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Purpose
GHC acknowledges the critical foundation of successful partnerships. Through the operation of its Children Services Department GHC recognizes that a level of consistency in operations must be achieved in its system to ensure high-quality services throughout and to allow for effective support and monitoring from GHC by its Children Service Department to its partnership sites in the south and westside communities. By implementing this manual and options requirements, GHC acknowledges its responsibility to develop, clarify and enhance procedures, protocols, and tools designed to guide, govern, and enrich the delegate agency-partner relationship.
Head Start Funding Agency Relationships
Defining Agency Relationships and Roles
Grantee: refers to DFSS and Chicago Commons, the legally responsible entity receiving a grant award to administer the HS/EHS/EHS-CCP program, which it does through its CSD. The Chicago Public Schools is the grantee or recipient of the state Early Childhood Block Grant (PFA/PI) funding and grants the community-based portion of that funding to DFSS through an intergovernmental agreement.
Delegate agency: refers to a private or nonprofit organization, in this case, Gads Hill Center, including a community-based organization, to which a grantee has delegated all or part of the responsibility for operating an early learning/child development program. In the federal Uniform Administrative Requirements, a delegate agency is also a sub-recipient that receives a sub-award from a grantee or recipient to carry out a part of a federal/state program. A delegate agency or sub-recipient may also receive other federal/state funding directly from a federal/state awarding agency and therefore considered a grantee for that funding.
Partners: are defined as contractors. A contractor is a legally-recognized entity that receives a contract to provide goods and services as specified in a written and signed contractual agreement. The contract creates a procurement relationship with the contractor. In the CSD system, the delegate agency contracts with the partner organization to provide early learning services under the delegate agency's oversight and within its responsibility to the grantee.
Gads Hill Center Services
Gads Hill Center provides technical assistance, training, and support to the Provider to enable compliance with all components of the Early Head Start program. This support includes monitoring visits, access to professional development resources, and consultation. Gads Hill Center will reimburse the Provider for allowable expenses incurred in providing Early Head Start-CC Partnership services.
Gads Hill Center assigns a Family Support Worker to support each Partner Network Site in meeting the needs of families and remaining in compliance with all Early Head Start components. Family Support Workers assist in recruiting and enrolling new families, supports families in addressing needs and meeting goals, and facilitate the referral of children for evaluation.
Gads Hill Center assigns an Education Coordinator and Infant Toddler Specialist to each Partner Network Site. This education team provides technical assistance and coaching to the teaching staff. In addition to this support, the Education team offers monitoring. It ensures compliance as it relates to all educational timelines and requirements.
The services of a Nutrition Consultant, a Mental Health Consultant, and a Nurse Consultant will be provided to the Provider. The scope of these services is defined by the Nutrition, Mental Health, and Nurse Consultant Collaborative Agreements between the consultants mentioned above and Gads Hill Center.
A Partner Network Manager will monitor and support the Early Head Start program provided by each Partner Network Site. This Partner Network Manager will be available to provide resources and guidance to each site.
Partner Site Services
Partner Sites provide a full-working day, 10 hours of Early Head Start-CC Partnership services, and the required Head Start day to eligible children as an independent sub-contractor of Gads Hill Center. These services should align and comply with the terms of the Head Start Program Performance Standards, the Head Start Act, DCFS Licensing Standards, Gads Hill Center Head Start Partner Network Program Handbook, and all policies issued by Gads Hill Center. Partner Sites enroll and provide child care services to other children, independent of any connection with Gads Hill Center, except that DCFS licensing standards are always adhered to. At no time may the ratio of children to adults exceed 4 to 1 for Early Head Start (ages 0-3). In Early Head Start classrooms, group size may never exceed 8.
Early Head Start and Head Start services will be provided for a minimum of 240 days per year. The Provider will submit a schedule of holidays, in-service days, and any other expected closure dates to Gads Hill Center in advance of the program year. If the Provider plans to close any other day, notice must be provided to the Partner Network Coordinator as soon as possible.
