Individuals and Households Respondents

D1. Recruitment Website

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OMB Number: 0584-0669 Expiration Date: 10/31/2024

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II

Recruiting Website

April 19, 2021

The following pages represent individual webpages that study participants will be able to access on the recruiting website. Sample groups will be given passcodes to allow them to access both general study information as well as specific information related to their role in the study. For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is collecting this information to understand the nutritional quality of CACFP meals and snacks, the cost to produce them, and dietary intakes and activity levels of CACFP participants. This is a voluntary collection and FNS will use the information to examine CACFP operations. The collection does request personally identifiable information under the Privacy Act of 1974. Responses will be kept private to the extent provided by law and FNS regulations. 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 0584-0669. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 0.4389 hours (26 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 22314.

This page has been left blank for double sided copying.

Outline of Website Content (Website Crosswalk)

Page	Examples of Content
A. Home Page	Note: The study name and logo will appear on all pages with a hyperlink back to the home page. The floating links will also appear on all pages. Home Page (A) Links States (C) Sponsors (D) Center-Based Providers (E) Family Child Care Homes (FCCHs) (F) Parents/Guardians (G) Youth (H) Onsite point-of-contact (POC) (L) What is the Study about? Reason for the Study Study Schedule Support for SNACS-II About Mathematica Floating links SNACS-II Data Collection (B1) Letters of Support/Endorsement (B2) Contacts and Technical Support (B3) Frequently Asked Questions (B4)
B. All Pages	SNACS-II Data Collection (B1) Letters of Support/Endorsement (B2) Contacts and Technical Support (B3) Frequently Asked Questions (B4)
C. State Page	State Landing page (C1) Why is it important for States to participate? What does State participation entail? Instructions on uploading data files Link to Reference Guide for sample frame data files (C2) Link to State Data File Template Link to securely upload data files Link to summary of other participation for States (C3) Link to State FAQs (C4) Reference Guide for Sample Frame Data Files (C2) Summary of other participation for States (C3) State FAQs (C4)

Page	Examples of Content
D. Sponsor Page	Sponsor Landing Page (D1) Why is it important for sponsors to participate? What does sponsor participation entail? Link to Summary of provider and family participation (D2) Link to Sponsor FAQs (D4) Link to About the Provider Survey (I1) Link to About the Menu Survey (J1) Link to About the Cost Interview and forms (K1) Link to Sponsor Confirmation of Enrollment (D3) Summary of Provider and Family Participation (D2) Sponsor Confirmation of Enrollment (D3) Sponsor FAQs (D4)
E. Center-Based Provider Page	Center Landing Page (E1) Why is it important for providers to participate? What does provider participation entail? What does participation of parents/guardians and infants, children, and teens from my center entail? Link to Center FAQs (E2) Link to About the Provider Survey (I1) Link to About the Menu Survey (J1) Link to About the cost interviews and forms (K1) Link to Center Confirmation of enrollment (E3) Center FAQs (E2) Center Confirmation of Enrollment (E3)
F. FCCH Provider Page	FCCH Landing Page (F1) Why is it important for family child care providers (FCCHs) to participate? What does FCCH participation entail? What does participation of parents/guardians, infants, and children from my FCCH entail? Link to Additional Assistance for FCCHs (F2) Link to FCCH Confirmation of Enrollment (F3) Link to FCCH FAQs (F4) Link to About the Provider Survey (I1) Link to About the Menu Survey (J1) Additional Assistance for FCCHs (F2) What types of additional assistance are available? What do I need to do to get additional assistance? Link to FCCH FAQs (F4) FCCH Confirmation of Enrollment (F3) FCCH FAQs (F4)

Page	Examples of Content
G. Parent/Guardian Page	Parent/Guardian Page (G1) Why should I participate? Why should my child participate? How to take part in the study Data collection at your child’s provider Link to About the Parent Interview (G2) Link to Parent of an Infant Participant (G3) Link to Parent of a Child Participant (G4) Link to Parent of a Youth Participant (G5) About the Parent Interview (G2) About the Parent Interview Rights as a Participant Parent of an Infant Participant (G3) Parent of a Child Participant (G4) Parent of a Youth Participant (G5)
H. Youth Page	Youth Page (H1) Why should I participate in this study? What would I need to do? What about my privacy? Your rights as a participant Frequently Asked Questions
I. About the Provider Survey	About the Provider Survey (I1) About the Provider Survey Reference Guide for the Provider Survey
J. About the Menu Survey	About the Menu Survey (J1) About the Menu Survey Reference Guide for the Menu Survey
K. About the Cost Interviews and Forms	About the Cost Interviews and Forms (K1) About the Cost Interviews and Forms Reference Guide for the Cost Interviews and Forms
L. Resources for onsite Point-of- contact (POC)	Onsite POC Page (L1) Summary Your Role Link to Onsite POC Roles and Responsibilities Guide (L2) Link to Onsite POC How-To Steps (L3) Onsite POC Roles and Responsibilities Guide (L2) Onsite POC How-To Steps (L3)

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Links/tabs:

States

Sponsors

Center- Based Providers

Family Child Care Homes (FCCHs)

Parents/ Guardians

Youth

Onsite point- of- contact (POC)

What is the Study about?

Child care centers, family child care homes, and before and after school programs participating in USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) play a critical role in supporting the health and wellness of the children they serve. For millions of American children, this is where they receive much of the nutrition, care, and socialization they need for proper growth and development. In 2010, Congress asked USDA to conduct the Study of Nutrition and Physical Activity in Child Care Settings (SNACS), the first nationally representative study of the nutrition and physical activity environment of CACFP child care programs.

USDA is now conducting the second iteration of the study, referred to as SNACS-II. The goal of SNACS-II is to provide up-to-date and nationally representative data on the:

• Nutritional quality of meals served

• Wellness policies and practices of providers

• Energy and nutrient intake of children in CACFP child care settings

• CACFP meal costs and revenues

• Observed plate waste in CACFP settings

Reason for Study

[Note to reviewers: This section will be filled with information from the second FAQ in the Study FAQs document. Final text from that document will be updated here.]

• The study aims to determine changes in the following:

  • Children’s dietary intake both in and outside of CACFP care;

• Plate waste, or food that is discarded; and

• Cost to produce meals.

