Research federal, state, and other regulatory agencies governing the early childhood education industry.

Research should include

• describing selected federal regulations and the monitoring practices that affect early childhood education providers
• identifying state-regulated child care program types
  • licensed day centers
  • family day home providers
  • unlicensed but regulated (e.g., voluntarily registered family day homes, religiously exempt child day centers, certified preschools
  • approved by local ordinance (e.g., centers regulated by Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax counties)
  • unlicensed and unregulated
• identifying agencies that enforce regulations
• giving examples of how the regulations are carried out by local providers.

Process/Skill Questions:

Thinking

• What are the federal, state, and local standards, policies, regulations, and laws related to working with children?
• How are standards enforced within the industry?
• What national association writes policy for the education of young children? What is their role in helping educators and families?

Communication

• What practices ensure confidentiality?
• What national or state resources are available to help families locate high-quality child care centers?
• What agency rates child care centers?

Leadership

• What resources and training are needed to meet the requirements of the child care educator?
• What are the legal and ethical consequences of meeting and of failing to meet standards for working with children?

Management

• What record-keeping and management procedures are required by early childhood centers?
• How will child care programs ensure that guidelines are followed and manage the consequences if errors are reported?