MN Early Childhood Care & Education

In the workshops, there was discussion that ParentAware and State rules 2 and 3 fall short of allowing the flexibility needed to best support child development in favor of a more rigid rule-bound approach. What do you think are the most important things that State rules and/or QRS must emphasize?

A number of participants argued for much higher quality standards for caregivers if public funding is involved. Given that family, friend, and neighbors (FFN) and licensed family child care are a significant part of the child care picture in Minnesota, would such a requirement necessarily preclude parents from making these choices?

In workshop discussions, participants expressed different views on the extent to which programs and services should be made universally available or targeted to the most vulnerable children and families given that resources are not unlimited. How would you balance this as it applies to actual decisions (i.e., not just in principle)? To what extent do you agree with the concept of targeting within a universal approach?

What is the appropriate role for families in developing quality standards that best serve the needs of children?