Study Schedule

Spring 2022

• States provide list of sponsors and providers Fall 2022

• Recruit and enroll sponsors and providers Fall 2022-Spring 2023

• Recruit and enroll parents and youth Winter-Spring 2023

• Conduct data collection Fall 2023-Spring 2025

• Produce final study reports

About Mathematica

Mathematica is a private employee-owned research company headquartered in

Princeton, New Jersey, with nine locations nationwide. Mathematica’s mission is to improve public well-being by bringing the highest standards of quality, objectivity, and excellence to bear on the provision of information collection and analysis to our clients. Mathematica’s areas of research include early childhood, nutrition, education, and family support. For more information about Mathematica, please visit https://www.mathematica.org/.

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

SNACS-II Data Collection

Who is involved and what kind of information are we collecting?

• State agencies:

  • State agencies will provide the list of providers, their sponsors, and programs in their State. We will select Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) providers from 25 States for participation in SNACS-II. Sponsored and independent child care centers, family child care homes, Head Start centers, at-risk afterschool centers, and outside- school-hours care centers are the types of CACFP providers that will be included in the study.

• Sponsors:

  • We will work with sponsors to engage and recruit providers to participate in the study.

  • We will ask sponsors to contact providers to encourage their participation in the study. We will also contact providers directly with the sponsor’s permission.

  • Sponsors will complete surveys or interviews about the costs to operate the CACFP program.

• Providers:

  • We will work with the providers that were selected for onsite data collection to obtain information on the groups of children (including ages) and to identify an onsite point-of- contact (POC). The POC will facilitate onsite data collection by being available to answer parents’/guardians’ questions, provide more information about the study, and assist in the recruitment of parents/guardians.

  • Providers will be asked to complete a Provider Survey and a Menu Survey.

  • Providers participating in onsite data collection will be visited by trained data collectors who will conduct meal and classroom observations and height and weight assessments on sampled children (age 1 to 12 years). Parents/guardians will provide written permission for this activity.

  • Providers with infants (under age 1) will be asked to record what the infants eat and drink for one day in child care. Parents/guardians will provide written permission for this activity.

  • During visits to providers with youth (age 10 to 18 years), the youth will complete a brief hardcopy survey. Parents/guardians will provide written permission for this activity.

• Parents/guardians:

  • Parents/guardians of children (age 1 to 12 years) will complete two or three telephone interviews and will be asked to provide certain information about their children’s dietary intake and physical activity.

  • Parents/guardians will also provide permission for professional data collectors to conduct observations of their child’s meals and activities at the child care center, as well as measure their child’s height and weight. For infants (less than 1 year), parents/guardians will provide their infant’s recent weight.

  • Parents/guardians of youth (age 10 to 18 years) will complete one telephone interview to describe household characteristics.

  • Parents/guardians will be compensated for their time.

• Children (age 1 to 12 years):

  • Children will have their height and weight measured and their meals and snacks observed by trained data collectors on one day when the child is in care. Some children will have a second day of meals and snacks observed when the child is in care. Children can choose not to participate.

  • The data collector will have minimal physical contact with children and will never be alone with them.

• Youth (age 10 to 18 years):

  • Youth will complete a brief, hardcopy survey about their food and physical activity experiences. Parents/guardians will provide written permission for this activity.

  • Youth will receive a gift for their time.

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Thank you for taking part in this very important study!

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

SNACS-II is supported by several organizations including:

• [Name of Organization 1] link to website of organization

o [LINK TO LETTER OF SUPPORT]

• [Name of Organization 2] link to website of organization

o [LINK TO LETTER OF SUPPORT]

• [Etc.]

USDA encourages your participation in SNACS-II. Click here to read USDA’s letter: [LINK TO LETTER]

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

If you need assistance, you can contact the SNACS-II study team by phone at [INSERT TOLL-FREE NUMBER] (toll-free) or email us at [INSERT EMAIL ADDRESSS].

You may also complete the form below and we will contact you within one business day:

Name Email*

Reason for Contact (select one)*

General Inquiry Technical Issue or Support Other Message*

SUBMIT

*Required field

Submitted messages will be sent to the study’s email inbox and the Study Management System (SMS).

SNACS-II Study Team [NAME 1] [EMAIL] [NAME 2] [EMAIL] [NAME 3] [EMAIL]

SNACS-II Technical Support Team [NAME 1] [EMAIL] [NAME 2] [EMAIL] [NAME 3] [EMAIL]

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Note to reviewers: The content of this page will correspond with the Study FAQs in Appendix C5. The final draft of this page will include the approved text from the Study FAQs.

Frequently Asked Questions

[FILL CONTENT FROM STUDY FAQS DOCUMENT]

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Why is it important for States to participate?

• Your participation will ensure that a representative sample of CACFP providers is included in the study and is part of the data that are used to make improvements to the CACFP program.

• Your participation will help support the USDA’s mission to improve the quality of meals and activity in child care centers.

What does State participation entail?

• State agencies are asked to provide the list of CACFP providers, and their sponsors and programs, in your State.

  • Provider types include: sponsored child care centers, independent child care centers, family child care homes, Head Start centers, at-risk afterschool care centers, and outside-school-hours care centers.

• We will sample providers from the list that your agency provides for participation in the SNACS-II study.

Instructions on uploading data files:

[INSERT SCREENSHOTS AND STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS]

See Also:

<Click here to view/download the Reference Guide for sample frame data files (C2)>

<Click here to view State Data File Template>

<Click here to securely upload data files>

<Click here for a summary of other participation for States (C3)>

<Click here for State FAQs (C4)>

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Summary:

   1. This request asks for:

      1. A complete list of all child care providers (and their sponsors) participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) for your State, as reported to FNS on Form 44 in March 20XX.

2. A complete list of all sponsor organizations and the number of meals claimed in March 20XX.

3. For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

2. Regarding the list of child care providers:

   1. We use this list to randomly sample CACFP child care providers (sponsored child care centers, independent child care centers, Head Start centers, family child care homes, at- risk afterschool centers and outside-school-hours child care centers) and their sponsors for the SNACS-II.

2. If feasible, do not include adult care centers, homeless shelter providers, drop-in only centers or emergency shelters.

3. The list should include providers, not sites within a provider/center. However, if your data file includes sites within a provider/center, they should have the same provider/center ID (making it feasible to identify sites within a provider/center).

4. The list should include the sponsor unique identifier for each sponsored center. This must be the same unique identifier in the sponsor list to facilitate linking providers/centers to sponsors.

