Parent Aware Redesign FAQs

Yes. The Parent Aware Redesign will address barriers to participation in the Parent Aware Quality Rating and Improvement System. More information on licensing changes can be found here, and the Provider Hub information can be found here. 

In 2021, the state engaged in efforts to better understand and address inequities within Parent Aware. As part of this effort, the department collaborated with Parent Aware partners through the Parent Aware Racial Equity Action Plan workgroup and engaged with hundreds of child care programs across the state to identify and report on barriers and to create a plan for improvement.

Guided by the recommendations made in March 2022, with the Parent Aware Racial Equity Action Plan, the Parent Aware Equity Engagement Report and the Parent Aware Equity Report, we held a series of targeted engagement events between summer 2023 and summer 2024. These public engagements brought together Parent Aware Ambassadors representing the individuals most impacted by barriers to participation in Parent Aware. 

As part of the Parent Aware Redesign, the department also evaluated how well Parent Aware supports positive outcomes for children, families and the early care and education workforce. This evaluation was required by law, began in March 2022, and was completed in September 2024. It focused on outcomes for children, quality of programs, parents’ experiences, and child care providers' ability to serve children. Learn more about the evaluation from Child Trends here.

Through revisions to Parent Aware standards, policies, practices and programming, Parent Aware Redesign will:

Goal 1: Minimize the exclusion of children from Parent Aware-participating programs, especially for children experiencing disparities based on race, ethnicity, language, immigration status, dis/ability, gender, geography and income, by promoting culturally relevant and developmentally appropriate practices in Rated programs.

Goal 2: Remove barriers and increase support to promote successful provider participation in Parent Aware, particularly for communities that have not historically participated or remained in the program.

Goal 3: Increase access to early child care and education workforce supports for early educators in Parent Aware-participating programs, especially for providers and educators who have experienced barriers related to their race, ethnicity, language, immigration status, dis/ability, gender and/or geography.

Goal 4: Intentionally and continuously improve the relevancy of Parent Aware program standards, policies, practices and programming, particularly centering the values and needs of families, educators and providers who have experienced barriers related to their race, ethnicity, language, immigration status, dis/ability, gender, geography and/or income.

Goal 5: Promote safe and inclusive early care and learning environments for children, families and educators by embedding concepts of racial equity, cultural agility and anti-bias into required professional development offerings and support for Parent Aware-participating programs.

These goals were adopted by the Parent Aware Redesign Leadership Team, June 2024.

The Redesign aims to better serve early educators who have experienced barriers to Parent Aware related to their race, ethnicity, language, immigration status, dis/ability, gender and/or geography. By making targeted improvements for early educators that are informed by robust community engagement and evaluation, we know that families and children in Parent Aware participating programs will also benefit.

The Parent Aware Redesign decisions will largely be based on three factors: 1) the public recommendations from those with lived experience; 2) an analysis of what is feasible; and 3) which recommendations are most closely aligned with the five overarching goals of the Redesign.

The goal is to make changes to the Parent Aware System that are rooted in the Parent Aware Racial Equity Action Plan, the Parent Aware Equity Engagement Report, the Parent Aware Equity Report, the findings of the Parent Aware Evaluation, and from recommendations directly from parents, early educators and Child Care Aware staff and partners, in the Parent Aware System. The Redesign is broken out into five projects: Rating Pathways, Coaching and Advising, Reducing Suspensions and Expulsions, Addressing Incidents of Racial Bias and Discrimination, and Revising the Standards and Indicators. Each project is engaging the public through the Parent Aware Ambassadors and the Parent Aware Advisory Committee. 

The Parent Aware Redesign began in 2022 with a situation analysis, project selection, and public engagement with early educators and child care providers. In 2023 along with those working in the Child Care Aware system, and the Parent Aware Advisory Committee, over 300+ Parent Aware Ambassadors were recruited to give input on Parent Aware Standards and Indicators, Rating pathways and cohorts, coaching and advising, addressing racial bias and discrimination incidents, and the Develop database. In 2024 the Parent Aware Advisory Committee and 300+ Parent Aware Ambassadors were again recruited to give input through discussion sessions, surveys and focus groups. The department is testing some of the ideas put forth from public engagement by conducting pilots and by conducting additional engagement on Standards and Indicators, ideas for revisions to the Parent Aware framework, and on supports to early educators to reduce early childhood suspensions and expulsions. 

The Parent Aware Redesign recommendations will be shared in December 2024. Implementation of decisions will be introduced in 2026.