Appendix C. Advance Materials

APPENDIX C.1

PROGRAM DIRECTOR INFORMATION PACKET

OHS Endorsement Letter

Mathematica Memo

Fact Sheet

Center Director Letter

Parent reminder postcard

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September 2021

Dear <<PROGRAM DIRECTOR NAME>>

[IF NEW PROGRAM: We are pleased to announce that your program has been randomly selected as one of the study sites in an important national study, the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (Baby FACES 2022).] Baby FACES 2022 is a continuation of BabyFACES 2020, which was postponed soon after it began due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [IF PROGRAM AGREED TO PARTICIPATE IN 2020: Thank you for [agreeing to/taking] part in Baby FACES during the 2019-2020 program year. In 2022, we are continuing Baby FACES data collection in [PROGRAM NAME]. As you may recall,] Baby FACES is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation in the Administration for Children and Families. The study will provide rich information about how Early Head Start programs promote the development of infants and toddlers through responsive relationships among caregivers, parents, and children; comprehensive supports for families; and the provision of quality child care and home visiting. Baby FACES will also provide a national snapshot of the characteristics and well-being of Early Head Start leaders, staff, families, and children.

Baby FACES is being conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, an independent policy research organization with more than 50 years of experience conducting studies of early childhood programs. Mathematica staff will be conducting survey interviews with Early Head Start parents, teachers, home visitors, and program and center directors. They will also observe classrooms in programs offering center-based services and home visits in programs offering home-based services. To show our appreciation for everyone’s time and effort, we will send gifts to each participating classroom, home visitor, and family.

In spring 2022, Baby FACES 2022 will begin and will focus on a nationally representative sample of about 2,500 children and families from approximately 120 Early Head Start programs around the country. The data we collect in this important national effort will be used to guide planning and technical assistance and support Early Head Start in providing high quality services to infants and toddlers and their families.

All information collected in the course of the Baby FACES study will be private. All research staff are carefully trained in privacy procedures and have signed Mathematica’s confidentiality assurance agreement. Programs, staff, and families will not be identified by name in any reports of the study’s findings. Participation in the study is completely voluntary for programs and families.

In the weeks ahead, Mathematica will email you with more details on the help it will need from you and your staff. Members of the research staff will call you soon afterward to explain the study in detail and answer any questions you may have. The Office of Head Start fully supports this endeavor, and strongly encourages your participation.

On behalf of the Office of Head Start, we would like to thank you in advance for agreeing to participate in this important study of our families and programs. Should you have any concerns about your program’s participation in the study, please contact the study’s project officer, Amy Madigan (202-401-5143), in the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation; Administration for Children and Families; Department of Health and Human Services.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is 0970-0354 and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

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MEMORANDUM

P.O. Box 2393 Princeton, NJ 08543-2393 Telephone (609) 799-3535 Fax (609) 799-0005 www.mathematica-mpr.com

TO: [Early Head Start Director]

FROM: Cheri Vogel, Baby FACES Project Director DATE: [Date]

SUBJECT: Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (Baby FACES 2022)

[IF NEWLY SELECTED PROGRAM: You recently received notification in an email from the Director of the Office of Head Start that your program has been selected to participate in an important study—the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey, known as Baby FACES.] [IF PROGRAM PARTICIPATED IN 2018 AND RECRUITED IN 2020 AND HAD A DATA COLLECTION VISIT: As you may recall, you program participated in an important study—the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (Baby FACES) in 2018 and in 2020. As you are likely aware, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to postpone data collection after just a few weeks. We are re-launching data collection and hope that your program will be willing to participate again in spring 2022. ]. [IF PROGRAM PARTICIPATED IN 2018 AND RECRUITED IN 2020 BUT DID NOT HAVE A DATA COLLECTION VISIT: As you may recall, in the fall of 2019, your program agreed to participate in an important study—the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey, known as Baby FACES. As you are likely aware, data collection was planned at PROGRAM NAME in spring 2020 but had to be cancelled and postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic [IF PROGRAM RELEASED BUT NOT RECRUITED IN 2020: As you may recall, your program was selected to participate in an important study—the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey, known as Baby FACES. Our spring 2020 data collection was postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic]. Mathematica Policy Research is conducting Baby FACES under a contract with the Administration for Children and Families. Mathematica is a policy research firm with wide-ranging experience conducting research on Early Head Start and other early childhood programs. It is our goal to make participating in Baby FACES as simple and easy as possible for your program, staff, and families.

Your program was chosen through a random selection process. Although participation is not mandatory, it is very important for all of the sampled programs to participate in the research to ensure the accuracy of the data and to give a national picture of this important program for infants and toddlers. As we describe below, we will also select [centers,] individual teachers, [home visitors,] and children/families in each of the selected programs to be in the study. We will work with staff from your program to invite the families of these children to participate in Baby FACES. All participating programs, parents, teachers, and home visitors will receive a token of appreciation for participating.

The information provided by the staff, families, and children in your program will be combined with information from other Baby FACES participants and summarized in a series of reports. Mathematica will not judge or report on the performance of individual programs, centers, staff, or children/families.

A Mathematica staff member known as a Baby FACES liaison will be designated to work with your program, provide support for participation, and answer any questions you may have. Your liaison will call you within the next week to discuss your program’s participation in this research and to answer any questions you may have. [We understand that you are part of the FACES study; we will work with the FACES team to minimize the disruption to your program. We recognize the added burden the Baby FACES study places on your program and appreciate your willingness to participate in Baby FACES (again)].

In the rest of this memo, we describe the activities we would like to complete during our visits to your program, and the process we will follow to work with you to schedule and prepare for the first site visit.

Data Collection Activities at Your Site

A team of Mathematica staff will begin contacting all the sampled programs this fall to talk to program directors about participating in the study. We will explain the process of selecting centers, classrooms and teachers, home visitors, families and children for the study and obtaining informed consent from parents. Next, we will review the plans for data collection in the spring of 2022. Because the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, we understand that you may have reservations about having visitors in your program. We want to assure you that we are prepared to work with you to conduct the data collection in a manner that complies with your program’s policies and that is comfortable for you and the families you serve..

Your Baby FACES liaison will work with your program to select centers, home visitors, classrooms, and families/children. Once that selection is complete, we will visit your program to collect data. The box below is an overview of the site visit activities and an estimate of how much time we will need for each one. We have also enclosed a Baby FACES brochure and a Baby FACES fact sheet with more information about the study.

SITE VISIT ACTIVITIES

Individual staff surveys. Mathematica staff will conduct individual survey interviews with the selected home visitors and the teachers of the sampled classrooms (30 minutes). Program directors and center directors will also be asked to complete a web survey. Program director surveys will take about 30 minutes, and center director surveys will take about 20 minutes. We will ask these staff members about their employment and educational background, program goals and philosophy, and curriculum and classroom/home visit activities.

Staff-child reports. Teachers and home visitors will complete short checklists about the language and social development of each child in the study, as well as developmental screenings and referrals, perceived relationship with the child’s parents, and the family’s engagement with the program. These reports can be completed on paper or on the web. Each report requires about 15 minutes to complete, and each teacher or home visitor will have two to three study children on whom to report.

Classroom observations.* Site visitors will conduct observations in the selected classrooms to measure classroom characteristics and the responsiveness of teacher-child relationships.

Home visit observations.* Site visitors will conduct observations of home visits to gather information on the quality of the visits and how home visitors foster parent-child relationships.

Parent-child interaction.* Parents of selected children receiving home visiting services will be asked to participate in a 10-minute parent-child interaction involving a book reading task for 2 minutes and a free play task between the parent and child involving toys provided by the study team for 8 minutes.

Parent survey. We will obtain informed consent from parents of selected children in each program. We will also conduct a 30-minute survey interview with one parent of each child in the study. This survey interview will focus on parent/child activities, experiences with community agencies, and health care. These survey interviews will be conducted by telephone or by appointment at the center or at the child’s home during the visit week, if necessary.

Parent-child report. Parents of the selected children will also be asked to complete a 15-minute form about their child and parents’ feelings and attitudes about themselves. This form can be completed on paper or on the Web. It will be distributed by mail to parents a week before the scheduled data collection visit. Parents can return completed paper forms to staff during the data collection visit.

*We will be flexible in how we conduct these data collection activities to ensure we adhere to any program or family preferences around in-person visits.

Privacy. All of the information collected during the site visits and surveys will remain private; we will not quote any staff member or individual by name. The reports we prepare will describe the range of experiences of Early Head Start children and their families, and a range of views and practices across programs. Opinions and practices will not be attributed to specific individuals or programs.

Next Steps in Planning the Visit

The Baby FACES study liaison responsible for working with your program will contact you soon to answer any questions you have about the study and begin planning for the site visit. During that conversation, we will discuss the process for selecting classrooms and children to participate in the study. We will also ask you to identify someone from your program to work with Mathematica’s Baby FACES liaison to help organize the data collection. We call this person the on-site coordinator (OSC).

Choosing an on-site coordinator. The OSC will help us put together the information we need to select children and families, schedule visits to families’ homes or to Early Head Start centers, and obtain parents’ consent for their children to participate in the study. The OSC will also help us to identify the teachers or home visitors with whom we will conduct survey interviews and to schedule the best times to conduct these survey interviews and observations. It is important that the OSC be able to provide accurate enrollment information for classrooms and home visitor caseloads.

If the participating children are from centers that are not close to each other, or if there are different people who are most knowledgeable about home visiting, it may be necessary to identify more than one coordinator. Regardless of your program’s size, we suggest you identify a backup person to ensure there are at least two staff members who can fulfill the role of the OSC. The program will receive an honorarium of $250 for its help with this study. We understand that rules about distributing incentives vary by programs, so we leave the distribution to the discretion of the program director. Parents, teachers, and home visitors will also receive a small token of appreciation for their participation.

Scheduling the data collection visit. The data collection visit will last one week. As a first step in scheduling these visits, we would like to discuss your program’s operating schedule and any rules or restrictions for on-site visitors. This will allow us to work out how our visit can fit within those parameters. We will make every effort to visit at a convenient time for your program.

We are looking forward to visiting your program and learning about your experiences with Early Head Start. Your participation will be important for helping the Office of Head Start assess how programs are fostering children’s development and supporting families. If you have questions about the site visits before we call you, please contact [BABY FACES LIAISON NAME] your Baby FACES liaison, who will work with you to coordinate and schedule data collection.

Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences
Survey (Baby FACES 2022)

The research study and the team	Since its founding in 1995, Early Head Start has provided program services for low-income pregnant women and families with infants and toddlers. These services are based on a foundation of rigorous research and reflect a dedication to continuous program improvement. The Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (Baby FACES) is an important part of a comprehensive research agenda aimed at maintaining an up-to-date, extensive knowledge base to support Early Head Start policies and programs.
	Baby FACES is designed to be a reliable source of data for describing the experiences of Early Head Start children and their families. Your program is invited to participate in this national study sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families.
	The study will be conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, a respected, independent policy research organization whose studies of public programs, including early childhood and education initiatives, have been used to inform national policymakers for more than 50 years. Mathematica is also consulting with nationally recognized experts in early childhood and Early Head Start programs to develop the study and understand the lessons learned.
	To meet the challenges and realize the full promise of Baby FACES, Mathematica has brought together an exemplary team with knowledge of and experience in Early Head Start and early childhood research and practice. Our study design will ensure both high quality and timely Baby FACES data are available to the public. We are committed to translating research findings into formats that programs and policymakers can use.
Selecting programs	The study will include 123 randomly selected, nationally representative Early Head Start programs that meet eligibility criteria. Many of these programs took part in Baby FACES 2018. Programs’ eligibility will be determined from the most recently available Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) database (program year 2017–2018) and the programs’ current enrollment rosters. Programs must directly provide Early Head Start services to children to be included in the study.
Selecting families	Within programs, for the center-based option, we will draw samples of centers, classrooms, and teachers. We will draw a sample of children from the rosters for sampled classrooms and request parents’ consent for the children to participate in the study. Similarly, for families in the home-based option, we will draw a sample of home visitors, draw a sample of families from their caseloads, and request parental consent for the children to participate in the study. We expect about 2,500 families to participate in Baby FACES 2022.
Collecting information	Baby FACES will use a comprehensive set of data collection instruments designed to assess program processes, staff experience and training, and children’s growth and development. A team of Mathematica staff will gather the data through survey interviews with parents, teachers, home visitors, center directors, and program directors. We will also observe classrooms and home visits, and ask program staff to give us information on families whose children are selected for the study. A subset of families receiving home visits will also be asked to participate in a parent-child activity in the family’s home during a scheduled home visit. If in-person visits are not possible due to COVID-19, we are prepared to gather information remotely through video and live streaming as well as telephone and web surveys.
On-site assistance	We will work with the program director to establish a cooperative partnership with a staff person (On-Site Coordinator or OSC) from each program. We will ask the OSC to help us schedule data collection and get the consent of families selected to participate in the study.
Privacy	Mathematica is committed to respecting the privacy of respondents and of the data entrusted to us. Mathematica is experienced in implementing stringent security procedures. Study results will be reported only in group form; we will not present results for individuals, teachers, home visitors, centers, or programs. In this way, the privacy of children, families, staff, and programs will be carefully guarded. At the beginning of the study, we will inform parents about the study and our privacy policies; we will also distribute consent forms that allow parents to remove their child from the study if they choose to. The survey director will be responsible for making sure that Mathematica’s interviewers and data collection staff understand the necessity of maintaining strict privacy. All staff involved with the study will sign confidentiality pledges.
To find out more	Contact Cheri Vogel, project director, at Mathematica Policy Research, at (609) 716‑4546 or at cvogel@mathematica-mpr.com; or contact Amy Madigan, federal project officer, at the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, 202-401-5143, or at Amy.Madigan@acf.hhs.gov.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is 0970-0354 and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Princeton, NJ ■ Ann Arbor, MI ■ Cambridge, MA ■ Chicago, IL ■ Oakland, CA ■ Tucson, AZ ■ Washington, DC ■ Woodlawn, MD www.mathematica-mpr.com

P.O. Box 2393 Princeton, NJ 08543-2393 Telephone (609) 799-3535 Fax (609) 799-0005 www.mathematica-mpr.com

Spring, 2022

Dear [Center Director]:

Thank you for agreeing to help us conduct the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey, known as Baby FACES! The Administration for Children and Families, in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, contracted with Mathematica Policy Research, an independent policy research organization, to conduct the study. Baby FACES will focus on children’s development, their families’ involvement, and the quality of Early Head Start (EHS) services. The findings will be used to guide program planning and technical assistance and to improve EHS. The Baby FACES study will be gathering information on both center-based and home-based options. We will be talking teachers and home visitors as well as conducting classroom and home visit observations.

Our goal is always to make participation in Baby FACES as straightforward and simple as possible for all study participants. Your EHS program director has identified [FILL OCC NAME] to be an on-site coordinator (OSC). The OSC will help coordinate activities between your center and our staff and will facilitate the work of the Mathematica team assigned to collect the data for the study. I have been designated to work with your program, provide support for participation, and answer any questions you may have.

Study activities

Mathematica staff will visit your center for a few days in the spring of 2022 (or arrange for remote data collection if needed). We will be conducting the following activities prior to and during the site visit:

Sample Selection

About a month before the site visit, we will select a sample of classrooms, teachers, and children. I will work with your OSC, [NAME] to select a sample of classrooms, teachers, and children. We will encourage the OSC to reach out to you for your help in this process as we need the most up-to-date information and believe the center director is in the best position to provide it.

