Free Tax Preparation through C.A.S.H.

C.A.S.H. is an Empire Justice Center and United Way of Greater Rochester-led coalition that connects with volunteers who prepare and file tax returns for free. To qualify for C.A.S.H. services your household income must be less than $55,000 for families with children or $40,000 or less without children, among other criteria.

For more information or for site locations visit www.empirejustice.org/cash or call 585-242-6485. All locations are in Monroe County but they will assist eligible households from nearby areas.

Other helpful tax resources include:

My Free Taxes.com: www.myfreetaxes.com Internal Revenue Service: www.irs.gov NYS Dept. of Taxation: www.tax.ny.gov

Come and join us on February 24, 2015,

6:30 to 9:00pm at Child Care Council’s main office on Blossom Road in Rochester.

Explore how to help young children ages 2-5 learn to manage and express their emotions, be persistent, and learn problem solving

strategies. This workshop introduces key ideas to building resilience skills in children and includes hands-on activities using Sesame

Workshop’s Little Children, Big Challenges curriculum. All attendees will receive an Educator’s Guide to provide you with

ongoing activities to use with children in your program in addition to a Community Guide and Family Guide.

This course has a special price of just $25

For more information contact Renee Scholz, Referral Services Director at 585-654-1286 or r.scholz@childcarecouncil.com

CARING MATTERS

President Jason Kiefer - CEO Barbara-Ann Mattle - Editor Jennifer Weykman

Main Office 595 Blossom Rd., Suite 120 Rochester, NY 14610-1825

Phone: (585) 654-4720 Fax: (585) 654-4721

Wayne County Branch Office 510 West Union St., Suite 1 Newark, NY 14513-9201 Phone: (315) 331-5443 Fax: (315) 331-5271

Livingston County Branch Office 3513 Thomas Dr., Suite 4

Lakeville, NY 14480-0670 Phone: (585) 346-6050 Fax: (585) 346-6058

* * * * * LOCATIONS * * * * *

February 2015 - Vol. 34 Issue 2

Inc.

NEW Child Care Wage Survey

Child Care Council is currently conducting its most

recent Child Care Center and School Age Program wage survey to collect information on staff

education, wages, benefits, and turnover. This will help us share the bigger picture of the child care

workforce in our community.

See page 12 for more information.

Family Focus Pg 2

It is Tax Time! By Josean Vargas, Referral Specialist/ Family Child Care Inspector

Child care costs consume a huge portion of many families’ budgets. State and federal tax credits are available for families with out-of-pocket child care expenses, based on gross annual income. To claim the credits, the family must file federal and state tax returns. The child care tax credit is only available when care is needed in order for parents to work or look for work. Many full-time students may also qualify for the tax credit. If you have had partial reimbursement of child care expenses from a state agency, you may not be not entitled to the tax credit. In order to claim your tax credit, you need to fill out the IRS Form 2441. Please make sure you have the following from your child care provider: • Provider's name • Provider’s address • Provider’s SSN or Employer Identification No. (EIN) For more information on the child care tax credit, please speak to your accountant or visit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website for more information about Earned Income Tax Credits, Child and Dependent Care Credit, and other tax and financial information for parents. (www.irs.gov)

Es temporada de impuestos!

El costo de cuidado infantil consume una gran porción de el presupuesto familiar. Créditos de impuestos a nivel federal y estatal están disponibles para familias con gastos de cuidado infantil, basado en el ingreso bruto anual. Si usted a recibido reembolso parcial por gastos de cuidado infantil por parte de una agencia federal usted no es elegible para este crédito de impuesto. Para mas información sobre el crédito de impuestos sobre cuidado infantil consulte con su contable o visite la pagina web de el Servicio de rentas internas (IRS) (www.irs.gov)