5. The data reported should match data reported to FNS on Form 44 in March 20XX. Moreover, the number of records in your data file should match the number of child care provider outlets that your State reported in to FNS on Form 44 (Part B, Question 9, Column A) in March 20XX.

6. We need information on every program that a child care provider operates. The template provides space for up to 3 programs for each provider. Please feel free to edit the template as appropriate.

2. Data File Requirements:

   1. The data file(s) must be an Excel or CSV formatted text file. You can use the provided Data File Template as a guide, if you’d like.

2. If the variables listed below are available in a different existing format, please let us know. We will coordinate with you to accommodate your existing data file structure as best as possible.

3. States can submit one or multiple files that include the requested data.

4. The data file(s) with the list of child care providers should include the twenty (20) data elements listed below in Section III.

5. The data file with the list of sponsors should include the eleven (11) data elements listed below in Section IV.

6. The data files should be uploaded to our secure file transfer site, as outlined on the State page of our study website [LINK TO C1].

3. Required Data Elements for the List of Child Care Providers (also referred to as Centers):

Data Element	Suggested Variable Name	Description
1. Provider Unique identifier	P_ID	This is the ID, code or other shortcut identifier assigned by the State to each provider/center for administrative purposes. Ensure that the assigned identifier is not duplicated. If the State does not use this type of identifier, please assign a code that begins with the two (2) alpha characters of your State’s abbreviation with sequential numeric characters. For example, Maryland would use MD101, MD102, MD103 … and so on.
2. Provider Name	P_NAME	The full legal name of the child care provider.
3. Provider Address 1	P_ADRESS1	The physical street where the child care provider is located. Do not use P.O. Box addresses or the address of the sponsor organization, even if this is the mailing address.
4. Provider Address 2	P_ADRESS2	Additional address details such as suite number or floor number.
5. Provider City	P_CITY	The town or city where the child care provider is physically located.
6. Provider State	P_STATE	This should automatically be your State. The data file should list only those child care providers physically located within your State’s boundaries, regardless of the location of the sponsor organization.

Data Element	Suggested Variable Name	Description
7. Provider Zip Code	P_ZIP	The zip code for the street address where the child care provider is physically located.
8. Type of Provider	P_TTYPE	The category in which the child care provider is counted in your March 20XX report to FNS on Form 44, Part C. Valid options include: Non-profit child care provider, For-profit child care provider, Head Start, Outside-school-hours, At-risk after school, family child care home provider. Indicate only one type per provider. If the provider operates multiple programs, please include each program as a separate listing.
9. Early Head Start	P_EHS	Flag “Yes” or “1” if the provider is an Early Head Start Center.
10. Multi-Site	P_MS	Flag “Yes” or “1” if the provider has multiple sites or locations.
11. Multi-Program	P_MP	Flag “Yes” or “1” if the provider has multiple programs at a single site. For example, a provider may operate both a Head Start program and an At-risk program at the same location. In this case, we would consider these as two separate providers. If the provider operates multiple programs, please 1) include each program as a separate listing on its own row, or 2) populate the additional program detail columns in the provided template in the same row.
12. Provider Average Daily Attendance	P_ATTEND	If known, the portion of the total count of the average daily attendance for your State from this particular provider as reported in March 20XX to FNS on Form 44, Question 10, Column A.
13. Provider Primary Contact Name	P_CONTACT	The first and last name of the person with overall responsibility for the management of the child care provider’s operational activities. This is typically the center director.
14. Provider Primary Contact Phone	P_PHONE	The primary contact’s (named in #12) phone number.
15. Provider Primary Contact Email	P_EMAIL	The primary contact’s (named in #12) email address.
16. (if known) Age of youngest child served (months) or	C_AgeYm	xx months
17. (if known) Age of youngest child served (years)	C_AgeYy	xx years

Data Element	Suggested Variable Name	Description
18. (if known) Age of oldest child served	C_AgeOy	xx years
19. Sponsored provider/center?	P_SPONSOR	Indicate whether or not the center is a sponsored child care provider. Record “Yes” or “1” if the child care center operates under the umbrella of a sponsor organization, including the State agency, that assumes fiscal responsibility and provides training and monitoring to ensure that the center comply with all CACFP regulations. Record “No” or “2” if the child care center operates independently, acting as its own sponsor.
20. Sponsor Unique identifier	SP_ID	This is the ID, code or other shortcut identity assigned by the State to each sponsor organization for administrative purposes. Ensure that the assigned identifier is not duplicated. If the State does not use this type of identifier, please assign a code that begins with the two (2) alpha characters of your State’s abbreviation, followed by SP with sequential numeric characters. For example, Maryland would use MDSP101, MDSP102, MDSP103 … and so on.

4. Required Data Elements for the List of Sponsor Organizations:

Data Element	Suggested Variable Name	Description
1. Sponsor Unique identifier	SP_ID	This is the ID, code, or other shortcut identity assigned by the State to each sponsor organization for administrative purposes. Ensure that the assigned identifier is not duplicated. If the State does not use this type of identifier, please assign a code that begins with the two (2) alpha characters of your State’s abbreviation, followed by SP with sequential numeric characters. For example, Maryland would use MDSP101, MDSP102, MDSP103 … and so on.
2. Name of Sponsor Organization	SP_NAME	The full legal name of the sponsor organization.
3. Sponsor’s Number of Claimed Meals	SP_MEALS	The total number of meals claimed in March 20XX for the sponsor organization.

Data Element	Suggested Variable Name	Description
4. Sponsor Primary Contact Name	SP_CONTACT	The first and last name of person with overall responsibility for the management of the sponsor organization’s operational activities.
5. Sponsor Address 1	SP_ADDRESS1	The physical street address for where the sponsor organization is located. Do not use P.O. Box addresses.
6. Sponsor Address 2	SP_ADDRESS2	Additional address details such as suite number or floor number.
7. Sponsor City	SP_CITY	The town or city for the address of the sponsor organization.
8. Sponsor State	SP_STATE	The two character code for the State for the address of sponsor organization.
9. Sponsor Zip Code	SP_ZIP	The zip code for the address of the sponsor organization.
10. Sponsor Primary Contact Phone	SP_PHONE	The phone number for the sponsor primary contact (named in #4).
11. Sponsor Primary Contact Email	SP_EMAIL	The email address for the sponsor primary contact (named in #4).

