Zionsville child care center Small Blessings was one of four child care centers in the state who recently received the top accreditation level from the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. The Paths to QUALITY system phased in by FSSA beginning in January 2008 is a free and voluntary system designed to enhance the quality of care in child care centers around the state.

Krystal Hitchcock, Paths to QUALITY specialist for The Child Care Resource Network, said the system has significantly improved the state of Indiana child care. “It’s been so successful for both providers and families in terms of bringing up the quality of care,” she said. Small Blessings director Lee Ann Balta, who opened Small Blessings in 2002, enrolled in the system this past January.

“It comes in and recognizes all child care providers whether they’re at home, they’re at a church, or at a child care center, not where they fall politically,” she said. Balta said certain daycares don’t fall under government regulation, specifically churches and part-time daycares. Paths to QUALITY is a way to “even the playing field,” she said.

Paths to QUALITY has four levels of recognition: minimum health and safety regulations, child environment, curriculum and also national accreditation, the top honor. Small Blessings was only one of four other child care centers in the state that received the accreditation. According to FSSA’s Web site, 1,468 child care providers have enrolled in the program, which benefits 54,147 children in Indiana. Paths to QUALITY has also rated 470 providers and handed out $366,750 in awards and other incentives. Small Blessings received a $1,500 check that will fund staff training and development.

Hitchcock said Small Blessings has been very involved in the Paths system. “I know that they have utilized all available resources to them; any help that’s been offered,” Hitchcock said, noting they have attended both the mentor program and many training sessions. Curriculum director Todd Deckard said a major focus of the center’s education is interesting, hands-on work. “We want to make sure they don’t have academic burnout before they get to first grade; they don’t think learning is a drag,” he said. An example of the interactive learning environment, Deckard said, are the eight- to 10-week studies they do according to the interests of the children. Apples, for instance, would include taking a field trip to an orchard, sampling different kinds of apples and charting how much the children like them as well as their different tastes.

“Parents are really worried, as they should be, about their children coming to grade school and being equipped,” Deckard said.

Balta said she felt “validated” when she found out about the accreditation from Paths to QUALITY. “This type of care, it does cost a lot more money than when you’re doing just minimum health and safety requirements,” she said. “A center like ours doesn’t actually make a profit. At least we have a program that is of the highest quality.”

Child care centers wishing to enroll in the Paths to QUALITY system can contact Krystal Hitchcock at khitchcock@thechildcarenetwork.org.