Thursday, July 30, 2020

Do you have questions about your child’s development?



Skills such as standing up, scribbling, babbling, and pointing to body parts are called developmental milestones. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, behave, and move (crawling, walking, etc.).

A Help Me Grow Family Navigator will discuss your concerns regarding your child’s development or behavior and the available community resources to address his/her needs. All information is kept confidential, and no referrals are made without your consent.

During this conversation, the Family Navigator may offer information or referrals for:

• Developmental Screening (Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ)
• Social-Emotional Screening (Ages and Stages – Social Emotional Questionnaire (ASQ-SE)
• Developmental Activities for you to do at home in order to enhance your child’s developmental progress
• Early Intervention Services
• Speech
• Occupational, or physical therapy

Our program is free to use and you can call as many times as you want to ensure that you find resources for you and your child. When you call 1-844-501-5437, you will reach our Family Navigator who will listen to your concerns and ask you some questions to make sure we find an appropriate service to meet your child and family’s needs.

Monday, July 27, 2020

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR CHILD CARE DUE TO COVID-19?



If COVID-19 has left you searching for child care, contact Solano Family & Children’s Services at (707) 863-3950, Ext. 709 to connect with a Referral Specialist who can generate a list of providers with openings in your area.

Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM OR Complete a child care request form ANYTIME at: https://www.solanofamily.org/child-care-referrals/

Friday, July 24, 2020

FDA Warning About the Dangers of Hand Sanitizers


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to consumers and health care providers about hand sanitizer products that are labeled as containing ethanol (also known as ethyl alcohol) but that have tested positive for methanol contamination. Methanol (i.e., methyl alcohol or wood alcohol) is a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested and can be life-threatening when ingested. As per the FDA news update hyperlinked below, “Methanol is not an acceptable active ingredient for hand sanitizers and must not be used due to its toxic effects. FDA’s investigation of methanol in certain hand sanitizers is ongoing. The agency will provide additional information as it becomes available.”

FDA has identified more than two dozen hand sanitizers that are toxic when absorbed through the skin. It's urgent that this information is sent to child care providers, parents, state child care licensing offices, child care professional development agencies, and others who can disseminate this information.

Consumers who have been exposed to a hand sanitizer containing methanol and are experiencing symptoms should seek immediate treatment for the potentially toxic effects of methanol poisoning, which can include nausea, vomiting, headaches, blurred vision, permanent blindness, and seizures. Although people of all ages are at risk for methanol poisoning, “young children who accidentally ingest these products and adolescents and adults who drink these products as an alcohol (ethanol) substitute are most at risk.”

Please see the full FDA news update on hand sanitizers with methanol at https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-updates-hand-sanitizers-methanol 

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

PPE Pick-up Scheduled for Saturday, July 25th


Greetings Child Care Providers,

Solano Family & Children’s Services has received PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and disinfecting supplies for distribution to Licensed and Exempt Family Child Care Providers and Centers. We currently have:

  • Bleach
  • Disposable Face Masks
  • Gloves
  • Hand Sanitizer
  • Sanitizing Cleaner

These items are available to you, regardless of whether you received funding from us for PPE. You must offer child care in Solano County, and cannot be associated with an LEA (Local Educational Agency). Please come to our office on Saturday, July 25, 2020, between 9:00 am – 12:00 Noon. 421 Executive Court North, Fairfield 94534. This will be a drive-through event in our parking lot, so please do not exit your car.

Note: This is first-come, first-served until supplies are depleted. Please only have one person pick up supplies for each site – or be sure to inform us if you are a center employee picking up for multiple sites.

Sincerely,

SFCS

SolanoFamily.org

Saturday, July 18, 2020

Health & Safety Training Reimbursement - Solano Family & Children's Services


During these trying times, it may be difficult to find Approved Health and Safety Training. Visit EMSA, call The American Heart Association at (877) 242-4277, or American Red Cross at (800) 733-2767.

Preventive Health Practices may now be found at Solano Family & Children’s Services.

For assistance in finding approved training, call Rayma Ware (707) 864-4634.
Click the link to download the Health and Safety Reimbursement Application 2020-21

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

COVID-19 Information and Resources for Child Care Providers


For the most up-to-date information for providers, click on the link below:

COVID 19 information and Resources for Child Care Providers

For other ongoing resources:

Solano Family & Children’s Services offers a wide variety of support and information related to child care, child development, and supportive provider resources. We can help you through the process of Steps to Become a Licensed Family Child Care Provider in Solano County. If you are already licensed, we can provide you technical assistance to help you maintain a child care business. We provide families free referrals to licensed child care homes and centers. If you would like us to refer your business to families seeking child care, you can fill out the Provider Data Form and the Provider Referral Agreement . Submit both forms with a copy of your license to Resource & Referral to get started. If you are a TrustLine registered provider, in good standing we can offer to refer you to families searching for your type of care. Once you are listed on our free database, we will contact you quarterly to keep your information updated, or you are welcome to fill out the Quick Provider Update Form anytime you have a change that you would like reflected in our database for referrals to families.

