Accreditation Report 2007

Since 1982, the Respite Center has participated in the City of Madison’s voluntary accreditation process which supports and promotes high quality child care and early education. Each year, a specially trained professional spends many hours observing our program, evaluating the way child care staff respond to children and how they handle situations. The following comments are from the most recent Respite Center Child Care Program Accreditation Report from February 2007.

Strengths:

"The Respite Center is a very special place. Child Care Specialists as a team are available 24/7 to provide a safe, warm, and nurturing environment for children. Children who enter the center are greeted in ways that match their own levels of confidence, security and comfort. Staff members appear to have a special ability to quickly assess just how much adult attention a child is ready for and how much child space is needed. This is a unique ability that is essential for this type of care."
"Child Care Specialists patiently interpret and acknowledge the nonverbal and verbal signals that children provide. An infant is quickly comforted and appropriately encouraged to engage in an activity. A toddler is given words to express feelings, wants, and needs. Verbal children are helped to appropriately express feelings, wants, and needs."
"There is an overriding openness in all adult-child interactions. Child Care Specialists approach some situations with a gentle humor that reflects acceptance and support. Playfulness abounds, whether at a ‘tea party’, costume extravaganza, game of hide and seek, board games, movie time, craft projects, adults and children giggle, and relate."
"Rules and limits are basic and clear. Some of the existing physical barriers establish boundaries for certain activities. Child Care Specialists are quick to move around the space to provide oversight and gentle control through ‘presence’. When redirection or clarity of a limit is needed, it is done quickly and respectfully. Some behavior that might be limited in other environments is allowed when it provides some release for the child, but it is quickly followed with the introduction of more appropriate choices."
"Child Care Specialists are interested in supporting children’s special needs that fall outside the normal range. There exists an understanding that each child brings a combination of normal developmental needs and unique needs tied to individual situations and development. The children who come to the Respite Center are first children and then children in need of specialized care."
"Family Service Workers are usually the first contact for families. New families are queried regarding specific need and how the family believes the center can help them. Family Service Workers try to isolate specific issues that relate to a family’s need for care. In talking with workers it is clear that there is a strong underlying sense of caring and respect for parents and caregivers. The child(ren) may be a focus but the overall family dynamics and sets of needs are respected and carefully considered."
"Child Care Specialists field care inquiries when Family Service Workers are not on site forwarding calls and providing information regarding when a worker will be in the office to do intake, etc. These calls are handled with respect and care. There is a welcoming tone in the response to the inquiry."
"When parents, caregivers, and children arrive at the center they are greeted and made to feel welcome. Adults receive the attention they need as children are moved into the program space. Staff appear relaxed as they welcome the newcomers and try to personalize their greetings. Anyone new to the center receives a mini tour and has questions answered regarding procedures, schedule, etc."
"Sensitive issues are handled with respect for confidentiality. Child Care Specialists appear to be careful about sharing sensitive information when an observer or volunteer is present."

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