CCC Annual Membership Application Individual Membership ($35) Center Staff Member Membership ($50) Family Provider Membership ($50) Single Site Group Family Child Care Membership ($75) Non-Child Care Organization Membership ($75) CACFP Family Provider ($25) CACFP Group Provider ($37.50) Center Nursery School School-Age Multiple Site Group Family 1 - 10 Staff Members ($150) 21-30 Staff members ($250) 11-20 Staff members ($200) 31+ Staff members ($300)

Name______________________________________________Home Phone ( )___________________

Home Address___________________________________________City________________Zip________

Center Name________________________________________Center Phone ( )___________________

Center Address___________________________________________City_________________Zip_______

Total $:__________ MC/Visa#______________________________Exp. Date__________ V#________ (3 digit # on back of credit card)

Amount Enclosed:________- Check #_______ Signature:__________________________________________

Please check one: Council Pin Lanyard Carabiner Key Tag

Mail form & payment to: Child Care Council Membership

595 Blossom Road, Suite 120 Rochester, NY 14610

Please √ one

___ New Membership ___Renewal Memb. Membership #_____

All Benefits

Above Plus

Benefits

All Benefits

Above Plus

All Benefits

Above Plus

Membership Fees are non-refundable

All Benefits

Above Plus

CCC Membership Benefits and Application

Individual-Non-Child Care Membership—$35.00/yr

› Loan privileges at the Early Childhood Professional Libraries › My First Library loan privileges for your own children between the ages of 6 wks thru 5 yrs › Free Notary Public Services › Council Pin, Lanyard, Tote Bag or Carabineer Key Tag

Child Care Center Staff Member, Registered Family Child Care Provider or Legally Exempt Child Care Provider Membership-$50/yr

› 50% discount on Business Center Services › 10% membership discount every Tuesday on Recycle Shop purchases › Access to group rate Health and Dental Insurance › Substantial member savings on Council offered classes and events

Non-Child Care Organization Membership—$75/yr › $5.00 discount on individual staff memberships in the Child Care Council

Single Site Group Family Child Care Provider—$75/yr › Substantial member discount on in-service training at your location › Substantial discount on Council classes and events for provider and assistants

Child Care Center, Nursery School, School-Age, Multi-Site Group Family Child Care Membership

$150.00/yr (1-10 staff members) $250.00/yr (21-30 staff members) $200.00/yr (11-20 staff members) $300.00/yr (31+ staff members)

› Substantial Discount on Individualized Training Program and In-Service Sessions › All staff members eligible for substantial member savings on Council classes and events

PUBLIC POLICY with BAM! Pg 14

News regarding the Child Care Development Block Grant

First Update on New Federal Law States must establish policies and provide training in the following areas: 658E(c)(2)(I)(i) 1. Prevention and control of infectious diseases

(including immunization) 2. SIDS and safe sleep practices; 3. Administration of medication; 4. Prevention/response to food allergies; 5. Building and physical premises safety, including

identifying electrical hazards, bodies of water, and vehicular traffic;

6. Shaken baby syndrome and head trauma; 7. Emergency preparedness and response planning, for

natural or man-caused event; 8. Storage of hazardous materials and bio-contaminants; 9. If applicable, precautions in transporting children; and 10. First-aid and CPR. Watch this column for more information regarding the implementation of the new law in New York State as it progresses.

The Know Place Pg 3

Let the Music Move You! By Beverly Maisch, Education Specialist

Right at our fingertips and so easily forgotten; that’s music for you! We talk about all that can be gained in the creative realm by including music regularly as part of your program, but the gains for children span many of the developmental domains. Who would argue the emotional connection that is made instantly with music? The great thing about it is we don’t have to be especially gifted to share music meaningfully with children. So, here are some ways to expand on the musical experiences you are providing for your children: Sing (or use a musical cue) with children to signal a change like time to clean up, or getting ready for a meal/snack, or to go outside. Play musical games: Hokey Pokey, London Bridge. Keep a songbook of favorite songs for children to choose from. Take advantage of anyone in your program who owns and plays an instrument.