1. Selecting classrooms. The liaison will select approximately two EHS classrooms to participate in Baby FACES. To choose the classrooms, the liaison will first ask for a list of all EHS classrooms and a description of other classroom characteristics.

[Include bullets 2 and 3 if selected for child-level]

2. Selecting individual children. Half of the centers in the study will be asked to participate in child-level data collection. After classrooms in these centers have been chosen for the sample, the liaison will randomly select children in those classrooms to be in the study. The liaison will ask for a list with the name and date of birth for each child in the selected classrooms. We will select about three children per classroom and invite these children and their families to participate.

3. Obtaining consent. Once the children are selected, I will work with the OSC and the teachers to gain the parents’ consent for participation. The OSC will distribute informational materials to the families who have been selected and may ask for your help in doing so.

Data collection visit*

During the data collection visit, a study team will visit each program and selected center to administer surveys and collect them from staff.

1. Ask staff to complete surveys. Mathematica will conduct individual survey interviews with the selected teachers of the sampled classrooms (30 minutes). We will ask about their relationships with parents and children, activities taking place in their classrooms, and their experiences in EHS. As center director, you will also be asked to complete a 20-minute web survey about your employment and educational background, and specifics about how the program functions.

[Include bullets 2 and 3 if children are selected]

2. Ask classroom teachers to complete reports on each child in the study. Teachers from selected centers will complete short reports about each study child’s cognitive and social development. The teachers can complete paper questionnaires or do them online. Reports for each child will take about 15 minutes to complete, and teachers/home visitors will report on about two children.

3. Survey parents or guardians. We will conduct a 30-minute interview with one of the parents of each study child. This survey interview will focus on parent/child activities, home environment, relationships with EHS staff, engagement in the program, and parents’ feelings and attitudes about themselves. These survey interviews will be conducted by telephone. We will also ask the parents of selected children to complete a 15-minute paper form about their child. It will be mailed to parents a week before the site visit. We will ask parents to return their completed forms to their child’s teacher. Some parents receiving home visiting services will also be asked to do a semi-structured parent-child activity (reading a book to their child and playing with toys). This will take about 10 minutes and will occur during a home visit.

4. Observations. Site visitors will conduct observations of selected classrooms to look at teacher-child interactions and classroom characteristics. And if your program has a home visiting options, we will also be conducting observations of home visitors to look at their interactions with families.

*If in-person visits are not possible due to COVID19, we are prepared to collect data remotely using video and live streaming options for observations and switching other in-person interviews to telephone or web versions.

We look forward to working with you and your staff on this study. Mathematica researchers will be reaching out to your program’s OSC in the next few weeks to schedule our visits and answer any questions you or others may have about the study.

Thank you again for participating in this important national study of EHS. This study will help us improve Early Head Start for the benefit of our youngest children.

Sincerely,

[Baby FACES study liaison]

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is 0970-0354 and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

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APPENDIX C.2

PARENT SURVEY REMINDER LETTER

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Laura Kalb Survey Director

955 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 801 Cambridge, MA 02139 Telephone (617) 491-7900 Fax (617) 491-8044 www.mathematica-mpr.com 617-301-8989

[MONTH, 2022]

[FNAME] [LNAME]
[PROGRAM]
[ADDRESS]
[CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]

Dear [PREFIX] [LNAME]:

Thank you for agreeing to participate in the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (Baby FACES). This survey will help the Early Head Start program improve services to families with infants and toddlers. Mathematica Policy Research, an independent research company, is conducting this survey on behalf of the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

As part of the Baby FACES study, we are conducting survey interviews with Early Head Start families. We have been trying to reach you by telephone to ask you questions about some of your family’s activities and routines, about your health, and about your experiences with your Early Head Start program. This survey interview will take about 30 minutes and can be done in either English or Spanish.[IF PCRVERSION=1-4: We have also asked you to fill out a short questionnaire about the kinds of things your child can do.]

As a thank you for your participation, we will send $25 after you finish the telephone survey interview and fill out the questionnaire.

If you have any questions about the Baby FACES survey, or to complete the survey interview, please call us toll free at 833-763-2178. To save you time when you call, please be ready to share the 8-digit ID number at the bottom of this letter with a member of the Baby FACES team.

We want to assure you that any information you provide in this survey will be kept private to the extent allowable by law. None of the information will ever be connected with your name or your child’s name. The information will not be shared with your Early Head Start program, and it will not be passed on to any school or government agency in a way that allows anyone to connect it with an individual family or child.

Thank you for your time and participation.

Sincerely,

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

The described collection of information is voluntary. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is 0970-0354 and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

MPR ID: [MPR ID #]

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APPENDIX C.3

PCR MAIL INVITATION
(TO ACCOMPANY HARD COPY)

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Laura Kalb Survey Director

955 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 801 Cambridge, MA 02139 Telephone (617) 491-7900 Fax (617) 491-8044 www.mathematica-mpr.com 617-301-8989

[MONTH, 2022]

[FNAME] [LNAME]
[PROGRAM]
[ADDRESS]
[CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]

Dear [PREFIX] [LNAME]:

Thank you for agreeing to participate in the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (Baby FACES). This survey will to help the Early Head Start program improve services to families with infants and toddlers. Mathematica Policy Research, an independent research company, is conducting this survey on behalf of the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

For this study, we will be asking you to complete a 30-minute telephone survey. In addition to the telephone survey about your own experiences, we are asking you to fill out a short booklet (enclosed) about what your child is learning in the Early Head Start program. This should take about 15 minutes. The Baby FACES team will be at [PROGRAM NAME] during the week of [WEEK]. Please fill out the booklet and return it to your child’s [TEACHER/HOME VISITOR], who will give it to one of our team members. [IF HV OBSERVATION: In addition, we would like to join your home visitor on one of your regularly scheduled visits. During this visit, we may ask you to do a play activity with your child.]

