All News & StoriesIt is no surprise that the world of early childhood is filled with acronyms and has a language of its own. In the context of child care resource and referral, acronyms are used to represent various services, programs, and standards designed to support families and child care providers. While acronyms are meant to facilitate clear communication and coordination among professionals and families, if you are not familiar with what these acronyms mean it cause cause confusion rather than clarity.
We asked the Child Care Answers team to share an acronym that was new to them when they came to CCA, whether that was 10 years ago or three months ago!
Kristin, Communications and Community Manager
Having come from the corporate world of finance, I was 100% new to EVERYTHING; however, we had our share of acronyms in my previous life, so I understood the concept of abbreviating everything. The biggest eye opener for me was simply how fired up people can get about using the term “day care”, which is a term I used exclusively as parent while professionals were caring for my children during the day. However, my new CCA colleagues reminded me that they care for a children, not days. As I dove more into learning about the child care field, I also realized how many hard working professionals are also providing non-traditional care in the evenings and overnight, so “day” care wasn’t an accurate description either. That is where I learned the acronym ECE (Early Childhood Education) to encompass all of those types of care.
Lane, Human Resources Manager
I remember how boggled my mind was after my first phone conversation with Mollie. There were so many acronyms I didn’t know, and I even came from the world of ECE! The first thing I had to look up was what a CCR&R was. CCR&R stands for Child Care Resource and Referral. These organizations provide valuable support and resources to families, child care providers, and the community. Every state has CCR&R, and they are supported by the national organization Child Care Aware of America. In Indiana, there are five CCR&R agencies that, combined, cover the entire state.
Sarah, Community Engagement Specialist
While I came from the world of the Department of Child Services (DCS), early childhood and the programs surrounding it were all new. The first acronym that I had to ask “what is that?!” was OECOSL. Often referred to as simply the “Office”, I learned that this stood for the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning. They hold our contract and oversee what we do on a daily basis. I needed to know who they were!
Michelle, Community Engagement Specialist
Working at a Level 4 Paths to Quality (PTQ) program, I knew Indiana had a rating scale for child care. What I did not know until coming to Child Care Answers was that PTQ was a QRIS, or Quality Rating and Improvement System, and that many states had their own programs in place. PTQ, like other QRIS programs, evaluates child care programs on a one-to-four scale, including the learning environment, interactions between caregivers and children, staff qualifications, and national accreditation. There is even a national QRIS conference!
Jamie, Family Engagement Specialist
This is kind of hard after working in the network for so long! While I taught preschool and had a background in inclusive care, CCR&R was new to me. Thinking back to my first days, two acronyms stick out – LLEP and VCP. I learned that there we many types of child care programs and settings, including Legally Licensed Exempt Providers (LLEP), who accept CCDF vouchers and follow the provider eligibility standards (PES) but are not licensed. Additionally, because child care ministries are not licensed in the state of Indiana, they can choose to follow additional standards and join Paths to QUALITY. This program is called Voluntary Certification Program (VCP).
Mollie, Executive Director
Even with a background in early childhood, LEA and ELAC (Early Learning Advisory Committee) were new to me as a CCR&R staffer. In the context of child care and early childhood education, LEA stands for Local Education Agency. An LEA is a governmental agency responsible for overseeing public education within a specific geographic area, such as a school district or county.
Lauren, Family Engagement Specialist
Jumping from the classroom to CCR&R came with a big learning curve. While I knew the key acronyms used in the classroom, like DAP or Developmentally Appropriate Practice, I was not aware of those supports out there for families, like CCDF vouchers. The program I came from did not accept the vouchers and was just for employees of a local business. As my work evolved into supporting families outside of the classroom, I learned how important CCDF vouchers are to families and child care programs. CCDF stands for Child Care and Development Fund. It is a federal program in the United States that provides financial assistance to low-income families to help cover the cost of child care. CCDF vouchers are essential for helping families remain in the workforce or go back to school. Now I know more than I ever thought I would know about this amazing program!
Patti, Data and Assessment Specialist
My list would be lengthy – it’s probably easier to list any that I did know! Before CCA, my background was in higher and primary school education. Most of the acronyms listed in the CCR&R handbook were new to me. I can confidently state that the acronyms I DID know were INAEYC (Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children) and NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). The preschool at the primary school where I worked was a member of these associations.
Allie, Resource and Referral Specialist
My experience has always been working in the centers, so my knowledge of the different types of child care was limited. I often referred to Family Child Care (FCC) programs as “home providers” and did not realize there was an actual term for them. I am so glad I now know the term FCC so I can use the correct language to continue to professionalize the field.