About instruments - have them available as often as possible and reflect the culture of the children in care with instruments from their heritage (like steel drums, or rain sticks). Make instruments and experiment with different materials and sounds when you do. Think of drums, cymbals, maracas, triangles, bells, and xylophones. Vary the kinds of music that you play and use pictures and books of the instruments and people and places to connect them for the children. Add props like streamers, scarves, ribbons, flags, costumes, or hula hoops for moving and marching to music. Well chosen questions can support and expand the thought processes. Here are some questions that will help to do that: How do you feel when you hear this music? Do you see colors in your mind when you hear music? What props would you like to move with to this music? What images do you see? What is it about your favorite music that appeals to you? Source: Essentials for Working with Young Children

Nurse Notes Pg 4

February, Love, and Vaccination By Joanne M. Buell RN, MS. Child Care Health Specialist

February is most notable for Valentine’s Day while for Child Care Centers and Group Family Child Care programs, February is notable for preparing the NYS Immunization Survey. Every year the NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH) requests these child care programs list each non-school aged child in their program and check off the required vaccines they have received. NYSDOH uses this survey to monitor compliance with their mandate to protect all children from vaccine preventable childhood illnesses. Nationally, 25% of children under 5 years old are unvaccinated and at risk. In NYS Regulations, child care providers must receive current vaccination records for each child in their program. Families may opt to apply for a vaccination exemption for legitimate religious or medical reasons but NOT for philosophical reasons. However, child care programs must be responsive to the needs of ALL their families. How do families who are in the process of having their children vaccinated feel about the potential for illness from unvaccinated children in the program, perhaps not with a legal exemption? University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital conducted a National Poll in June 2014 asking this question of 614 randomly selected, stratified households with a child aged 0-5 years old. Here are the some of the results: • 59% strongly agree children in child care centers should be

vaccinated. • 47% strongly agree children in home-based child care should

be vaccinated. • 66% want to know the number of children in their center who

are not current with vaccines with 74% stating they would remove their children from the program.

Parents make decisions based on what they feel is best for their children. Decisions as important as vaccination affect not just a single family but everyone around them. Be loving to all children. Get the real facts about vaccines and the diseases they prevent. Call us or go to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health or the American Academy of Pediatrics for information. Source: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus.news/fullstory_149536.html

News You Can Use Pg 13

© 2013 Sesame Workshop

Sesame Workshop Tip for February

The Parent and Caregiver tip below is just one example of the resources that the Little Children, Big Challenges curriculum offers parents and caregivers. The curriculum is designed to help children develop resilience in both normal circumstances and in more difficult situations.

To learn more about the materials and tips, contact Renee Scholz, Referral Services Director, at: (585) 654-1286 or r.scholz@childcarecouncil.com

Pg 12 News You Can Use

Child Care Center and School Age Program

Wage and Benefits Survey Child Care Council conducts a survey roughly every two years to collect information about wages and benefits in child care centers. This year we are expanding the survey to include information on both child care centers and school-age programs. A copy of our 2012 final report can be found on our website under Community Resources: http://childcarecouncil.com/community-resources/. In 2012, 31% of the licensed centers in Monroe, Wayne, and Livingston Counties participated in the survey. Some of the highlights from our 2012 report include: → Almost 20% of the staff of surveyed programs had CDAs. Over 15% had a

Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood or a related field. → 36% of Directors had starting wages between $15 and $18 per hour. → 30% of Lead Teachers had starting wages between $8.50 and $9.00 per hour.

46% started higher. → 35% of Lead Teachers had highest wages between $11.00 and $13.00 per

hour. → 92% of the programs surveyed offered paid vacation days and paid holidays

and 88% offered reduced child care fees to employees. All child care centers and school age programs in Monroe, Wayne, and Livingston Counties are invited to participate. We make every effort to maintain updated email contact information for your programs but sometimes emails are returned or sent to junk folders. Please let us know if you have any questions or would like to participate. The survey can be completed online, via PDF, or on a hard copy that we can mail on request. Center and SACC Directors, Owners, or Administrators should contact Mitzi Rose, Data Services Coordinator, with any questions or to participate in the survey: (585) 654-4722 or m.rose@childcarecouncil.com.

