Programs implement policies, procedures, and systems that support stable and strong business practices.
Entry
DELACARE Regulations for Early Care and Education and School- Age Centers:
7. Procedures for Initial Licensure
15. Governing Body
23. Center Policies- Parent/Guardian Handbook
28. General Qualifications
32. Orientation
73. Program Goals and Planning
Emerging
- Program leaders develop a mission statement considering: the site’s core values,
- features that are unique to the program, and
- benefits those features bring to children and families served by the program.
Developing
- Program leaders create a shared mission with the educators in the program and uses this information to update their current mission statement if
- Program leaders engage staff with the program mission and strategic
- Program policies connect to and reflect the program mission.
Advanced
- Program leaders align the goal of the mission with what occurs within the program.
- Program leaders use program mission to drive future planning.
- Program leaders collaborate with families and community partners to engage them with the program’s mission.
Entry
DELACARE Regulations for Early Care and Education and School- Age Centers:
7. Procedures for Initial Licensure
15. Governing Body
Emerging
- Program leaders are knowledgeable about budgeting and fiscal management.
- Program has a process for maintaining records for all business income, payments, insurance and taxes on a monthly basis.
- Program leaders use past data to project a comprehensive annual budget that includes all income and expenses.
- Program has policies and procedures in place to minimize financial risk (i.e. Internal Controls).
Developing
- Program formally tracks income received on a monthly basis (i.e. Cash Flow Statement).
- Program formally reviews income and expenses monthly (i.e. Income Statement).
- Program has a financial statement capturing their assets, liabilities, and net worth, and updates it at least annually (i.e. Balance Sheet).
- Program leaders implement policies for collecting full tuition to stabilize income.
- Program has a process for annually reviewing tuition and fees.
Advanced
- Program monitors and adjusts budget quarterly, at a minimum, using a variety of reports and adjusts as needed.
- Program builds a projected 3-5 year comprehensive budget that includes all revenue and expenses.
- Program uses formal financial systems to adjust for the financial health of the business and for decision-making purposes.
- Program implements a consistent separation of financial duties.
Entry
DELACARE Regulations for Early Care and Education and School- Age Centers:
7. Procedures for Initial Licensure
Emerging
- Program leaders have knowledge of marketing.
- Program has a basic marketing plan.
- Program has marketing materials.
- The program’s mission and unique features are represented in the current marketing process.
Developing
- Program has a minimum of a quarterly internal (for staff and enrolled families) and external (broader community and prospective families) marketing plan.
- Program leaders reflect on their areas of strength and growth to identify marketing needs and challenges both internally with families and staff as well as externally.
- Program leaders determine market audience and best form of communication for that audience.
Advanced
- Program has a formal comprehensive monthly marketing plan addressing internal and external needs.
- Program leaders develop a programmatic image that differentiates them from those of competitors.
- Program leaders collect data on their marketing process to identify marketing tools/needs directly related to their program.
Entry
DELACARE Regulations for Early Care and Education and School- Age Centers:
17. Telephones
19. Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements
20. Positive Behavior Management
21. Food Service Policy
23. Center Policies- Parent/Guardian Handbook
28. General Qualifications
29. Adult Health Requirements
32. Orientation
35. First Aid and CPR Training
37. Staff Communication
38. Parent’s Right To Know
39. Enrollment
40. Child Files
45. Hazardous Materials
47. Smoking and Vaping
46. Air Quality and Windows
48. Heating and Cooling
49. Indoor Space
50. Kitchen and Food Preparation
52. Area for Children Who Become Ill
53. Outdoor Area
54. Pools and Swimming
55. Riding Toys
56. Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments
57. Equipment
58. Sanitation
60. Standard Precautions
63. Administration of Medication
64.Child Accident and Injury
66. Emergency Planning
67. Transportation
68. Field Trips and Program Outings
71. Meals and Snacks
72. Feeding of Infants
76. Activity Schedule
77. Infant and Toddler Care
Emerging
- Program leaders enrich their emergency preparedness plan anticipating potential problems that could arise to develop ways to reduce those risks.
- Program leaders assign roles and responsibilities for each identified risk.
- Program leaders review the current Emergency Plan annually.
- Program leaders develop a detailed plan to orient new staff to the emergency procedures upon hiring.
Developing
- Program leaders engage in ongoing professional development in a variety of risk management topics.
- Program leaders develop data collection systems to assess foreseeable problems.
- Program leaders review their formal plans updating with any new foreseeable problems to the success of the business.
- Program leaders share the full plan with all updates with the program educators annually.
Advanced
- Stakeholders are involved in assessing threats to the success of the childcare facility and updating their formal plan as needed.
- Program leaders use data to build a formal comprehensive plan to reduce all identified risks (i.e. Risk Management Plan), which is reviewed annually.
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Entry
DELACARE Regulations for Early Care and Education and School- Age Centers:
15. Governing Body
18. General Human Resources and Personnel Policy
24. Staff Qualifications
26. Staffing
32.Orientation
Emerging
- Program leaders have knowledge of state and federal labor laws and federal employee legislation.
- Program leaders have knowledge regarding effective recruitment and orienting practices.
- Program leaders have procedures for recruitment of educators and have established formal interview processes.
- Program leaders have developed a multi-day orientation process to ensure that the new educator has received information on all areas as mandated by licensing.
Developing
- Program leaders use their center mission as a baseline for building recruitment and hiring procedures.
- Program leaders orient new educators over the course of the probationary period.
- Program leaders complete a formal review at the completion of the staff probationary period.
- Program leaders develop a mentoring system to support new educators.
- Program recruitment policy includes a commitment to seek a diverse staff that reflects the children and community served.
Advanced
- Program leaders use adult learning theories to design a comprehensive orientation system.
- Program leaders reflect on retention data to determine the effectiveness of recruitment and orientation procedures.
- Program leaders use feedback from employees to update the orientation system annually.
