B16a USDA Endorsement Letter_English

OMB #: 0584-####

Expiration Date: XX-XX-XXXX

B16a. USDA Endorsement Letter--English

[Date]

Dear [Child Care Professional]:

As you know, family child care homes serve a distinct role in the demanding child care market by offering flexible hours and serving smaller numbers of children and mixed ages. They are an integral part of the child care environment. The Food program, or the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), also plays a significant role in supporting the health and wellness of children by reimbursing providers for nutritious meals served to eligible children in their care. Prior studies have shown that family child care home participation in the Food Program has been declining for over a decade. We want to understand why family child care home providers are leaving the program and the challenges providers face in participating in the Food Program.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has contracted with Westat to conduct the Family Child Care Home (FCCH) Provider Experience Survey to examine these questions among family child care home providers who are currently participating in the Food Program and those who previously participated in the program.

The objectives of this survey are to:

1. Identify and describe the reasons why family child care home providers discontinue their participation in the Food Program;

2. Determine and describe program statutory and regulatory requirements, operational and financial considerations, and Federal, State, and local specifics frequently cited as burdensome; and

3. Gather and summarize recommendations from family child care home providers on how to reduce barriers or challenges to participation.

The survey will be sent to more than 5,300 family child care homes across the country. Data will be collected between February and June 2023.

Sampled providers are strongly encouraged to participate per Section 28 of the National School Lunch Act, which states institutions participating in the child nutrition programs authorized under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 are required to cooperate with the USDA and its contractors conducting evaluation and research. Your participation is critical to the survey’s success.

If you have any questions about the study, please contact the study team toll free at [study phone] or email [study email].

Sincerely,

---insert signature image here---

[Name]

[Title]

This information is being collected to assist the Food and Nutrition Service in understanding the decrease in CACFP participation among family child care home providers. This is a voluntary collection and FNS will use the information to provide technical assistance and inform program improvements to support family child care home participation in CACFP. This collection does not request any personally identifiable information under the Privacy Act of 1974. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-[xxxx]. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 0.0501 hours (3 minutes) per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22306 ATTN: PRA (0584-xxxx). Do not return the completed form to this address.