Legal Ease Pg 5

“Whatever Helps You Sleep at Night” By Brenda Colón, Legally Exempt Inspector

When some child care providers think of health and safety, they may think of the items listed on the inspector’s checklist. Although having functioning smoke and carbon monoxide detectors may be a lifesaver in the event that potentially fatal smoke or gas enters your home, there are other safety concerns that are often overlooked. One area of concern that is not listed on the inspector's checklist is vacuum cleaner and furnace filters. Properly maintained filters are an essential element in maintaining healthy air quality, not only for the children who may spend in excess of 9 hours a day in your child care home but for your family as well. Air filters trap allergens in the air. These allergens may be present due to pets in the home or simply due to the dust particles that inevitably enter all homes through the air or on our clothing. One way to rid the home of these substances is to use a vacuum cleaner with a good HEPA (high-efficiency particulate absorption) filter. Another way to trap allergens is to use high quality furnace filters and to replace them according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Doing everything that you can to improve the air quality in your child care home is sure to help you sleep better each night!

Source: EzineArticles.com

Food For Thought Pg 6

Make your Morning Mighty By Kelli Archer, Registered Dietitian

Time and time again it has been said-breakfast is the most important meal of the day. With this being one of the few constant pieces of nutrition advice that has held steadfast through the years, let’s dive a bit deeper into our cereal bowls to find out why. First, taking a literal look at the word “breakfast”, that is indeed exactly what breakfast does. Breakfast “breaks the fast.” Skipping breakfast and not eating until lunch time could very well lead up to 15 hours without providing any nourishment to your body. Extended periods of time without food signals your body to conserve energy; in other words, your metabolism, or the rate at which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy, slows down. A decreased metabolic rate is usually not a desired thing, as most of us continue to fight the battle of the bulge. In addition to providing much needed energy to your body after significant time without food, breakfast is a gold medal winner for many other reasons. This mighty morning meal provides a great opportunity for including some of the foods your body needs to meet daily recommended nutritional requirements. The potential to pack breakfast with fruits, vegetables, fiber, and protein is great. Additionally, research has continued to show the imperativeness of eating breakfast for losing and keeping weight off. The National Weight Control Registry, which includes individuals who have maintained at least a 30lb. weight loss for one year or longer, reports that almost 80% of these folks eat breakfast every day, while 90% eat breakfast five days a week. Breakfast also helps adults perform better at tasks and to be more efficient in doing so. For this same reason, breakfast is important for children, being even more of an indicator of successful learning and growing for the young. Convinced to start eating breakfast yet? I sure hope so! Mornings can be hectic but do your best to not let that stand in your way of starting your day off right. There are many quick, healthy options for waking up your tummy. Try one of the following ideas to make your morning mighty! -fruit smoothie with plain yogurt and low-or no-fat milk -bowl of oatmeal with berries -slice of 100% whole grain bread toasted and

topped with natural peanut butter -eggs scrambled with veggies -apple with a handful of nuts -banana topped with peanut butter -yogurt mixed with grape nuts and fruit

Pg 11 Class Schedule Classes are 6:30pm—9:00pm unless otherwise noted

NYS Required Categories are listed in parenthesis ( ) following the date

See the January-June 2015 Course Calendar for details and a full course list. Child Care Council courses, and links to SUNY videoconference information and

EIP applications, are available at www.childcarecouncil.com

The Family Child Care Business 101 Series covers all Family Child Care categories and includes:

Health & Safety Introduction to CACFP Developing Your Program CPR & First Aid Business Class Tax Class

