DHS Child Care Services to host public hearing on child care on May 14

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) Child Care Services (CCS) will host a public hearing to receive input on the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) at 1 p.m. on May 14, 2018 at the Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City. Oklahoma parents, licensed child care providers, child care facility teachers, early childhood care and education professionals and faith-based and community partners are encouraged to attend and share opinions, suggestions and concerns about child care services in Oklahoma.

Child Care Services develops a State Plan every three years that details how federal CCDBG block grant funds will be used for child care in Oklahoma as well as provide information about child care services offered statewide, methods of access to the child care system, plans for improving the quality of child care, and health and safety requirements for licensed child care programs. Feedback from the public discussion will be included in the State Plan for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2019-2021. A preprint draft of the State Plan is posted on the DHS Child Care Services webpage for review prior to the public hearing and a completed draft version will be available on the website in mid-April.  

Child care providers and parents are encouraged to complete one of the 2018 Child Care Surveys, also posted on the DHS Child Care Services webpage. One survey is for providers and partner organizations and a second survey is for parents or guardiansof children under age 13. The deadline to complete the surveys is April 30, 2018.

To view the draft state plan and provide input for the plan through surveys, go to: http://www.okdhs.org/services/cc/Pages/ChildCare.aspx

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