Skip to main content

Self-Study: FCCH & CLIAR


This page is dedicated to Family Child Care Home (FCCH) Providers, including Centers Located in a Residence (CLIAR). The self-study process offers an opportunity to pause and take a closer look at your program through intentional reflection and planning. It supports continued growth by helping align what you already have in place with practices that further enhance the experiences and development of the children in your care.

This page outlines the self-study process and its purpose, providing tools to support progress, all of which align with NC Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 .3204. As of February 1, 2025, the Third Edition of the FCCERS is used for rated license assessments.


 




Why is Self-Study Important for FCCH? 

Every group of children and learning environment is unique. Self-study enables providers to adapt their planning and teaching to the specific needs of the children they serve. With busy schedules, self-study provides the flexibility needed for learning, allowing providers to focus on areas that matter most for their programs. 

Initially, review the documents below to gather more information about the requirements, how to prepare, and to learn more about developing an intentional plan for the self-study. 



Getting Started

Getting started may feel overwhelming and there may be uncertainty about where to begin. As a family child care home provider, we understand your time is valuable and limited. First, it is most important to have the FCCERS-3 to read and refer to during the self-study.

Check out this document for additional thoughts on getting started. 

 

To make the most of your time, we created a series of short videos to guide you through getting started and understanding the requirements. There is a video for each step in the process. 

   Video Series "An Introduction to Self-Study Focused on the Enviornment Rating Scales" 



The Self-Study Process

Self-study follows a clear order, but some steps may overlap. For example, you might start reflecting while you are still gathering information and that's okay! What matters most is staying thoughtful and focused as you move through the process. 

Initial Self-Assessment

When thinking about where to start, consider an approach that begins with gathering information about current situations and what you would like to prioritize. 

Ask yourself: 

  • What is important to me as I think about my program, values, and priorities? 
  • Where and how do I spend most of my time during the day? Is this in line with what I value and prioritize? 
  • How and where am I going to document my self-assessment? What tools will I use? 

 

This step is when to complete either of the "Thinking More" worksheets listed under option 1, or if you have had an outreach assessment you may decide to use the report and the form listed under option 2.  This is the step where you will gather the information needed to move forward.  

                     Documentation for this step is required.

Reflection

After collecting some data on the current program practices, it's time to think about your findings and review the FCCERS-3 to think about the various items, indicators, and requirements. 

Begin to think about the following: 

  • Identify areas that are working well
  • What areas would you like to focus on making changes or improvements?
  • Are there areas where you may need additional training or support? 

You can also begin to think about and/or research resources you have or know about that could be helpful (e.g., websites, webinars related to the topic, etc.). There are also many options for documentation as you reflect and look towards the next step. 

   Resources:


Creating a Plan of Action

Once an area has been identified to focus on, it's time to create a plan of action. This plan includes brainstorming ideas, figuring out how to make changes that are important and breaking these down into steps or a list, and being realistic about the number of tasks to plan for at the same time. Some tasks may be smaller and easier to change and implement, while others may take more time.

When creating a plan of action think about: 

  • What is your goal? It's OK if there is more than one.
  • What action steps do you need to accomplish to meet the goal? 
  • How long will each action step take to complete? 
  • What do you need to do to ensure your plans are carried out and your changes are made? 

In this step, documenting the answers to these questions will help you keep track of progress and changes as they happen. 


Implementing A Plan of Action

As you get ready to implement the action steps, remember not everything is an easy fix and not all plans are successful the first time around. It can take time and consistency before some positive changes become visible. You may need to consider changing strategies or adjust along the way and always keep in mind that change doesn't happen overnight, it takes time.

During this phase, ask yourself these questions: 

  • How is implementation going? 
  • What plans worked and which ones should be tweaked? 
  • How do you know growth was achieved? 
  • Did you have any obstacles arise that you did not initially plan for? How will you handle those in the future? 

   Resources:

When this step is complete, it would be great to go back to Self-Assessment and select a new area to focus on. Remember, self-study is a cycle so keep the momentum going!



Finishing Up Your Self-Study Process

When you near the end of your 3-month self-study process and are finishing up your the process, prepare for your DCDEE Child Care Consultant's visit. Gather the self-assessment option you completed for step 1 and complete the verification form. 



7475 views