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Note to reviewers: The content of this page is similar to parts of the “SNACS-II Data Collection” page.

From the data files that you provide, we will select providers for participation in the SNACS-II study. From the sampled providers, we will also sample children, infants, and youth, and their parents/guardians. For each participating sponsor, provider, parent, and youth, the study team will work with them in the following ways:

• Sponsors:

  • We will work with sponsors to engage and recruit providers to participate in the study.

  • We will ask sponsors to contact providers to encourage their participation in the study. We will also contact providers directly with the sponsor’s permission.

  • Sponsors will complete surveys or interviews about the costs to operate the CACFP program.

• Providers:

  • We will work with the providers that were selected for onsite data collection to obtain information on the groups of children (including ages) and to identify an onsite point-of-contact (POC). The POC will facilitate onsite data collection by being available to answer parents’/guardians’ questions, provide more information about the study, and assist in the recruitment of parents/guardians.

  • Providers will be asked to complete a Provider Survey and a Menu Survey.

  • Providers participating in onsite data collection will be visited by trained data collectors who will conduct meal and classroom observations and height and weight assessments on sampled children (age 1 to 12 years). Parents/guardians will provide written permission for this activity.

  • Providers with infants (under age 1) will be asked to record what the infants eat and drink for one day in child care. Parents/guardians will provide written permission for this activity.

  • During visits to providers with youth (age 10 to 18 years), the youth will complete a brief hardcopy survey. Parents will provide written permission for this activity.

• Parents/guardians:

  • Parents/guardians of children (age 1 to 12 years) will complete two or three telephone interviews and will be asked to provide certain information about their children’s dietary intake and physical activity.

  • Parents/guardians will also provide permission for professional data collectors to conduct observations of their child’s meals and activities at the child care center, as well as measure their child’s height and weight. For infants (less than 1 year), parents/guardians will provide their infant’s recent weight.

  • Parents/guardians of youth (age 10 to 18 years) will complete one telephone interview to describe household characteristics.

  • Parents/guardians will be compensated for their time.

• Children (age 1 to 12 years):

  • Children will have their height and weight measured and their meals and snacks observed by trained data collectors on one day when the child is in care. Some children will have a second day of meals and snacks observed when the child is in care. Children can choose not to participate.

  • The data collector will have minimal physical contact with children and will never be alone with them.

• Youth (age 10 to 18 years):

  • Youth will complete a brief, hardcopy survey about their food and physical activity experiences. Parents/guardians will provide written permission for this activity.

  • Youth will receive a gift for their time.

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Frequently Asked Questions by State Agencies Why did you select my State?

We selected your State and the others chosen for SNACS-II by chance. This is called “random selection.” It ensures the study has States with different characteristics, such as population and geographic location. Selecting States this way allows the study to reflect CACFP providers nationwide.

My State participated in SNACS-I. Why was my State selected again?

Thank you for participating in SNACS-I! SNACS-I collected data in 2017. A lot has changed with child care since then, so SNACS-II selected a new sample. Your State was selected for both SNACS-I and SNACS-II by chance.

Am I required to participate?

Under the terms of Section 28 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, institutions participating in CACFP are required to participate in this data collection. More importantly, your participation will help provide a realistic snapshot of the experiences of CACFP providers and the families they serve. This information is critical to policymakers working to support child care providers and children.

Can I participate in the selection of providers?

We will need your help with selecting providers! A member of the study team will request a list of all CACFP providers in your State for the selection process. We will choose providers from this list by chance. This ensures the providers participating in the study reflect CACFP providers nationwide.

The data requested is not available in a single file. Can I submit multiple files?

Yes. States can submit one or multiple files that include the requested data.

Can we submit the data in a different format or with different variable names than those listed in the request?

The data file(s) uploaded to the secure file transfer site must be an Excel or CSV formatted text file. We prefer that you submit the data in a file that follows the format and variable names listed in the request, as outlined in the Reference Guide for Sample Frame Data Files. However, you may use another format or different variable names, if you prefer.

Can I send the data in a manner other than the secure file transfer protocol on the study website?

No. The data file must be uploaded to the study website via the secure file transfer protocol. Please call our study team toll-free at [study number] if you need assistance.

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Why is it important for sponsors to participate?

• Your participation will ensure that a representative sample of CACFP providers is included in the study and is part of the data that are used to make improvements to the CACFP program. Your participation in the cost interviews and support of the study will ensure the findings are representative of providers nationwide.

• Your participation will help support the USDA’s mission to improve the quality of meals and activity in child care centers.

What does sponsor participation entail?

• Sponsors are asked to engage and help recruit their sampled providers to participate in the study by:

  • Notifying their sampled providers about the study

  • Giving the study permission to contact their sampled providers directly to recruit them to participate

• Sponsors will be asked to complete a survey or interview about the cost to operate their CACFP programs.

• For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

See Also:

<Link to: Summary of provider and family participation (D2)>

<Link to: Sponsor FAQs (D4)>

<Link to: About the Provider Survey (I1)>

<Link to: About the Menu Survey (J1)>

<Link to: About the Cost Interview and forms (K1)>

<Link to: Sponsor Confirmation of Enrollment (D3)> Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Note to reviewers: The content of this page is similar to parts of the “SNACS-II Data Collection” page.

We will contact your sampled providers to recruit them to participate in the SNACS-II study. From the sampled providers, we will also sample children, infants, youth, and their parents/guardians. For each participating provider, parent, child, and youth, the study team will work with them in the following ways:

• Providers:

  • We will work with the providers that were selected for onsite data collection to obtain information on the groups of children (including ages) and to identify an onsite point-of-contact (POC). The POC will facilitate onsite data collection by being available to answer parents’/guardians’ questions, provide more information about the study, and assist in the recruitment of parents/guardians.

  • Providers will be asked to complete a Provider Survey and a Menu Survey.

  • Providers participating in onsite data collection will be visited by trained data collectors who will conduct meal and classroom observations and height and weight assessments on sampled children (age 1 to 12 years). Parents/guardians will provide written permission for this activity.

  • Providers with infants (under age 1) will be asked to record what the infants eat and drink for one day in child care. Parents/guardians will provide written permission for this activity.

  • During visits to providers with youth (age 10 to 18 years), the youth will complete a brief hardcopy survey. Parents/guardians will provide written permission for this activity.