March 2015 Rochester Office: 3/2-4/8 ( ) Family Child Care Business 101 Series 3/2-(2,4,7) MAT Independent Study Class 6pm-9pm 3/3-(2,5) Being Successful in CACFP-For Providers who are NEW to CACFP-FREE 3/3-Child Day Care Orientation 9:30am-Noon 3/3,5,10,12,19,24-(1,2,3,4,7) Special Needs School Age Training Series 10am-12:30pm 3/4-MAT Skills Competency Demonstration 9:30am-12:30pm 3/9-(7,8) Know Your Regulations- Child Care Centers 3/12-(2,4,7) MAT Independent Study Class 6pm-9pm 3/11-Child Day Care Orientation 6:30pm-9pm 3/14 & 21-(2,4,7) MAT 9am-2pm 3/14-(2,4) CPR and First Aid Sat. 9am-2pm 3/17-6/30 (ALL) CDA 2.0 Series for people who have completed the 120 hour CDA course 3/19-(ALL) CDA 81 Begins 3/23-(1,3,4,5) From Ice Age to Digital Age: Exploring Media as a Tool for Teaching 3/23,30 & 4/6,13,20,27-(1,2,3,4,5,7) S.T.E.M.- Science, Technology, Engineering & Math in Child Care training series 3/25-MAT Skills Competency Demonstration 6pm-9pm 3/26-(2,4,5) Asthma 101 3/30-(1,3,4,5) Thinking Like a Mad Scientist 3/30-(2,5) Being Successful in CACFP-For Providers who are NEW to CACFP-FREE

Lakeville: 3/10 & 12-(2,4) CPR and First Aid 3/17-(2,5) Being Successful in CACFP-For Providers who are NEW to the CACFP Program-FREE

Newark: 3/2-(Varies) FCC Professional Development & Support Series 6:30pm-8:30pm 3/5-MAT Skills Competency Demonstration 6pm-9pm 3/21-(2,4) CPR and First Aid 9am-2pm 3/28-(1,2,3,5) Get Kids Movin’ and Groovin’

February 2015 Rochester Office: 2/3-3/12-( ) Family Child Care Business 101 Series 2/3-(2,5) Being Successful in CACFP-For Providers who are NEW to the CACFP Program-FREE 2/4-Child Day Care Orientation 9:30am-12pm 2/4,9,11,18 & 25-(1,2,3,4,5) Special Needs Training Series 2/7-MAT Skills Competency Demonstration 9am-12pm 2/9-Child Day Care Orientation 2/11-(7,8) Know Your Regulations Family Child Care 2/11-(2,4,7) MAT Independent Study Class 10am-1pm 2/21-(2,4) CPR & First Aid, Sat. 9am-2pm 2/24-(1,2,3,5) Little Children, Big Challenges 2/26-(2,4,7) MAT Independent Study Class 2/28-(2,3,5) Cook Once, Serve Twice 9am-11:30am 2/28 & 3/7-(2,4,7) MAT Training Saturdays, 9am-2pm

Lakeville: 2/17-3/26-( ) Family Child Care Business 101 Series 2/25-MAT Skills Competency Demonstration

Newark: 2/2-(Varies) FCC Professional Development & Support Series 6:30pm-8:30pm 2/9 & 11-(2,4) CPR & First Aid 2/18-(2,5) Being Successful in CACFP-For Providers who are NEW to the CACFP Program-FREE

Pg 10

Monroe County-Rochester Hours are Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. Other hours available by appointment.

Livingston County-Lakeville & Wayne County-Newark Hours are Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. Other hours available by appointment.