Partner Sites, with assistance from Gads Hill Center, recruit and enroll eligible Early Head Start children and maintain complete enrollment. This includes, but is not limited to, developing and implementing an approved recruitment program and conducting recruitment activities. The Provider shall work with families to ensure the retention of all Head Start or Early Head Start children in the Early Head Start program until they have aged out of the program. At no time shall children be excluded from the Early Head Start program due to a lack of childcare eligibility. All Early Head Start programs are free. No fees may be assessed to any family for participation in any portion or activity of the Early Head Start program. Non-payment of childcare-related fees may not exclude any child or family from receiving a full-working day (10 hours) of Early Head Start service per day and average Head start Hours.
Partner Sites are ultimately responsible for maintaining the facility in full accordance with the regulations and laws required to comply with directions and the requirements defined by Gads Hill Center about Safe Environments. Partner Sites should inspect the facility semi-annually and quarterly and permit Gads Hill Center staff and DFSS staff to conduct announced and unannounced monitoring visits.
Partner Sites implement the Creative Curriculum for all Early Head Start children. All teaching staff shall assess all Early Head Start and Head Start children using the Teaching Strategies GOLD assessment system and report progress quarterly at the checkpoint dates specified by Gads Hill Center using the Outcome Analysis tool. Partner Site staff and program directors assess the fidelity of the Teaching Strategies Creative Curriculum for each Head Start classroom. The site director shall consider each Head Start classroom using the Analysis of Classroom Fidelity, Site Coaching to Fidelity Reflection and shall report progress semi-annually on specified dates given by Gads Hill Center.
Partner Sites must maintain on-site, genuine, current, and complete records of enrollment, education, and health documentation for each child served under the terms of this agreement. These records must be maintained securely and confidentially for a period of at least seven years, at which point they may be destroyed. Partner Sites must make available to Gads Hill Center staff or DFSS staff all and any records related to services provided to children enrolled in the Early Head Start-CC Partnership and Head Start. These records shall include but are not limited to the following:
Documentation verifying dates of attendance, including attendance books and parent sign-in sheets.
Documentation of in-kind goods and services provided to the Early Head Start-CC Partnership
Enrollment records demonstrating verification of family income and all other documentation required for eligibility for the Early Head Start-CC Partnership.
Partner Sites shall maintain working telephone, fax, and internet service at all times and update Gads Hill Center with any changes in contact information within one business day. Provider shall provide Gads Hill Center staff with access to these services for conducting official Early Head Start-CC Partnership and Head Start business. Partner Sites adhere to Gads Hill Center's policies and procedures that address services provided to children with disabilities. This includes active recruitment and retention of children with disabilities (active IEP/IFSP), provision of appropriate services to children with disabilities, and support of the referral process to obtain services for children suspected of having a disability.
Staff Qualifications and Professional Development
Partner Sites are expected to ensure that all staff employed with the Early Head Start-CC Partnership and Head Start funds have received criminal background clearances prior to employment. No employee may be hired using the Early Head Start-CC Partnership and Head Start funding without a criminal background clearance.
If a DCFS clearance has not been received, Partner Site shall obtain an Illinois criminal background check at its own expense from an approved vendor, such as ADP or Sentrylink. It is not sufficient for a background check form to have been submitted and a fingerprinting receipt is not sufficient documentation of clearance. A clearance must show the dates of clearance, the type of check conducted, and indicate that no criminal records have been found.
Each Partner site should maintain accurate records of staff credentials and shall provide Gads Hill Center with evidence of any additional credentials. For new staff, credentials shall be provided to Gads Hill Center prior to employment in the Early Head Start-CC Partnership and head Start Funding. Partner sites should also maintain and provide to Gads Hill Center evidence of MMR vaccination, TB test results, and First Aid and CPR certification for all new staff.