• Parents/guardians:

  • Parents/guardians of children (age 1 to 12 years) will complete two or three telephone interviews and will be asked to provide certain information about their children’s dietary intake and physical activity.

• Parents/guardians will also provide permission for professional data collectors to conduct observations of their child’s meals and activities at the child care center, as well as measure their child’s height and weight. For infants (less than 1 year), parents/guardians will provide their infant’s recent weight.

• Parents/guardians of youth (age 10 to 18 years) will complete one telephone interview to describe household characteristics.

• Parents/guardians will be compensated for their time.

• Children (age 1 to 12 years):

  • Children will have their height and weight measured and their meals and snacks observed by trained data collectors on one day when the child is in care. Some children will have a second day of meals and snacks observed when the child is in care. Children can choose not to participate.

  • The data collector will have minimal physical contact with children and will never be alone with them.

• Youth (age 10 to 18 years):

  • Youth will complete a brief, hardcopy survey about their food and physical activity experiences. Parents/guardians will provide written permission for this activity.

  • Youth will receive a gift for their time.

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings-II (SNACS-II): Confirmation of Sponsor Enrollment

Thank you for agreeing to participate in the second Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings (SNACS-II). Your participation is important and will make a difference.

Your agreement to participate means you agree to:

1. Work with the study team to encourage providers to participate in the study. This may include assisting with the recruitment of providers.

2. If needed, complete an interview about the costs to operate the CACFP program. (Note: If providers can report all the information needed for the study, this activity may not be necessary. We will follow up with you at a later time.)

A few important reminders:

• All information collected about sponsors, providers, children, and families in the study will be kept private to the fullest extent allowed by law.

• Being in the study will not affect families’ child care or any other services that families receive or may apply for in the future.

• Taking part in the study is voluntary for parents.

• For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

How to contact us:
[Recruiter Name]	[Recruiter Phone Number]	[Recruiter Email]
[INSERT Study Website]	[INSERT Study Toll Free #]	[INSERT Study Email Address]

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Frequently Asked Questions by Sponsors Why did you select my sponsor organization?

We selected child care providers by chance. This is called “random selection.” It ensures the study has centers with different characteristics, such as size, location, and types of families served. This allows the study to reflect CACFP providers nationwide. Sponsors are identified for the study based on the providers that are selected.

My organization participated in SNACS-I. Why was my organization selected again?

Thank you for participating in SNACS-I! SNACS-I collected data in 2017. A lot has changed with child care since then, so SNACS-II selected a new sample of providers. Sponsors are identified for the study based on the providers that are selected.

Am I required to participate?

Under the terms of Section 28 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, institutions participating in CACFP are required to participate in this data collection. More importantly, your participation will help provide a realistic snapshot of the experiences of CACFP providers and the families they serve. This information is critical to policymakers working to support child care providers and children.

Are there any risks or benefits to participation?

Your organization will not benefit directly from being in the study, but it will be making an important contribution by providing information on nutrition and activity in child care settings. Although there is a very small chance someone could see the information your organization provides, the study team has taken many steps to reduce this risk. For example, we store contact information separately from study data. For additional information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Can I participate in the selection of providers?

No. The study team already selected providers for the study.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Note to reviewers: Some of the content of this page is similar to parts of the “SNACS-II Data Collection” page.

Why is it important for providers to participate?

• Your participation will ensure that a representative sample of center based providers is included in the study and is part of the data that are used to make improvements to the CACFP program.

• Your participation will help support the USDA’s mission to improve the quality of meals and activity in child care centers.

• There are over 1,300 providers invited to participate who represent providers across the country. You participation will ensure that providers like yours are represented.

What does provider participation entail?

• Providers are asked to complete a web-based Provider Survey to provide information about food service operations and physical activity practices at your center. You are also asked to complete a paper-based Menu Survey to provide detailed information about the CACFP meals and snacks served to children for a one-week period.

• Providers selected for on-site observations are asked to work with the study team to identify a point-of-contact (POC) for onsite data collection. The POC will be available to answer parents’/guardians’ questions, provide more information about the study, and assist in the recruitment of parents/guardians.

• Providers selected for on-site observations are asked to provide enrollment information so the study can sample groups of infants, children, and teens, and their parents/guardians for participation in the study.

• Providers selected for on-site observations are asked to facilitate an in-person data collection visit by a professional data collector for onsite meal observations and height/weight assessments of sampled children, with their parent’s permission. The visit will be scheduled for two or three days.

• If your center is selected for on-site observations and your center cares for infants (under age 1), the person who completes the Menu Survey will also be asked to complete an Infant Menu Survey and up to five Infant Intake Forms.

• Providers selected for the cost study will be asked to participate in in-person interviews about time spent on CACFP activities and food costs. If your center is sponsored, your CACFP sponsor may also provide some of this information.

• During their visit to your center, data collectors will observe what a sample of children eat in their CACFP meals and snacks and measure their height and weight. We will ask the parents/guardians of these children to complete short telephone interviews about their household and the food their child eats while outside of care. We ask that providers encourage parents to participate in these interviews.

• Providers who care for youth ages 10 to 18 may be selected for the Food and Physical Activity Experiences Survey. Sampled youth ages 10 to 18 will be asked to complete a brief survey on paper about their experiences with food and physical activity. We will also ask the parents/guardians of these teens to complete a short telephone interview about their household. We ask that providers encourage youths and their parents to participate in these surveys.

What does participation of parents/guardians and infants, children, and teens from my center entail?

• Parents/guardians:

  • Parents/guardians of children (ages 1 to 12) will complete two or three telephone interviews and will be asked to provide certain information about their child’s dietary intake and physical activity.

  • Parents/guardians will also provide permission for professional data collectors to conduct observations of their child’s meals and activities at the child care center, as well as measure their child’s height and weight. For infants (less than 1 year), parents/guardians will provide their infant’s recent weight.

  • Parents/guardians of youth (age 10 to 18 years) will complete one telephone interview to describe household characteristics.

  • Parents/guardians will be compensated for their time.

• Children:

  • Children (ages 1 to 12) will have their height and weight measured and their meals and snacks observed by trained data collectors on one day when the child is in care. Some children will have a second day of meals and snacks observed when the child is in care. Children can choose not to participate.

  • The data collector will have minimal physical contact with children and will never be alone with them.