We offer ongoing workshops and training on topics such as Child Development, Guidance, and Discipline, Health and Nutrition, Activities for children of all ages, etc. We also provide training on opening a small business, taxes and paperwork, marketing, and outreach.

We have several services that you and your clients can take advantage of.

Please come and visit our Lending Library which is open to the public during our regular business hours, or take a virtual tour when you click the “Lending Library” link. We loan items such as books, videos, and curriculum kits at no charge. We also offer several machines and tools on-site for a minimal charge to help you create educational activities or prepare for a fun family birthday. We are always happy to provide you with ideas on how to extend your activities and use our materials.

If you operate a Licensed Family Child Care Home or are a TrustLine External Link Provider, our Child Care Food Program can partially reimburse you for the nutritious meals you feed the children in your care, as well as offer you resources and technical assistance to support good nutrition.

If any of your families in care qualify for help with paying for child care, our Subsidized Child Care program will provide you with an orientation and on-going technical assistance on how to document and be paid for your services.

We offer technical assistance that is directly related to providing child care, parenting and related services in the community. We also offer Internet Resources that may help you with your other needs.

Our Mission

Solano Family & Children’s Services promotes and advocates for the well-being of children, their families, and child care providers by offering access to a variety of child care resources.

Sunday, July 12, 2020

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR CHILD CARE DUE TO COVID-19?



If COVID-19 has left you searching for child care, contact Solano Family & Children’s Services at (707) 863-3950, Ext. 709 to connect with a Referral Specialist who can generate a list of providers with openings in your area.

Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM OR Complete a child care request form ANYTIME at: https://www.solanofamily.org/child-care-referrals/

NEED HELP PAYING FOR CHILD CARE?


Call (707) 864-4658 or email
wpadilla@solanofamily.org

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Some Parental Resources



Here Are Some Parental Resources That May Be Helpful To Visit:

The following websites contain a wealth of helpful information, downloadable documents, and expert resources for parents and caregivers of infants and children.

Assistance with your childcare needs and resources for your family.

American Academy of Pediatrics – for information on health, development, parenting, and medical guidance

Get support throughout your pregnancy and your baby’s first year with FREE messages on topics like prenatal care, baby health, parenting, and more!

Zero to Three—infant mental health, parent-child interaction, maternal- child health and developmental guidance

First Signs—Information and resources related to Autism and Autistic Spectrum Disorders

TheSimpleDollar.com just wrapped up their 2016 study and published a comprehensive resource that helps people not only understand but to quantify the cost of having a child.

Monday, July 6, 2020

Solano Family & Children's Services Food Program



The Child Care Food Program (CCFP) is a USDA Child Nutrition Program that assists licensed and TrustLine Registered child care providers with the high cost of feeding children. The primary goal of the CCFP is to provide nutritious meals and snacks to children who are in a daycare home setting. Children who are introduced to good nutrition at an early age have proven to do better in school and go on to become healthier adults.

Solano Family and Children Services offer the CCFP to licensed and TrustLine Registered child care providers who live in Solano, Napa, or Yolo county. It is available to all children from infants through 12 years of age, regardless of family income. Providers can claim their own children if they meet the income qualifications and complete the eligibility application. Provider’s children can only be claimed when child care children are present during the same meal.

Providers who participate in the CCFP receive a monthly reimbursement check for providing nutritious meals and snacks to enrolled children. The reimbursement rates are set by the USDA and are based on a flat rate for each meal or snack served that meets the requirements. Providers can be reimbursed for up to two main meals and one snack per child, per day, or one main meal and two snacks per child, per day.

Providers also receive information and assistance regarding nutrition, meal planning, and program requirements.

There is no cost to join. As a sponsor of the program, Solano Family & Children Services supplies all the required forms for documentation of daily menus and attendance. Providers will have the option of claiming online and submitting their claim electronically at the end of each month or manually completing menus to submit by mail or drop off at our office.

The CCFP staff will visit each provider 3 times throughout the year to offer program guidance and training. These visits are on a drop-in basis, usually at mealtime in order to observe a meal service and provide you with nutrition, health, and safety information.

It’s easy to join. As soon as you have your daycare license or TrustLine Registration and have at least one child in care, contact us and we will schedule an in-home training session with you. This usually takes about an hour and we bring all the information needed to get you started claiming that day!

Friday, July 3, 2020

Happy Independence Day



"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, 
but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."

--Nelson Mandela