When you have completed both the telephone survey and the enclosed booklet, you will receive a $25 gift card ($5 for completing the enclosed booklet and $20 for completing the phone survey). [IF HV OBSERVATION: We will also give you a $35 gift card and a book for your child as a thank you for allowing us to be part of the home visit and completing the study activities.]

The information you provide will be treated as private to the extent allowable by law. None of the information will ever be connected with your name or your child’s name. The information will not be shared with your Early Head Start program, and it will not be passed on to any school or government agency in a way that allows anyone to connect it with an individual family or child.

If you have any questions, please contact the Baby FACES team at Mathematica Policy Research at 833-763-2178, or you may speak with a team member during our upcoming visit to your program. To save you time when you call, please be ready to share the 8-digit ID number at the bottom of this letter with a member of the Baby FACES team.

Thank you for your time and participation.

Sincerely,

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

The described collection of information is voluntary. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is 0970-0354 and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

MPR ID: [MPR ID #]

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APPENDIX C.4

PCR MAIL REMINDER

(TO ACCOMPANY HARD COPY)

This page has been left blank for double sided copying.

Laura Kalb Survey Director

955 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 801 Cambridge, MA 02139 Telephone (617) 491-7900 Fax (617) 491-8044 www.mathematica-mpr.com 617-301-8989

[MONTH, 2022]

[FNAME] [LNAME]
[PROGRAM]
[ADDRESS]
[CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]

Dear [PREFIX] [LNAME]:

Thank you for agreeing to participate in the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (Baby FACES). This survey will help the Early Head Start program improve services to families with infants and toddlers. Mathematica Policy Research, an independent research company, is conducting this survey on behalf of the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

[IF PCRVERSION=1-4: When the Baby FACES team visited [PROGRAM NAME] during the week of [TARGET WEEK], you received a booklet to complete. This booklet includes questions about how [CHILD] is developing and about your own well-being. It should take about 15 minutes to complete. We have enclosed an additional booklet for your convenience. Please fill out the booklet and [IF PROGRAM STAFF IS COLLECTING PCR: return it to your [home visitor/teacher]/IF PROGRAM STAFF IS NOT COLLECTING PCR: mail it back to us in the prepaid envelope provided] as soon as possible.]

We [IF PCRVERSION=1-4: also] will be calling to complete a 30-minute telephone survey with you. If you have already done the survey interview, we appreciate it. If not, we hope you will complete it when we call you. As a thank you for completing [IF PCRVERSION=1-4: both ]the telephone survey interview [IF PCRVERSION=1-4: and the booklet about your child], we will send you a $25 gift card.

We want to assure you that any information you provide will be kept private to the extent allowable by law. None of the information will ever be connected with your name or your child’s name. The information will not be shared with your Early Head Start program, and it will not be passed on to any school or government agency in a way that allows anyone to connect it with an individual family or child.

If you are ready to complete the telephone survey interview, if you need a new booklet,] or if you have any questions, please contact the Baby FACES team at Mathematica Policy Research at 833-763-2178. To save you time when you call, please be ready to share the 8-digit MPR ID number at the bottom of this letter.

Thank you for your time and participation.

Sincerely,

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

The described collection of information is voluntary. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is 0970-0354 and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

MPR ID: [MPR ID #]

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APPENDIX C.5

STAFF INTRODUCTION LETTER

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Laura Kalb Survey Director

955 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 801 Cambridge, MA 02139 Telephone (617) 491-7900 Fax (617) 491-8044 www.mathematica-mpr.com 617-301-8989

[MONTH, 2022]

[FNAME] [LNAME]
[PROGRAM]
[ADDRESS]
[CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]

Dear [TEACHER/HV]:

I am pleased to announce that [PROGRAM] has been [randomly selected/ selected once again] to be part of a national study sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Early Head Start Family and Child Experience Survey (Baby FACES) study is being conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, an independent research company.

Through these surveys, the Administration for Children and Families seeks to learn more about the experiences of families and children served by the Early Head Start program. This study will provide information to help Early Head Start serve all children and their families better. We obtained permission from the director of your program (as well as your center director when applicable) to contact you about your experiences in Early Head Start.

As part of the Baby FACES study, we are conducting survey interviews with teachers and home visitors to learn more about their background, training, and experience; their wellbeing; and how the program supports them. Some of the questions on the survey are sensitive (for example, asking how you have been feeling). The survey will take about 30 minutes of your time to complete. The interviews will be conducted during our visit to your program. A member of our field team will be in touch to schedule a time for the interview. We may also ask you to complete Staff Child Reports (up to 3) for children/families you work with who were selected and whose parents consented to participate in the study. The Staff Child Reports will help us learn more about these specific children to gain a better understanding of their development, language, and social skills. Each Staff Child Report will take 15 minutes of your time to complete. IF TEACHER: In addition, we plan to observe your classroom one morning to see how children and teachers interact with one another. IF HOME VISITOR: In addition, we plan to observe two of your home visits with study families. If an in-person visit is not possible due to COVID-19 we will work with you to gather this information remotely through videos or live streaming.