• Youth:

  • Youth (ages 10 to 18) will complete a brief paper survey about their dietary intake and physical activity on a day when the teen is in care. We will obtain parent/guardian permission first. Youth will receive a gift for their time.

See Also:

<Link to: Center FAQs (E2)>

<Link to: About the Provider Survey (I1)>

<Link to: About the Menu Survey (J1)>

<Link to: About the cost interviews and forms (K1)>

<Link to: Center Confirmation of enrollment (E3)>

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Frequently Asked Questions by Center-Based Providers Why did you select my center?

We selected your center and the others chosen for SNACS-II by chance. This is called “random selection.” It ensures the study has centers with different characteristics, such as size, location, and types of families served. This allows the study to reflect CACFP providers nationwide.

I participated in SNACS-I. Why was I selected again?

SNACS-I collected data in 2017. A lot has changed with child care since then, so SNACS-II selected a new sample of providers. Your center was selected for both SNACS-I and SNACS-II by chance.

Am I required to participate?

Under the terms of Section 28 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, institutions participating in CACFP are required to participate in this data collection. More importantly, your participation will help provide a realistic snapshot of the experiences of CACFP providers and the families they serve. This information is critical to policymakers working to support child care providers and children.

How long will the data collection visit take?

If your center was selected for a data collection visit, it will take one to three days depending on the planned activities. A member of the study team will work with you to schedule the visit for a convenient time.

Can I participate in the selection of parents/guardians?

If your center was selected to have families participate, we will need your help with selecting parents/guardians! A member of the study team will request a list, or roster, for the selection process. We will choose children and their parents/guardians from this list by chance. This is called “random selection.” It ensures the families participating in the study reflect families nationwide.

What are the requirements for the onsite point-of-contact (POC)?

If your center was selected to have families participate, the POC is critical to the success of the study because they are the main point of contact for the data collection visit. The POC should be detail-oriented and familiar with your center’s operations to help with recruiting parents/guardians and coordinating the visit. We will compensate the POC for their time with a $350 stipend.

What kind of information do you want to collect about families enrolled at my center?

If your center was selected to have families participate, we will ask for different kinds of information depending on the child’s age and the data collection activities in which they were selected to participate.

• We will ask parents/guardians of infants (age under 1 year) to share their infant date of birth and weight at the last medical visit and give permission for the teachers or caregivers to record the amount and types of food and beverages consumed by infants in child care on one day.

• We will ask parents/guardians of children (age 1 to 12 years) to participate in up to three telephone interviews with questions about the food their child eats outside of child care and their physical activity. We will mail parents a gift card after completing each interview. We will also ask parents their permission for professional data collectors to observe the meals and snacks served to and eaten by their child at the child care center, observe their child’s activities while at the child care center, and take height and weight measurements of their child.

• We will ask parents/guardians of youth (age 10 to 18 years) to participate in a telephone interview with questions about their household. We will mail parents a gift card after completing this interview. We will also ask parents their permission for professional data collectors to give their child a paper survey that asks questions about their physical activity and food situation. Their child will receive a small gift for completing the survey.

Are there any risks or benefits to participation?

Your organization will not benefit directly from being in the study, but it will be making an important contribution by providing information on nutrition and activity in child care settings. Although there is a very small chance someone could see the information your organization provides, the study team has taken many steps to reduce this risk. For example, we store contact information separately from study data. For additional information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

What steps will the study team take to keep children and staff safe during a data collection visit?

If your center was selected for a data collection visit, our data collection protocols are designed to minimize time spent on site. We will provide data collectors with personal protective equipment (PPE) and instruct them to wash their hands frequently. If your center was selected to have families participate, data collectors will sanitize the height and weight measurement equipment after measuring each child. Data collectors will avoid touching children.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings-II (SNACS-II) Confirmation of Center-Based Provider Enrollment

Thank you for agreeing to participate in the second Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings (SNACS-II). Your participation is important and will make a difference.

Your agreement to participate means you agree to:

1. Complete a Provider survey.

2. Complete a Menu survey.

3. In addition, your center/home may be asked to participate in additional data collection activities. For more information on your center/home’s data collection activities, please contact the study team at [study number] (toll-free) or email [study email].

A few important reminders:

• All information collected about providers, children, and families in the study will be kept private to the fullest extent allowed by law.

• Being in the study will not affect families’ child care or any other services that families receive or may apply for in the future.

• Under the terms of Section 28 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, institutions participating in CACFP are required to participate in this data collection. Taking part in the study is voluntary for parents.

• For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

How to contact us:

[URL], passcode: [passcode] [Study Phone] [Study Email]

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Note to reviewers: Some of the content of this page is similar to parts of the “SNACS-II Data Collection” page.

Why is it important for family child care homes (FCCHs) to participate?

• Your participation will ensure that a representative sample of family child care homes is included in the study and is part of the data that are used to make improvements to the CACFP program.

• Your participation will help support USDA’s mission to improve the quality of meals and activity in child care, including family child care homes.

• Over 1,300 providers are invited to participate to represent providers across the country. You participation will ensure that FCCHs are included and represented.

What does FCCH participation entail?

• FCCHs are asked to provide enrollment information so the study can sample infants and children, and their parents/guardians, for participation in the study.

• FCCHs are asked to work with the study team by answering parents’ questions, providing more information about the study, and assisting in the recruitment of parents.

• FCCHs are asked to complete the web-based Provider Survey and paper-based Menu Survey. If your home cares for infants under the age of 1, the person who completes the Menu Survey will be asked to complete an Infant Menu Survey and Infant Intake Forms. If your home is selected for an on-site visit, data collectors will visit your site for one to three days to conduct observations of physical activities, meals, and practices related to serving CACFP meals and snacks.

What does participation of parents/guardians, infants, and children from my FCCH entail?

• Parents/guardians:

  • Parents/guardians of children (ages 1 to 12) will complete two or three telephone interviews and will be asked to provide certain information about their child’s dietary intake and physical activity.

  • Parents/guardians will also provide permission for professional data collectors to conduct observations of their child’s meals and activities at the child care center,

as well as measure their child’s height and weight. For infants (less than 1 year), parents/guardians will provide their infant’s recent weight.

• Parents/guardians will be compensated for their time.

• Children:

  • Children (ages 1 to 12) will have their height and weight measured and their meals and snacks observed by a trained data collector on one day when the child is in care. Some children will have a second day of meals and snacks observed when the child is in care. Children can choose not to participate.

