HACAP’s Provider and Child Education Services program (PACES) has expanded services into Jones County. The new PACES outreach office is located at the Jones County Resource Center at 100 Park Avenue in Anamosa which also houses two Head Start classes.
85 child care home providers have been identified in Jones County including 26 that are registered with Iowa Department of Human Services. “Some already use Child Care Resource & Referral, but we hope to get more of them registered.” explains PACES Supervisor Diana Strahan. “The goal is to get more of them registered with IDHS, to participate in the Quality Rating System, The Child & Adult Care Food Program, and to become child Net Certified.” Child care home providers in Jones County will be targeted with direct mailings offering 12 hours of free training and home visits to give info on registration. The new PACES office will also recruit homes for Crisis Child Care. HACAP’s Jones county PACES program is made possible through funding by the United Way of East Central Iowa.
HACAP supports the growth and development of children. Children in quality child care settings are better prepared to enter school. In the state of Iowa, more children receive care in child care homes than in child care centers. Provider & Child Education Services (PACES) addresses this important need through two free programs: PACES Providers, and PACES – First Steps
PACES Providers
The PACES Providers program strengthens the quality and expands the availability of child care for families with infants and toddlers. This program focuses on the recruitment, training, and support of child care homes. Key components of this program include: Technical assistance/in-home visitation, Enhanced training, and Quality assessment.
PACES-First Steps
Child care home providers that would like to sample our services may sign-up for PACES – First Steps. Providers in this program receive three home visits from PACES staff over a four to six week period that will provide assistance in three specific areas related to running their business.
The first home visit focuses on Department of Human Services Registration and Child Care Assistance. The next visit offers the provider information on marketing, business issues, and the Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The final home visit addresses age appropriate activities and provides an overview of the PACES Provider program.