What is the San Mateo County Child Care Partnership Council?
The Child Care Partnership Council provides a forum for the identification of local priorities for child care and early learning services and the development of policies and strategies to meet the priorities. It provides a community venue where the impact of state and federal child care and family policies, proposed legislation or regulation can be examined from multiple viewpoints. The Council makes decisions on the local distribution of state child care funding. It conducts a mandated community – wide needs assessment, followed by a county-wide strategic plan for child care services for all children every five years.
When and where does it meet?
The San Mateo County Child Care Partnership Council meets monthly on the 4th Monday of every other month from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at the San Mateo County Office of Education, 101 Twin Dolphin Drive, Redwood City (in Redwood Shores). Two times a year the Council meets in the evening from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., instead of the day, to allow for more community participation. All meetings are open to the public.
The History of the Council in State Law
In 1991 the state legislature established Local Child Care Planning Councils (LPCs) in every county in California. In San Mateo County, the LPC is known as the Child Care Partnership Council. From the beginning it was co-chaired by a member of the Board of Supervisors and the County Superintendent of Schools. Members included representatives from each region of the county: North, Central, South and Coast. In 1997, with the advent of welfare reform, the role of Child Care Planning Councils was strengthened through passage of AB 1542 and the implementation of CalWORKS (Education Code, Sections 8499.3 et. seq. and 54744.) The new legislation formalized the stakeholders who must make up the Council and mandated specific duties and decisions.
Mission and Guiding Principles
The San Mateo County Child Care Partnership Council takes the lead in planning and advocating for quality care and early education for all children, from birth to age fourteen, in San Mateo County.
The Council's Guiding Principles
- Quality care and early education is achieved through sustained partnership and collaboration between families, E.C.E. professionals and all sectors of our community: public, corporate, non-profit and philanthropic.
- Quality care and early education
* addresses children's individual needs and all domains of development: social, emotional, physical and cognitive.
* prepares children for success in school and life.
* is culturally responsive and meets the needs of the socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, racial and linguistic diversity of our communities.
* respects, involves and strengthens families.
- Child Care Partnership Council plans and advocacy efforts are informed by current research, evidence-based practices and policies, and local needs assessment.
Council Goals and Priorities for 2010-2012
Council Work Plan 2008-2012
Who serves on the Council?
The Council is co-chaired by the San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools, Anne Campbell, and San Mateo County Supervisor, Dave Pine. Members must include parent consumers of child care, child care providers, public and community agency representatives. There are 22 voting members jointly appointed by the County Superintendent and the County Board of Supervisors.
Membership Roster
What are the required duties of the Council?
- Conduct a county-wide needs assessment every five years
- Prepare a comprehensive county-wide plan for child care
- Submit priorities for the allocation of state and federal child care funds to the Child Development Division (CDD) of the California Department of Education
- Assist in the formation of collaborations to meet local child care needs
- Design a system to consolidate local child care waiting lists
- Coordinate part-day programs to provide full-day child care
- Review and comment on proposals sent to CDD
- Identify up to two members to review and score CDD applications on request
- Develop and implement a training plan for Council members.
What are projects specific or unique to the Council?
- San Mateo County Child Care Subsidy Pilot: Pilot History
- Administration of AB212 Funds to support a high quality ECE teachers through SaMCARES: AB212 / SaMCARES
- San Mateo County Early Childhood Education Professional Development Project: ECE Prof Devel Project
- Daly City Child Care Facilities Needs Assessment: Profile
Staff
The San Mateo County Child Care Partnership Council has one staff member, Nirmala Dillman, Coordinator. The position is funded through a contract with the CDD, and joint contributions from the San Mateo County Office of Education and San Mateo County. The coordinator works in the Child, Youth and Family Services Division of the San Mateo County Office of Education.
E-mail: ndillman@smcoe.k12.ca.us
Phone: (650) 802-5443
Committees:
Sub-committees of the Council are organized to further the goals of the Strategic Plan. Membership includes both Council members and interested community members. Schedule for 2010-2011.
Funding and Advocacy Committee:
- provides information and policy strategy to the Council on local, state and federal public policy as it relates to child care, early care and education, and children and families. Co-Chairs: Giuliana Halasz and Lorna Strachan
Program Quality and School Readiness:
- examines issues, policies, research and local practices related to program quality and school readiness. It advises the Council on such issues as ECE quality standards, program assessment, and professional development of the ECE workforce. Co-Chairs: Cecilia DeMent and Patricia Dilko
Land Use and Facilities (new):
- focuses on community planning, family child care and center regulation and permit procedures and land use policies affecting both the development of new child care supply and the maintenance and improvement of quality child care facilities. Chair: Kristen Anderson
Executive Committee:
- the Executive Committee will have the power to act for the Council between regular meetings of the Council on urgent matters. It may also review the governance, membership of the Council and membership and duties of the committees and make recommendations to the Council. The Executive Committee is chaired by the Council Co-Chairs, Anne Campbell and Dave Pine.
Highlights:
- SB 1304 (Simitian), to extend the San Mateo County Subsidy Pilot for five more years, became law in 2008. SB1304
- San Mateo County Subsidy Pilot reports fifth successful year in annual report to the Legislature. Report 2009
- New procedures for greater local flexibility for the Subsidy Pilot approved for 08/09. Procedures 11/08
- Completion of the City/County Child Care Land Use Survey. Land Use Study
- Advocacy for successful local implementation of the new California State Preschool Program (CSPP).
Links to Other Documents: