The Role of Licensing in Early Care and Education (TRLECE)

OMB# 0970-0356 Expiration: XX/XX/XXXX

Instrument 1: Licensing Administrator Survey to Prepare for Front-Line Staff Data Collection

Understanding the Role of Licensing in Early Care and Education (TRLECE):

Licensing administrator survey to prepare for front-line staff data collection

Front Line Staff Information

We are preparing to conduct a national survey of front-line child care licensing staff—the first of its kind - to help us better understand the licensing workforce, which plays an important role in the child care and early education system. By front-line child care licensing staff we mean individuals who routinely conduct licensing inspections of licensed child care programs. They may have other responsibilities as well, as long as one of their jobs is to routinely conduct licensing inspections.

The Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This collection of information is voluntary and will be used to gather information regarding child care and early education (CCEE) licensing members’ work schedules and contact information to prepare for a national survey of front-line CCEE licensing staff. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. 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 and expiration date for this collection are OMB #: 0970-0356, Exp: XX/XX/XXXX. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to Kelly Maxwell, kmaxwell@childtrends.org or Child Trends, 1516 Franklin Street, Suite 205, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, Attention: Kelly Maxwell.

To prepare for this survey, we are requesting some information to help us understand the work environment for the front-line child care licensing staff in your state. We are also requesting their names and contact information (work phone number and work email address) so that we can invite them to participate in our survey. We will not share their information with any other party. Once contacted, each front-line child care licensing staff member will have the right to decline participation. We will not share any individual information back to you, including whether or not they responded.

1. What is the total number of individuals in your state who work as front-line child care licensing staff? Remember, by front-line child care licensing staff we mean individuals who routinely conduct licensing inspections of licensed child care programs. They may have other responsibilities as well, as long as one of their jobs is to routinely conduct licensing inspections.

Please count those who work part-time or full-time and those who are employees or contractors.

_______ (dropdown of numeric options)

2. What best describes the employment of the front-line child care licensing staff in your state?

   1. State government employees

   2. County government employees

   3. Private contractors

   4. CCR&R employees

   5. Other (specify) _______________

3. Do front-line child care licensing staff in your state have a regularly scheduled day on which they do not travel (e.g., reserved for administrative tasks)?

   1. Yes

   2. No

4. [If yes to 3] When is the “no travel” day? (open-ended)

5. What type(s) of telephones do front-line child care licensing staff in your state have?

   1. Office phone (yes/no)

   2. Work cell phone (yes/no)

   3. Personal cell phone that they use for work (yes/no)

   4. Other (specify) __________________________ (yes/no)

6. [If yes to 6a] Does the office phone have voicemail?

   1. Yes

   2. No

7. [If yes to 6b] Does the work cell phone have voicemail?

   1. Yes

   2. No

8. [If yes to 6b] Can front-line child care licensing staff receive text messages to their work cell phone?

   1. Yes

   2. No

9. [If yes to 6c] Does the personal cell phone that they use for work have voicemail?

   1. Yes

   2. No

10. [If yes to 6c] Can front-line child care licensing staff receive text messages to the personal cell phone that they use for work?

    1. Yes

    2. No

11. What is the best time of day to call the front-line child care licensing staff in your state? Please answer thinking of times in your own time zone.

    1. Morning (9-11am)

    2. Midday (11am-1pm)

    3. Afternoon (1-5pm)

    4. Evening (5p-7pm)

    5. Not sure/time varies by staff

12. Do front-line licensing staff receive texts about work (e.g., from licensing team, providers)?

    1. Yes

    2. No

    3. Don’t know

13. Can you provide names and contact information for front-line child care licensing staff in your state at this time?

    1. Yes

    2. No

14. [If no to 14] Is there someone else whom we should ask for the contact information of front-line child care licensing staff in your state?

    1. Yes

    2. No

15. [If yes to 15] Who is that person? _________________

What is their role? _________________
What is the best contact information for this person? _________________

[If yes to 14] Please upload a document or enter text below with the names and contact information for all front-line child care licensing staff in your state/territory. As a reminder, by front-line staff who routinely conduct licensing inspections of licensed child care programs. They may have other responsibilities as well, as long as one of their jobs is to routinely conduct licensing inspections. If possible, please include each person’s first and last name, all work phone numbers, and work email address. Please specify what type of phone is associated with each number (e.g., cell-phone, office phone). You can upload a file in any format (Word, Excel, .pdf).

1. Upload link

2. Text box

If you would like to discuss this request, have questions – or to suggest an alternative means of sharing the information – please click here and someone from our team will contact you.

[If no to 15] We understand that you may not have the needed information or may want more information before sharing it. Someone from our team will contact you to answer your questions or find an alternative. Or please call or text us at [Phone number] or contact us by email at [Study specific email address].

END OF SURVEY

Thank you for your help!