Gads Hill Center provides access to all professional development opportunities sponsored by Gads Hill Center or by DFSS. In addition, Gads Hill Center will support the applications of all Provider staff to the DFSS Scholarship Program. This support is not a guarantee of admittance to the scholarship program. Each Partner Site is responsible for tracking all professional development received by education staff and shall provide evidence of this professional development to Gads Hill Center. At a minimum, each education staff member shall receive 15 clock hours of training per year. Partner Site staff funded under Early Head Start-CC Partnership and Head Start should attend technical assistance training provided by GHC and listed on the CSD Annual calendar
All education staff employed by Partner Sites with Early Head Start-CC Partnership and Head Start funding or who are assigned to classrooms with Early Head Start-CC Partnership and Head Start funding must complete the following education requirements:
Teaching Strategies GOLD™ Basic Course
Teaching Strategies GOLD™ Interrater Reliability Certification
Teaching Strategies GOLD™ Orientation
DFSS Teacher Orientation (0-3)
CLASS Dimensions Overview: Provider shall ensure that two paid staff are employed for each Early Head Start classroom at all times. Provider shall further ensure that staff are qualified in accordance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards and all guidance from DFSS and Chicago Commons, including any guidance issued after the signing of this contract.
Monitoring
In order to ensure adherence to the terms of this agreement and compliance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards, Gads Hill Center or DFSS staff visit and monitor the services being provided under Head Start, GHC, and GHC's current Grantees during the regular hours of operation. Both announced and unannounced visits will take place, including monitoring of both the environment and files/records. Gads Hill Center staff will meet with Partner Site leaders and staff on a regular and ongoing basis to address any findings from monitoring visits, and program issues and to provide technical assistance. The director, owner, or designee must attend these meetings at a mutually agreed-upon time.
If findings are discovered during a monitoring visit by Gads Hill Center staff, the Partner Site Director will be required to provide an action plan detailing the steps to be taken in order to address the finding and achieve compliance.
Gads Hill Center staff adheres to their responsibilities as mandated reporters. If reasonable cause exists to suspect any abuse or neglect of a child, a report shall be filed with the Department of Children and Family Services in accordance with their procedures. When appropriate, Gads Hill Center will notify the Provider of the steps taken.
Partner Site Directors and Staff are obligated to report any and all incidents as it relates to child welfare safety and noncompliance with GHC Head Start program policies.
Budgets and Vouchers
Gads Hill Center reimburses the Partner Sites for all allowable expenses within the allotted funding award. This award is dependent on the number of Early Head Start-CC Partnership slots assigned to the Provider and the funding award designated to Gads Hill Center by DFSS and Chicago Commons. At the discretion of Gads Hill Center, the funding award may be decreased in accordance with actual enrollment. Enrollment below the number of assigned slots will reduce the funding award and may result in the reassignment of slots to another Provider. Enrollment of more children than assigned does not guarantee more or additional slot procurement for the Partner Site.
Partner Sites are responsible for submitting an invoice to Gads Hill Center for allowable expenses incurred in providing Early Head Start-CC Partnership services each month. Supporting documentation for each expense, such as receipts and payroll records, and documentation of 33.3% in-kind match must be submitted with invoices. Invoices and in-kind documentation must be submitted by the 5th of each month.
Reimbursement will be issued in the form of a check from Gads Hill Center to the Provider. Reimbursement will be provided upon receipt of funds from DFSS and Chicago Commons. Partner Sites must prepare and submit a budget to Gads Hill Center for the Early Head Start-CC Partnership. Gads Hill Center provides training and technical assistance to support the Provider in complying with the budgeting and invoicing process.
Child and Adult Care Food Program
All Partner Sites are required to participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program at the beginning of this contract and to remain in good standing with the Child and Adult Care Food Program at all times. Responsibility for maintaining records and meeting the standards of this program in accordance with ISBE regulations shall lie entirely with the Provider.
Meals provided to children enrolled in Early Head Start-CC and Head Start Partnership shall be in compliance with the regulations set forth by ISBE and any additional regulations stipulated by DFSS. Menus shall be approved quarterly by the nutrition consultant provided by Gads Hill Center. Non-participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, including disbarment or suspension by ISBE, shall result in immediate termination from the Early Head Start-CC Partnership and Head Start and loss of all funding awards.
Program Governance
Parent Committees must be established early in the program year at each of GHC directly operated and partner sites. Monthly Parent Committee meetings must be set and held at an agreed-upon date and time, in partnership with the parents. The annual meeting schedule must be provided to parents and posted where parents will see it. Parent Committees should be introduced at the annual parent orientation held at each site. GHC has written procedures and policies that support education/informing, nominating, and electing Policy Committee members from the agency’s parent committees, including parents from the center-based and partner sites.
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