As a thank you for your participation, we will give you a children’s book valued at $10 after you complete the interview and $5 for each completed Staff Child Report.

Your participation in the study is voluntary. There are no direct risks or benefits to participating. You may refuse to answer any questions you are not comfortable answering; your answers will be completely private and will not be shared with parents or other staff in your program, or anyone who is not working on this study. We will only report the results for staff and children as a group.

We have a Certificate of Confidentiality from the National Institutes of Health. The Certificate helps us protect your privacy. This means no one can force the study team to give out information that identifies you, even in court. However, we may need to share your information if it shows a serious threat to you or to others, including reporting to authorities when required by law. The United States government may still request information for an audit.

Baby FACES has been given Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval by Health Media Lab Institutional Review Board. If you have any questions about the Baby FACES study or about your rights as a research participant, please call Laura Kalb, the survey director, toll free at 833-763-2178.

I would like to thank you in advance for your contribution to this important study.

Sincerely,

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is 0970-0354 and the expiration date is 09/30/2019.

MPR ID: [MPR ID #]

APPENDIX C.6

STAFF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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B ABY FACES TEACHER AND HOME VISITOR
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What does “Baby FACES” mean?

Baby FACES stands for the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey, a large national study of the Early Head Start program.

What is the purpose of this study?

The purpose of Baby FACES is to describe Early Head Start programs, centers, classrooms, teachers, and home visitors, and report on the children and families the program serves. Baby FACES will help us understand how the programs support relationships (for example, between home visitors and families, teachers and children, and parents and children) that are important for children’s and families’ outcomes. This information will be used to help Early Head Start improve services to infants and toddlers and their families.

Who is conducting Baby FACES?

Mathematica Policy Research is conducting Baby FACES under a contract with the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Who will participate in Baby FACES?

About 120 Early Head Start programs, about 300 centers, 1,400 teachers and home visitors, and about 2,500 children and families will be randomly selected to participate in the study. Participation in the study is completely voluntary for programs, staff, and families.

How was I selected to participate?

We randomly selected 123 Early Head Start programs from around the country. Within those programs, we then randomly selected home visitors or classrooms (and the teachers associated with the classroom) to participate in the study. In smaller programs this may mean all home visitors or classroom teachers were selected. We appreciate your time and cooperation.

Didn’t I already participate in Baby FACES last year?

Baby FACES was scheduled to have a 16-week data collection period in spring 2020, beginning in February. Unfortunately, we had to cancel data collection after a few weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Baby FACES 2020 is being re-launched as Baby FACES 2022, and we are returning to the programs that participated in 2020. If you participated in the 2020 data collection by completing surveys or being observed, we greatly appreciate your contributions and are grateful that your program agreed to participate again in 2022.

What will I be asked to do?

We will ask you to complete a survey interview as well as a set of questions, known as a Staff Child Report (SCR) about Baby FACES children in your classroom or on your caseload. Home visitors will be asked to allow observers to accompany them to families’ homes during a regularly scheduled visit to watch how they work with the families.

How long will this survey interview take?

This survey interview will take 30 minutes to complete. The SCRs will take about 15 minutes to complete for each child. No one will be asked to complete more than three of these.

What will I be asked about in this survey interview?

In this survey interview, we will ask about your employment, educational background, training and professional development, your wellbeing (including questions about your feelings) and your relationships with the children and their families. There will also be questions about what languages you and the children in your classroom or on your caseload speak. You may decline to answer any questions that you do not wish to answer.

Will I be able to find out the results of the study?

Yes, there will be public reports made available when the study has concluded. These reports will not identify any individuals, families, or programs.

Why should I participate?

Baby FACES is a nationally representative study. That means that responses from study participants (program and center directors, teachers, home visitors, and families) represent those in other Early Head Start programs across the country. This will allow us to talk about what the program, staff, and families are like at a national level. All of the information we collect will be used to help Early Head Start and improve services to infants and toddlers and their families. Your participation is a valuable part of the process.

Are my answers private?

Yes! Your answers are private, and they will be kept private to the fullest extent required by law. Your answers will be combined with those of others, not reported individually, and we will not share your name, contact information, or the name of your Early Head Start program in reporting the results of the study.

Will my answers be shared with the Office of Head Start?

Neither your individual responses, nor those from your program, will be shared with the Office of Head Start. This survey is not an assessment of whether you are meeting performance standards. The information you provide will be treated in a private manner. Your responses will be kept separate from your name, contact information, and the name of your Early Head Start program.

Do I have time to look up information I don’t know?

This survey interview has been designed so you should not have to look up information. We do not expect you to consult any records in order to complete the survey interview.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is 0970-0354 and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

APPENDIX C.7

SCR HARD COPY INVITATION

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Laura Kalb Survey Director

955 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 801 Cambridge, MA 02139 Telephone (617) 491-7900 Fax (617) 491-8044 www.mathematica-mpr.com 617-301-8989

[MONTH, 2022]

[FNAME] [LNAME]
[PROGRAM]
[ADDRESS]
[CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]

Dear [TEACHER/HV]:

Thank you for participating in the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (Baby FACES). Mathematica Policy Research is conducting Baby FACES under a contract with the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The efforts of your program’s entire staff are critical to the success of this study, and we appreciate your participation.

