CCDF discusses the use of infant and toddler rating scale among daycares

The Department of Community and Cultural Affairs’ Child Care and Development Fund has completed its initial infant and toddler environment rating scale outreach.

CCDF administrator Maribel Loste noted that close to 50 childcare providers participated in the overview training.

She states that the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale, or ITERS-3, is a program assessment tool that looks into environmental provisions and teacher-child interactions that affect infants and toddlers.

With the second year of their Childcare Quality Rating and Improvement System pilot program in full swing, Loste said the rating scale is one of many key components to the entire rating system.

“The scale is divided into six subscales that includes space and furnishings, personal care routines, language and books, activities, interaction and program structure. The ITERS-3 scale is one of the program assessment tools used in our second year of the pilot Quality Rating and Improvement System or QRIS activities being implemented by the DCCA–CCDF Program this fiscal year,” she said.

Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Robert Hunter shared that the other program assessment tools included in the pilot QRIS are the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale, the School Age Environment Rating Scale, and the Program Administration Scale or PAS.

“We began this year with a steady stream of outreach and training to our current providers and we welcome individuals who would like to learn more about the standards of childcare in the Commonwealth. I thank our program administrator and the CCDF team for reaching out to our community and training our caregivers to ensure that health and safety standards are met,” Hunter said.

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres reiterated that improving childcare and increasing accessibility is one of many key components in assisting families while pursuing education or job training.

“We know that reliable and affordable childcare is needed in our community and these assessment tools are part of bringing everyone up to standard. There is a lot of progressive movement within the department and we all look forward to the implementation of this rating system to keep our children and community safe. I encourage our childcare providers to continue their participation in these trainings and ask our community to seek guidance on whether they can avail of these childcare trainings or services,” Torres said.

For more information on the Child Care Development Fund, log on to www.cnmicclp.org. (PR)