Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services
Gary Daniels, Acting Secretary

Integrated Service Delivery - Candy Shively, Deputy Secretary (785) 296-3271
Economic and Employment Support - Bobbi Mariani, Director (785) 296-3349

MEMORANDUM

Based on the latitude granted to the Secretary in K.S.A. 39-708c(t) to carry on research of the social welfare program, I hereby grant approval to the Southeast Region to operate a “Relative Provider” pilot. The purpose of this pilot is to provide a strategy to support families using relative care, and to be supportive of and to develop a relationship with relative caregivers. Pilot approval is granted under the following circumstances:

Targeted Population: Relatives who are providing care in their own home for a related child. These relative caregivers may include grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles or a sibling not living in the child’s home.

Pilot Requirements: Caregivers will be require to attend an “orientation” held in their county. Relative caregivers will be given two opportunities over a 6 month period to attend an orientation. Failure to attend will result in the child care plan being closed and alternative care being found.

Orientations: Orientations are open to relative caregivers, parents they are serving, and their children. They are 90 minutes, consisting of an introduction by SRS staff, followed by two separate speakers. County extension staff, child care surveyors, and Resource and Referral staff have all been used. Topics may include nutrition, tooth brushing, discipline, literacy, basic health and safety issues. Information is also available about how caregivers can become registered or licensed. Adequate time for participant questions and input is given. Drawings for gifts are done at the conclusion of each orientation. Children’s books and toothbrushes are given to all children in care. Participants are asked to evaluate the event. They have been planned in each of the 11 counties over a 6 month period.

Relative caregivers are encouraged to attend more than one orientation and will continue to receive any give-aways at orientations.

Design of Southeast Region Relative Provider Pilot
An annual allocation of $5000 is made available through local EES administrative funds to support costs related to print materials, postage, door prizes, etc. Design and implementation of this pilot have been through collaboration between local SRS staff, SRS Central Office, and the two child care Resource and Referral (R&R) agencies serving the southeast region counties, Child Care Focus and The Family Resource Center. Roles are:

SRS Staff

• Provide names of all relative care providers to local R&R staff
• Identify locations for all orientations
• Send letters to relative caregivers regarding orientation dates and locations (letters are also sent to parents inviting them)
• Send second letters reminding caregivers this is last opportunity and giving date child care plan will be closed
• Coordinate agenda and speakers with R&R’s
• Plan healthy snacks, handouts and prizes for orientations
• Facilitate quarterly orientations and present SRS information
• Facilitate a drawing for give-away at end of orientations (Wal-Mart gift cards)
• Prepare evaluation forms and distribute at each orientation
• Document in caregivers’ files the notification of and attendance at orientations
• Notify parents of case closure
• Notify caregivers of case closure

R&R Staff

• Send mailings to caregivers explaining services of R&R
• Send monthly “tips” flyers to all relative caregivers on relevant topics (tantrums, importance of play, healthy snacks, importance of naps, etc.)
• Coordinate agenda and speakers with SRS staff
• Develop and deliver one of the sessions at orientations
• Provide technical assistance to caregivers seeking information on becoming registered or licensed
• Provide some incentives to be distributed at orientations
• Provide refreshments at some orientations
• Assist parents needing alternative caregivers

Timeline

• Planning began in 2003 (involved local SRS staff, R&R staff, SRS Central Office)
• Quarterly orientations began in December, 2004
• Orientations to be completed by June, 2005
• Evaluation of Pilot is currently being planned
• Continuation of Pilot contingent on evaluation
• Contingent on the evaluation, replication of this Pilot statewide is being considered

Conclusion
States and communities want young children to be ready to succeed in school. This means caregivers of all children must play a role in helping children be ready to learn. This includes children in unregulated settings. Research suggests that addressing quality among unregulated caregivers should be approached differently than approaches with regulated providers. The Southeast Region Relative Provider Pilot has attempted to provide support services to relative caregivers in a setting and manner that acknowledges the important role of these caregivers as well as supporting the entire family by making resources and information available to them. This effort has also built a strong collaborative relationship between SRS and R&R’s as both work to support families and their relative caregivers.

cc: Candy Shively
Bobbi Mariani
John McLuckie
Mark Braun
John Badger
Dennis Priest
Alice Womack