We would like to conduct a survey interview with you when we visit.¹ We also would like you to provide information about a few [children in your classroom/families on your caseload] who are also participating in the study. The Staff Child Report has been specifically designed to help the Administration for Children and Families gain a better understanding of (1) young children’s early language and social skills, (2) parents’ involvement in Early Head Start programs, and (3) the relationships that support children’s development and learning.

While we plan to conduct the survey interview with you in-person during our visit to your program, we wanted you to have the opportunity to complete the Staff Child Reports online at your convenience. Below is the information needed to access the Staff Child Reports for each of the consented children in your classroom/caseload. We will also be bringing hard copy versions of these reports when we visit your program if you prefer to complete them that way.

[PLACEHOLDER FOR LOGIN INFORMATION]

Each of the Staff Child Reports includes the name of the child or the name of the family about whom we would like you to answer. When responding to these questions, please think about the parent you interact with most often, unless otherwise noted. This might be the child’s mother, father or a guardian who serves as the child’s primary caregiver. If you are unsure how to answer a question, please give the best answer you can instead of leaving it blank. Each survey should take about 15 minutes to complete. As a token of our appreciation, we will send you $5 for each report you complete.

The information you provide will be treated as private to the extent allowable by law. We will report only overall averages, not individual results, and neither your name nor the child’s or family’s name will be attached to any information you give us. The information will not be shared with the families or with others at your Early Head Start program.

If you have any questions, please contact the Baby FACES team at Mathematica Policy Research at 833-763-2178. We look forward to meeting you during the upcoming visit. Thanks again for your help with this important study.

Sincerely,

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

The described collection of information is voluntary. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is 0970-0354 and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

APPENDIX C.8

PROGRAM DIRECTOR survey EMAIL INVITATION

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Program Director Survey Advance Email Invitation

Format: Email

Subject: Invitation to participate in program director survey for Baby FACES

Dear [FIRST NAME] [LAST NAME],

Thank you for taking part in the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (Baby FACES). Baby FACES is sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is being conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, an independent research company. We are excited about the study, and we hope you are too. Baby FACES is designed to provide important information about Early Head Start programs, their staff, and the children and families they serve. The study will provide information to help Early Head Start serve all children and their families better. Your help is vital to the study’s success.

As part of the study, we would like you to complete a short 30-minute web survey. In this survey, we will ask about you and your program, including characteristics of the program and the services that are delivered; program processes that support responsive relationships; use of curricula, assessments, and staff professional development; and staffing.

See the box below for instructions on how to complete your survey online. When you visit the survey website, you should use the login ID and password below. These are secure and will not be shared with anyone. All information you provide will be kept private to the extent permitted by law. Only selected members of the study team will see your responses. No one from your Early Head Start program will see your individual responses. We will only report the results for program directors as a group and your name will never be associated with or identified in study reports. Using the login ID and password ensures that your responses will be protected.

We encourage you to complete the survey online at:

SURVEY URL

LOGIN ID: XXXXXX

PASSWORD: XXXXXX

If you do not have the chance to complete your survey online before we visit your program for other study activities, you can answer the survey questions in person during our visit.² Your participation in the study is voluntary. If at any point you decide not to continue in the study, that is okay. There are no direct risks or benefits to participating.

We have a Certificate of Confidentiality from the National Institutes of Health. The Certificate helps us protect your privacy. This means no one can force the study team to give out information that identifies you, even in court. However, we may need to share your information if it shows a serious threat to you or to others, including reporting to authorities when required by law. The United States government may still request information for an audit.

Baby FACES has been given Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval by Health Media Lab Institutional Review Board. Mathematica staff are happy to answer any questions about Baby FACES, the upcoming data collection activities at your program, and to help you in any way you need. You can contact [LIAISON] at [LIAISON PHONE or LIAISON EMAIL]. If you have questions about completing this survey or need technical assistance, please call the survey operations center at 833-763-2178; if you have questions about the study or your rights as a research participant, please ask for Laura Kalb, the survey director. To learn more about Baby FACES, visit the study website at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/research/project/early-head-start-family-and-child-experiences-study-baby-faces.

Thank you in advance for your help with this important research!

Sincerely,

[NAME]

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

The described collection of information is voluntary. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is 0970-0354 and the expiration date is 09/30/2019.

APPENDIX C.9

PROGRAM DIRECTOR REMINDERS

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Program Director Survey Reminder Email

Format: Email

Subject: Reminder to complete the program director survey for Baby FACES

Dear [FIRST NAME] [LAST NAME],

Thank you again for your program’s participation in the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (Baby FACES) study. This is a friendly reminder to log in and complete the web survey of program directors. This study is funded by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Your participation in this study is voluntary and your input will give ACF important information about Early Head Start programs, their staff, and the children and families they serve.

We encourage you to complete the survey online at:

SURVEY URL

LOGIN ID: XXXXXX

PASSWORD: XXXXXX

The survey will take about 30 minutes to complete. You may save your responses at any point and return to the survey later. If you have any questions or need help with the survey, please contact [LIAISON] at [LIAISON PHONE or LIAISON EMAIL].

