area

Forms and Additional Guidance:

POLICY:

Families who are currently faced with a homeless emergency in the NOCAC Child Development service area will be required to fill out three forms at the initial home visit in order to start receiving services.

PROCEDURES:

For families that are living in a homeless shelter or who have no shelter in the NOCAC Child Development service area are required to only fill out the following three forms at the initial teacher home visit:

1. The following must be filled out in order for the child to begin classes;
   1. Child Enrollment and Health Information for Child Care (EHI)
      1. Along with providing any necessary paperwork for allergies
   2. NOCAC Head Start/Preschool Enrollment Consent
   3. Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
2. The following must be filled out within 30 days:
   1. Health/Dental/Dietary History Form
3. All other paperwork will be completed upon a permanent placement of the participant.
   1. All of the above forms will be updated at the time of permanent placement if applicable.
4. If permanent placement for the participant is not completed within 30 days of the participants first day of class, the NOCAC Child Development Family Advocate will consult with the family’s case worker at the homeless shelter, as to what the family’s transition plan looks like.

Forms and Additional Guidance:

POLICY:

NOCAC staff will assist children and families with a smooth transition from a child’s current placement in the Early Head Start (EHS) program to Head Start (HS) or a preschool opportunity of the family’s choice if they are no longer eligible.  This transition should occur as soon as possible after the child’s third birthday and when appropriate for the transition to occur.

PROCEDURES:

Timing for transitions

1. Once a child turns 2 years 6 months the home visitor will begin working with the family to complete the Early Head Start Transition Checklist.

The Family Advocate will collect the most recent income documentation from the family to determine if the family will be income eligible for the NOCAC Head Start Program.

1. a.  When a participant is determined income eligible the FA will then schedule a time to do the NOCAC Head Start application on or after the participant’s third birthday.

Family collaborations

1. EHS staff will assist families to implement strategies and activities to support successful transitions and encourage and assist parents with the EHS to HS transition if the family remains eligible for Head Start.
2. If the family is no longer income eligible for Head Start, EHS staff will assist the family to find a public or private funded preschool.
3. Strategies and activities will also promote the parent/guardians continued involvement in the education and development of their child.
4. The month the child transitions, the home visitor will meet with the family to provide information on development and progress utilizing a TS GOLD report.  A copy will be given to the parent.

Early Head Start and Head Start collaboration

1. 1. EHS staff will encourage family participation in center programs such as Family Fun Nights or End of Year Picnics.
   2. EHS staff will assist families in setting up a time to go visit the preschool classroom and meet the staff of the preschool they will be transitioning to.
   3. If a family chooses Head Start Preschool (center based or home based) the child’s name will be placed on the waiting list if the program is fully enrolled.
      1. a. Children will continue to receive EHS home base services for up to 6 months.

Forms and Additional Guidance:

• Early Head Start Transition Checklist