Emergency_CC_Bridge_Policy
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                                                                Emergency Child Care Pilot
 Child Safety, Well-being and Permanency
Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) and the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) recently embarked upon a pilot program to secure child care services – immediately or within a few days of child placement – for resource families accepting foster children between the ages of 0-5 years into their homes.
Need for Emergency Child Care (ECC)
With the increased number of children 0-5 years removed from their custodial parent’s home, there is increasing concern about the reluctance of foster families, relatives and non-relative extended family members – known as resource parents – to take in these young children when placement is needed.
We have identified two main barriers to timely foster care placement of children 0-5: 1) Lack of access to immediate child care services
2) Lack of funding for child care at the time of emergency removal
Pilot Program Design
The ECC pilot officially began with the development of roles and responsibilities, systems for referral and cross training of partner staff.
CCRC and DCFS partnered to develop this “proof of concept” to meet the following objectives:
1) Place five children 0-5 and their siblings in child care
2) Provide enhanced child care referrals to child care providers within the vicinity of the resource family’s home or place of employment, funded by DCFS
3) Assist the resource family in securing subsidized child care for which the child or resource parent is eligible
4) Assist the birth family in the continuity of child care upon reunification
5) Recruit and train child care providers in trauma informed care and the impact of trauma on young
children and their families
6) Coach child care providers to manage the behavior of children during the transition to a new child care setting
     Pilot Program Process
DCFS
DCFS Staff creates a referral for a resource parent in need of child care for their newly placed child
CCRC Navigator
CCRC Navigator identifies and secures a child care provider for the child
CCRC Coach
Coach reviews child information and supports child care provider
Child Care Provider
    Child Care Provider receives referral; space is filled
       








































































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