February 2015 • 16th-Office closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day • 17th-Council of Child Care Administrators Meeting 10am • 25th-Council Staff Meeting closed 10am-12pm March 2015 • 17th-Council of Child Care Administrators Meeting 10am • 25th-Council Staff Meeting closed 10am-12pm

Check out our social media pages! Twitter https://twitter.com/ChildCareCoun Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Child-Care-Council- Inc/140064946010719 Pinterest http://pinterest.com/cccouncilinc/ YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/ChildCareCouncilinc

Child Care Council Office Schedule and Calendar of Events

Meet the Staff of Child Care Council Introducing Tim Seibel, Recycle Shop Specialist

Hello, my name is Timothy R. Seibel. The Child Care Council employed me on September 4, 2012. I previously worked at White Castle, a fast food place, in March 2006. Working in the Recycle Shop has helped me to improve my organization skills, and to multi-task better. Making people happy is definitely a strength of mine (I have the very Rudolph nose that I wear every December to prove it). I also enjoy working with kids. It’s always enigmatic when they create stuff...one never knows what it’ll turn out to be. Sometimes after work, I like, and am attempting to, write books.

A Closer Look Pg 7

New Regulations For SACC and DCC Officially Adopted

By Jenn Mehlenbacher, Registrar The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) has announced that the new regulations for day care centers, school age child care programs, and small day care centers will be effective beginning on June 1, 2015. This six month period between the adoption of the new regulations and their implementation was built into the process so that programs have time to review the changes and come into compliance by June 1, 2015. OCFS stated in its letter to Directors that its “main objectives in changing day care center, school age child care, and small day care center regulations was to strengthen health and safety standards, correct conflicting regulatory language discovered in existing citations relative to the administration of medication, update the regulations with recent changes made to Social Services Law and the NYS Building Code, and make the regulations easier to understand.” The new regulations have been posted on the OCFS website at http://ocfs.ny.gov/main/childcare/default.asp. We recommend that programs become familiar with the new regulations. As always, if you have any questions or concerns regarding the new regulations or how to come into compliance please do not hesitate to call one of the registrars here at Child Care Council.

We intend to provide

trainings to prepare you for these changes in

the new year. Look in our latest course

calendar and for classes to be posted in 2015 and

sign up for a session!

THE RECYCLE SHOP ITEM OF THE MONTH IS:

8 1/2” x 11” Perforated Paper. 10 for $1.00

These medium weight sheets are perforated to be separated into 6 cards. The backs of the sheets are blank. Perfect for index cards, gift tags, name tags, etc.

Pg 8

Language and Literacy Tips:

Talk & Listen, Listen & Talk

Your baby doesn’t need to talk to have conversation. Go Ga-Ga Speak your baby’s language. If he says “ga-ga,” you say “ga-ga.” Talk to your baby as you go through the day together. Talk about it all. “Bye-bye, stinky diaper. Let’s throw it away.”

How it works: Talk to a baby about things that

happen during your day. Let her coo back. This teaches her how to take

turns speaking and listening.

Pg 9 NEWS FROM CPSC The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. Following is one of the important recalls to be found on the CPSC website at www.cpsc.gov On the site you can sign up to receive alerts through many avenues including email, YouTube, and Twitter.

Dream On Me Recalls Incredible Play Yards Due to Strangulation Hazard

Recall Summary Name of Product: Dream On Me Play Yards Hazard: The play yard’s rails can collapse, presenting a strangulation hazard to young children.

Recall Details Units: About 10,000 Description: The recall includes Dream On Me Incredible two-level deluxe adjust-able height play yards with model number starting with 436A, 436B, 436G, 436O, 436P and 436R. The play yards, made with a steel, powder-coated frame base with rolling, hooded casters, have a fabric and mesh covering that comes in a variety of colors. The play yard includes a changing top, a toy bar with soft toys for entertain-ment, a side pocket for storage and a carrying case. “Dream On Me” is printed on the bottom left-hand side outside of the product. The model number is printed on a label attached to the play yard’s mattress. The play yard can be folded for storage. Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled play yards and contact Dream On Me to receive a free repair kit. Consumer Contact: Dream On Me toll-free at (877) 201-4317 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday or online at www.dreamonme.com and click on the Recalls tab for more information. Sold online at: Amazon, Kohls, Toys R US, WalMart, Wayfair and other online retailers from March 2010 through January 2014 for about $60.