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Common Provider Concerns

Childcare providers such as yourself at home-based facilities and centers have many obstacles. However, these hurdles are not insurmountable, especially if you know that you may encounter them and have a plan for overcoming them.

Some of the most common concerns involve a lack of resources. Below, you’ll find the information and resources you need to reduce the impact of the following common issues:



	Topics Covered:
	Effectively Using KinderConnect for Attendance Need for Ready-to-Go Curriculum Need for Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Lessons Need for Materials to Share with Parents

Effectively Using KinderConnect for Attendance

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) requires all providers who accept Child Care Services subsidies to use KinderConnect, KinderSmart, or KinderSign for taking attendance. This system automatically connects your childcare facility’s attendance records to the CCS records for subsidy recipients. In fact, after registering, you’ll have subsidized children’s information automatically available in the system.

How to Get a Free Tablet for Childcare Attendance

To facilitate the process, the state will provide a free tablet to childcare facilities that don’t currently use a CMS to track attendance. These tablets have the attendance-tracking software pre-installed on them, so you can use them immediately after registering the devices.

If you need a tablet for attendance, send an email to tx3cquestions@twc.texas.gov to request a survey from TWC. Include in your email your license number and the name of your childcare operation. Only after completing the survey will TWC assess your eligibility for a tablet and send the tablet and a registration code to you.

Registering Your Tablet

The free tablets from the state come pre-loaded with KinderSign software. All you need to do before you can use it for attendance is to register the tablet.

The website dedicated to launching KinderConnect for attendance, TX3C.info contains a wealth of information on how to register and use the tablet. The following instructions are an abridged version of those found at TX3C. To register your tablet, you must have access to KinderConnect on a computer.

Log onto KinderConnect on a computer at the following website: https://childcare.twc.texas.gov/KinderConnect/. When logging in, use your name and password created during registration with KinderConnect.
Under the Reports drop-down menu, select “Reports.”
Next to Report, choose KinderSign Tablet Registration Form from the drop-down menu and click on “View Report.”
Click on the KinderSign Tablet...pdf at the lower right side of the screen. Clicking on this will open the pdf, which contains the QR code you need to register your tablet. You may print the page or scan the QR code from the computer monitor.
Check that the tablet is on and connected to the internet via wifi.
Open the KinderSign app.
Tap “Scan” and scan the QR code from your printout of the pdf or directly from your computer monitor. Hold up the tablet so the QR code is visible to the tablet’s camera. The device will automatically scan the code once it can read it.
Upon a successful scan, choose the options that says, “Allow device to use location.”
Look for the words “Device Registered. Your device has been registered and is ready to use.” If you see this, you have done everything to this step correctly.
Return to your computer to complete setup in the KinderConnect site.
Choose Reports from the Reports drop-down menu.
Select from the drop down menu, “Provider Mobile Sign In Sheet.” Repeat steps 3, 4, and 7 for each parent who wants to use their mobile phones for signing in their children.
Look for a telephone keypad to indicate successful setup of KinderSign.

Get More Help with Using KinderConnect Via TX3C Webinars

If you need assistance with setting up your tablet, connecting your current attendance system to KinderConnect, or anything else, refer to the TX3C website for instructions and webinars.

If you have a state-supplied tablet to use KinderConnect, refer to the following video series to make the most of using the system:

If you already have a Care Management System (CMS) and need to connect it to KinderConnect, view the following video series:

For general questions about using KinderConnect with either the API/CMS or a tablet, refer to the following:

To help parents or child sponsors at your childcare facility to get started using this system to sign in their children, refer them to the following resources:

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Need for Ready-to-Go Curriculum

Many childcare providers find themselves needing to make their own curriculum for their classes. However, many area providers noted that they didn’t have time to generate lessons on their own. They note that having curriculum they can use immediately would help them with classroom and time management.

For curriculum, the type that you use depends greatly on the ages of children in your classroom and your education goals for them. Refer to the curriculum page on this site for sources of curriculum for early childcare providers.

Need for Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Lessons

Integrating social-emotional learning (SEL) into your childcare classroom can improve overall operations of your classroom because SEL teaches children how to handle their own emotions and deal with others.

Many area providers cite the need for SEL lessons in to add to their daily work to help children learn important life skills that enable them to become engaged participants during classes.

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Need for Materials to Share with Parents

Childcare providers note that they want to be able to have information for parents but lack the resources. Some of the following links may help when informing parents of ways they can help their children to succeed in the childcare program:

Materials to Share with Families

Workforce Solutions offers providers several resources on family engagement. These include information on family services that Workforce Solutions provides to parents, professional development on family engagement, and much more. Visit the Workforce Solutions Early Education Quality Services website for more information.

Parent Rights

You need to know what rights parents have in relation to your childcare operation. These rights include:

Being able to enter and look over your childcare facility any time you have operating hours.
Review records you keep about their child or any publicly available records from your facility
Require you to adhere to a court order requesting the removal of a child or preventing another adult from visiting the child
Obtain a copy of your facility’s handbook and rules
Look over staff training records
Get inspection reports and find out how to view online compliance history for your facility
Use these rights without retaliation
And many others

You can find the entire listing of parent rights at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission site or the page outlining Provider’s Guide to Parent’s Rights.

Childcare Subsidies

Parents need to apply to receive Child Care Services (CCS) subsidies. In the Texas Gulf Coast region, they must apply through the local Workforce Solutions office. If you have parents interested in recieving financial aid, provide them with this website: https://www.wrksolutions.com/for-individuals/financial-aid/financial-assistance-for-child-care/parent-and-child-care-scholarships

Let them know that according to Workforce Solutions staff, up to half of childcare subsidy applications have an initial rejection due to missing required documents or other information. Tell the parents to double check that they have all the needed data and added documents before submitting their information to avoid delays in approval.

Workforce Solutions offers a Parent Handbook with information for parents on choosing childcare and the requirements for receiving childcare financial aid.

Family Engagement Resources from CLI Engage

Access and download family engagement resources from CLI engage. The resources on this site allow you to create your own toolkit based on the children’s ages.

This site includes guides for how to engage parents with your childcare facility through events and open communication.

Under Getting Started, you’ll also find a list of materials and printable activities to put into a tote bag for parents to have interactive, educational fun with their children at home.

References for Parents on Using KinderSign/KinderSmart

To help parents or child sponsors at your childcare facility to get started using KinderSign or KinderSmart to sign in their children, refer them to the following resources:

Resources for Parents of Children with Special Needs

For parents of children with special needs, refer them to the IDEA in Texas manual from The Arc of Texas and Disability Rights Texas for specific information for parents.

Help Parents Continue Learning at Home

Share the following resources with parents to help them to build literacy and a love of learning in their children:

Ready Rosie: This site includes videos and resources in Spanish and English. Parents can also find information on helping children to learn about emotional well-being.
Imagination Library: Connect parents with the Imagination Library to help them build a home library for their children for free. This program, started by Dolly Parton, sends free books each month to children from birth through five. Parents, regardless of whether they qualify for the program, should check out the parent resources on the site, too, for activities, tips, and more to make reading fun.
Colorin Colorado: This bilingual site helps families of English Language Learners to get their kids to read and succeed in school and beyond.

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