National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment Resource Library

This webinar by Grantmakers for Education explored how to use an asset frame in creating positive out-of-school-time spaces for youth from populations that are often marginalized. It included panelists from the National Urban League, the Wallace Foundation, the Chicago Urban Institute, Wellesley College, the Cheyenne Youth Project, and Maven Youth. It includes two program examples as well as feedback from Wellesley College interviews and focus groups with youth about equity issues.  This resource supports equity.

This report builds on previously published data on the needs of family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) care to provide recommendations to sustain this important source of care beyond the pandemic. It outlines the need to increase funding for FFN and to the community-based organizations that support them, especially for families and providers of color. It also recommends ensuring that training and supports are culturally and linguistically appropriate. Many state examples are provided.  

This guide by the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations provides coaches with a reflective tool to examine program practices through a lens of culturally responsive practice and to identify implicit bias. It includes coach reflection questions, a way to identify issues and provide feedback, resources, and tips on working through resistance. While this tool is designed for Pyramid Model coaches and for early childhood, the reflection questions can be helpful both for afterschool staff and for coaches to strengthen culturally responsive practice. This resource supports equity.

This easy-to-understand booklet reviews the federal laws on inclusion and what they require and prohibit. It clarifies who qualifies for protection under these laws and examines how the laws apply to an OST program. It  assesses the need for case-by-case assessments, reasonable accommodations, and communication access. It also includes tips and information on when accommodations are not “reasonable.”  This resource supports equity.

This toolkit by the Child Care State Capacity Building Center provides extensive resources and links to help programs create an emergency preparedness plan. It is divided into four sections for before, during, and after a disaster, plus additional resources. The information is presented in a question and answer format with resources and links for each section. For more information on this topic, also see the NCASE Toolkit on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery at: https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/ncase-resource-library/ost-emergency-preparedness-response-and-recovery-toolkit This resource supports resilience. This resource supports the COVID-19 response.

The National Conference of State Legislatures provides this toolkit on youth homelessness to support the estimated 4.2 million youth and young adults who experience homelessness each year. 700,000 of those youth are unaccompanied minors and the risk factors include family conflict, sexual orientation or sexual activity, school problems, and/or substance abuse. The toolkit includes sections on causes and consequences, definitions, federal policy, state legislative action, and a rich array of resources.  

This brief addresses how to leverage afterschool time for preparing students for a career from career awareness activities for K-6, and then career exploration, career preparation and career training for middle school and high school youth. It includes numerous city and national examples and recommendations to strengthen career readiness in afterschool. 

This Office of Child Care (OCC) webpage lists all of the OCC resources on comprehensive background checks. It includes resources on background check basics and requirements, implementation, tribal resources, fingerprinting, technical assistance, and links to webinars.  

This powerpoint presentation highlights information about comprehensive background check requirements for the Child Care Development Fund. It reviews what national, in-state, and inter-state background checks are mandatory. It also spells out what types of staff positions require the checks, which must be conducted prior to employment and at least every 5 years afterwards, and when a person is ineligible for employment by a child care provider. The one-page infographic that highlights the required national and state-based background checks can be downloaded separately.

This brief is based on a review of selected states’ school-age childcare licensing requirements.  It draws on a scan of state childcare licensing regulations conducted by the Afterschool Alliance; it also includes information from the National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment (NCASE).  The brief offers state childcare licensing agencies a list of key considerations for creating school-age licensing requirements that meaningfully address school-age needs in areas including:

• Staff Qualifications and Professional Development Requirements
• Age-Appropriate Health and Safety Training
• Developmentally Appropriate Programming

This resource is available in Spanish.