  • The data collector will have minimal physical contact with children, and will never be alone with them.

See Also:

<Link to: Additional Assistance for FCCHs (F2)>

<Link to: FCCH Confirmation of Enrollment (F3)

<Link to: FCCH FAQs (F4)>

<Link to: About the Provider Survey (I1)>

<Link to: About the Menu Survey (J1)>

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Additional Assistance for Family Child Care Homes What types of additional assistance are available?

SNACS-II recognizes that family child care homes (FCCHs) are unique and may need special assistance to participate in research studies. To help you and children attending your home participate in the study, the study team will provide:

• A recruitment specialist trained to work with family child care homes;

• Customized data collection schedule and activities;

• Recruiters who speak both English and Spanish;

• Materials that are available in both English and Spanish;

• Accommodations to alleviate any cost burdens for participating in the study; and

• Other accommodations as needed.

What do I need to do to get additional assistance?

Please contact the study directly at [Study Toll-Free Number] (toll-free) and ask for the family child care home recruitment specialist.

See also:

<Link to: FCCH FAQs (F4)>

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings-II (SNACS-II) Confirmation of Family Child Care Home (FCCH) Provider Enrollment

Thank you for agreeing to participate in the second Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings (SNACS-II). Your participation is important and will make a difference.

Your agreement to participate means you agree to:

1. Complete a Provider survey.

2. Complete a Menu survey.

3. In addition, your home may be asked to participate in additional data collection activities. For more information on your home’s data collection activities, please contact the study team at [study number] (toll-free) or email [study email].

A few important reminders:

• All information collected about providers, children and families in the study will be kept private to the fullest extent allowed by law.

• Being in the study will not affect families’ child care or any other services that families receive or may apply for in the future.

• Under the terms of Section 28 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, institutions participating in CACFP are required to participate in this data collection.Taking part in the study is voluntary for parents/guardians and children.

• For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

How to contact us:

[URL], passcode: [passcode] [Study Phone] [Study Email]

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Frequently Asked Questions by Family Child Care Home Operators Why did you select my family child care home (FCCH)?

We selected your FCCH and the others chosen for SNACS-II by chance. This is called “random selection.” It ensures the study has FCCHs with different characteristics, such as size, location, and types of families served. This allows the study to reflect CACFP providers nationwide.

I participated in SNACS-I. Why was I selected again?

Thank you for participating in SNACS-I! SNACS-I collected data in 2017. A lot has changed with child care since then, so SNACS-II selected a new sample of providers. Your FCCH was selected for both SNACS-I and SNACS-II by chance.

Am I required to participate?

Under the terms of Section 28 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, institutions participating in CACFP are required to participate in this data collection.More importantly, your participation will help provide a realistic snapshot of the experiences of CACFP providers and the families they serve. This information is critical to policymakers working to support child care providers and children.

How long will the data collection visit take?

If your FCCH was selected for a data collection visit, it will take one or two days depending on the planned activities. A member of the study team will work with you to schedule the visit for a convenient time.

Can I participate in the selection of parents/guardians?

If your FCCH was selected to have families participate, we will need your help with selecting parents/guardians! A member of the study team will request a list, or roster, for the selection process. We will choose children and their parents/guardians from this list by chance. This is called “random selection.” It ensures the families participating in the study reflect families nationwide.

What are the requirements for the onsite point-of-contact (POC)?

If your FCCH was selected to have families participate, an onsite POC is critical to the success of the study because they are the main point of contact for the data collection visit. The POC should be detail-oriented and familiar with your home’s operations to help with recruiting parents/guardians and coordinating the visit. We will compensate the POC for their time with a $150 stipend.

What kind of information do you want to collect about families enrolled at my FCCH?

If your FCCH was selected to have families participate, we will ask for different kinds of information depending on the child’s age and the data collection activities they were selected to participate in.

• We will ask parents of infants (under age 1) to share their infant date of birth and weight at the last medical visit and give permission for the caregivers to record the amount and types of food and beverages consumed by infants in child care on one day.

• We will ask parents of children (age 1 to 12 years) to participate in up to three telephone interviews with questions about the food their child eats outside of child care and their physical activity. We will mail parents a gift card after completing each interview. We will also ask parents their permission for professional data collectors to observe the meals and snacks served to and eaten by their child at the FCCH, observe their child’s activities while at the FCCH, and take height and weight measurements of their child.

Are there any risks or benefits to participation?

Your organization will not benefit directly from being in the study, but it will be making an important contribution by providing information on nutrition and activity in child care settings. Although there is a very small chance someone could see the information your organization provides, the study team has taken many steps to reduce this risk. For example, we store contact information separately from study data. For additional information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

What steps will the study team take to keep children and staff safe during a data collection visit?

If your FCCH was selected for a data collection visit, our data collection protocols are designed to minimize time spent on site. We will provide data collectors with personal protective equipment (PPE) and instruct them to wash their hands frequently. Data collectors will sanitize the height and weight measurement equipment after measuring each child. Data collectors will avoid touching children.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Parents and guardians, SNACS-II needs you!

Why should I participate?

The information you provide to us about your child’s food consumption, physical activity, and the programs your child participates in will help us learn more about the characteristics of children who receive meals and snacks through the CACFP. You and your child will represent many families just like yours across the country. You will play a vital role in improving the quality of child care programs for infants, children, and youth.

Why should my child participate?

Numerous research studies have associated good quality child care with positive developmental outcomes for children. By allowing your child to participate, we will be able to assess the nutritional quality of meals and snacks being served directly to your child at the child care center, family child care home, or program your child attends.

How to take part in the study

If you agree to participate, you will be asked to sign and return a Parent Consent and Permission Form. You can review and submit your consent form by clicking here: [link to consent form].

Parents/guardians of children (age 1 to 12 years) will be asked to complete two or three telephone interviews and will be asked to provide information about your child’s dietary intake and physical activity. You will be compensated for your time.

Parents/guardians of infants (under age 1) will be asked to provide your infant’s age and weight at the time of their last medical visit.

Parents/guardians of youth (age 10 to 18 years) will be asked to complete one telephone interview to describe household characteristics. You will be compensated for your time.

Data collection at your child’s provider

If you have a child (age 1 to 12 years), a professional data collector will observe your child’s meals and classroom during the time that your child is in child care. The data collector will also measure your child’s height and weight. They will be assisted by an onsite point-of-contact or center staff. They will never be alone with your child.