Thank you in advance for your help with this important research!

Sincerely,

[NAME]

Program Director Survey Reminder phone call script

Hello, this is [LIAISON NAME] calling about the Baby FACES survey you received. I’m following up to see if you have any questions or if you have been having any difficulties logging in to complete the web survey. I’m happy to talk you through the process of completing the survey online, or to provide any credentials you may have misplaced. Please give me a call at [PHONE NUMBER] so I can provide any assistance you need. We hope you’ll take the time to participate in this important survey, which will take about 30 minutes to complete. Thanks again for your participation and I hope to hear from you soon.

APPENDIX C.10

CENTER DIRECTOR survey EMAIL INVITATION

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Center Director Survey Advance Email Invitation

Format: Email

Subject: Invitation to participate in center director survey for Baby FACES

Dear [FIRST NAME] [LAST NAME],

Thank you for taking part in the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (Baby FACES). We are excited about the study, and we hope you are too. Mathematica Policy Research, an independent research company, is conducting Baby FACES. The Administration for Children and Families, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, funds the study. Baby FACES is designed to provide important information about Early Head Start programs and centers, their staff, and the children and families they serve. The study will provide information to help Early Head Start serve all children and their families better. Your help is vital to the study’s success.

This spring, we would like you to complete a short 20-minute web survey. In the survey, we will ask about you and your center, including the center’s characteristics; center services and parent involvement; curricula, assessments, staff mentorship; leadership; and staffing.

See the box below for instructions on how to complete your survey online. When you visit the website, you should use the login ID and password below. These are secure and will not be shared with anyone. All information you provide will be kept private to the extent permitted by law. Only selected members of the study team will see your responses. No one from your Early Head Start program will see your individual responses. We will only report the results for center directors as a group and your name will never be associated with or identified in study reports. Using the login ID and password ensures that your responses will be protected.

We encourage you to complete the survey online at:

SURVEY URL

LOGIN ID: XXXXXX

PASSWORD: XXXXXX

If you do not have the chance to complete your survey online before we visit your center for other study activities, you can answer the survey questions in person during our visit. You do not have to take part in this survey. If at any point you decide not to continue in the study, that is okay. There are no direct risks or benefits to participating.

We have a Certificate of Confidentiality from the National Institutes of Health. The Certificate helps us protect your privacy. This means no one can force the study team to give out information that identifies you, even in court. However, we may need to share your information if it shows a serious threat to you or to others, including reporting to authorities when required by law. The United States government may still request information for an audit.

Baby FACES has been given Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval by Health Media Lab Institutional Review Board. Mathematica staff are happy to answer any questions about Baby FACES and to help you in any way you need. If you have questions about completing this survey or need technical assistance, please call the survey operations center at 833-763-2178; if you have questions about the study or your rights as a research participant, please ask for Laura Kalb, the survey director. For questions about the upcoming visit, please contact LIAISON at [LIAISON PHONE or LIAISON EMAIL]. To learn more about Baby FACES, visit the study website at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/research/project/early-head-start-family-and-child-experiences-study-baby-faces.

Thank you in advance for your help with this important research!

Sincerely,

[NAME]

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

The described collection of information is voluntary. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is 0970-0354 and the expiration date is 09/30/2019.

APPENDIX C.11

CENTER DIRECTOR REMINDERS

This page has been left blank for double sided copying.

Center Director Survey Reminder Email

Format: Email

Subject: Reminder to complete the center director survey for Baby FACES

Dear [FIRST NAME] [LAST NAME],

Thank you again for your center’s participation in the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (Baby FACES) study. This is a friendly reminder to log in and complete the web survey of center directors. This study is funded by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Your participation in this study is voluntary and your input will give ACF important information about Early Head Start programs and centers, their staff, and the children and families they serve.

We encourage you to complete the survey online at:

SURVEY URL

LOG-IN ID: XXXXXX

PASSWORD: XXXXXX

The survey will take about 30 minutes to complete. You may save your responses at any point and return to the survey later. If you have any questions or need help with the survey, please contact our survey operations center at [PHONE].

Thank you in advance for your help with this important research!

Sincerely,

[NAME]

Center Director Survey Reminder phone call script

Hello, this is [LIAISON NAME] calling about the Baby FACES survey you received. I’m following up to see if you have any questions or if you have been having any difficulties logging in to complete the web survey. I’m happy to talk you through the process of completing the survey online, or to provide any credentials you may have misplaced. Please give me a call at [PHONE NUMBER] so I can provide any assistance you need. We hope you’ll take the time to participate in this important survey, which will take about 30 minutes to complete. Thanks again for your participation and I hope to hear from you soon.

APPENDIX C.12

Parent reminder postcard

THERE’S STILL TIME TO PARTICIPATE!

The Baby FACES study is calling parents who agreed to participate in the study for a short phone survey. You will receive $25 for completing this survey about your experiences with your Early Head Start program and filling out a short booklet about your child.

Your experiences matter! The study is ending soon and we want to hear from you.

Please call us toll-free at 833-763-2178 to set up a time to do the survey over the phone or request another copy of the booklet. We’ll continue to try reaching you (look out for our call from a 520 area code).

Thank you for your time and help!

1 If in-person visits are not possible due to COVID-19 restrictions we will conduct the survey by telephone.

2 If we do not visit your program in person, we can complete this interview over the phone.