If you have an infant (under age 1), the caregiver or teacher will be asked to record what the infant eats and drinks for one day in child care.

If you have a youth (age 10 to 18 years), they will complete a brief, hardcopy survey about their food and physical activity experiences. Youth will receive a gift for their time.

For more information, please see the following:

Links

About the Parent Interview

Parent of an Infant Participant

Parent of a Child Participant

Parent of a Youth Participant

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

About the Parent Interview

We will invite you to complete up to three telephone interviews. The number and type of interviews that we invite you to complete will depend on which child care center your child attends and your child’s age. A member of the study team will let you know how many interviews and the compensation you will receive for each interview.

• Parent Interview A:

  • We will invite parents/guardians of children age 1 to 12 years to complete this interview.

  • This interview will take no more than 45 minutes. It has questions about:

    • Your child’s care schedule

    • The food and beverages your child consumed outside of care

    • Your child’s physical activity

    • The meals you send with your child to the child care center

    • Your household information

  • We will schedule this interview for 1 or 2 days after a professional data collector visits your child care center.

  • The recruiter will schedule time for this interview when you agree to participate.

  • This interview will focus on the day in which your child attended the child care center.

  • You will receive a $20 gift card for completing this interview.

• Parent Interview B:

  • We will invite parents/guardians of children age 1 to 12 years to complete this interview.

  • This interview will take no more than 30 minutes. It has questions about the food and beverages your child consumed outside of care.

  • At the end of Parent Interview A, the interviewer will schedule this interview for a day and time that is convenient for you.

  • This interview will focus on a day in which your child did not attend the child care center.

  • You will receive a $30 gift card for completing this interview.

• Parent Interview C:

  • We will invite 10% of parents/guardians of children age 1 to 12 years to complete this interview, depending on their child care center.

  • This interview will take no more than 30 minutes.

  • This interview will be scheduled for 2 days after Parent Interview A or within a week of Parent Interview B.

  • If you are selected, the interviewer will schedule this interview at the end of Parent Interview A or Parent Interview B. We will schedule the interview for a time that is convenient for you.

  • This interview will either focus on a day in which your child attended the child care center, or a day in which your child did not attend the child care center. You may be selected for one or the other, but not both.

  • You will receive a $30 gift card for completing this interview.

• Parent Interview D:

  • We will invite parents/guardians with a child age 10 to 18 years to complete this interview.

  • If your child is age 10 to 12 years, you will be invited to complete either Parent Interviews A-C or Parent Interview D, but not both.

  • This interview will take approximately 10 minutes. It has questions about your household.

  • An interviewer will contact you to schedule this interview for a day and time that is convenient for you.

  • You will receive a $10 gift card for completing this interview.

Rights as a Participant

These interviews are voluntary. You may skip questions or stop at any time. Participating in the Parent Interview will not affect any benefits you may receive in any way.

The information we collect will be kept private and used only for research purposes. We will not include information that identify you or your family members in any reports. The responses of all parents taking part in this study will be combined for reporting purposes.

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

What does infant participation in SNACS-II entail?

SNACS-II will examine the feeding practices, food intake and activity levels of infants while in child care. If you agree to participate:

• Providers at the child care center or family child care home your infant attends will complete a survey that provides information about the foods and drinks offered to your infant on one day.

• We will ask you to provide your infant’s age and weight at the time of their last medical visit.

<Link to go back to Parent Page>

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

What does child participation in SNACS-II entail?

SNACS-II will examine food intake and activity levels of children while they are in child care and while they are outside of child care. If you agree to participate:

A professional data collector will:

• Observe your child’s meals during the time your child is in child care

• Observe your child’s activities during the time your child is in child care

• Measure your child’s weight and height at the child care center. Center staff will help the data collectors. Data collectors will never be alone with your child.

In addition, your child care provider will be asked about the meals they serve and the play activities they provide for children. Some child care providers will also be asked to provide information about the cost of the meals and snacks served.

<link to go back to Parent Page>

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

What does youth participation in SNACS-II entail?

In this study, youth are ages 10 to 18 years. If you agree to your youth’s participation in SNACS-II, they will be asked to complete a brief, hardcopy survey about their food and physical activity experiences. A trained data collector will administer the survey during a visit to the child care provider.

Youth who complete the survey will receive a small gift.

<link to go back to Parent Page>

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Are you between the ages of 10 and 18? If so, SNACS-II could use your help!

Why should I participate in this study?

The SNACS-II study would like to learn more about your food and physical activity experiences and the time you spend attending a before or after school child care program.

By agreeing to participate, we learn more about your unique experience, which could be used to help improve the program you attend for other youth just like you.

What would I need to do?

If you agree to participate, a data collector will ask you to complete a brief paper survey when they visit your program. You will receive a small gift for participating!

What about my privacy?

The information we collect from the survey will be kept private and used only for research purposes. We will not include information that identifies you or your family members in any reports. The responses of all study participants will be combined for reporting purposes. For additional information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Your rights as a participant

• Your participation is voluntary.

• You may decide to skip questions or stop filling out the survey at any time.

• Participating in this study will not affect any benefits you may receive in any way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I being asked to participate?

You were randomly selected to participate to represent youth who attend child care centers.

Do I have to participate?

No. You can choose not to participate. You can also choose not to answer any questions you don’t want to answer.

Who is conducting this study?

Mathematica is conducting the study on behalf of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).

How long is the survey?

The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete.

What kinds of questions will you ask on the survey?

The survey asks questions about your participation at the child care center, the time you spend being physically active and watching screens and your food situation.

What do I get for completing the survey?

You will receive a gift (either a small backpack or water bottle).]

I have questions about my participation. Who should I contact?

You can contact us at [study toll free number] or [study email address].

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

<link to go back to homepage>

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

About the Provider Survey

The Provider Survey will gather information about food service operations and physical activity practices at CACFP child care centers and homes.

The survey is divided into up to 10 sections and will be completed on the web. Providers will receive an email invitation with a link to access the survey. Providers will be able to save their answers and complete the survey in one or more sessions. The survey will take approximately 50 minutes to complete.

Reference Guide for the Provider Survey

[FILL WITH THE “ABOUT THIS SURVEY,” “PROTECTING PRIVACY,” AND “QUESTIONS” TEXT FROM THE PROVIDER SURVEY INSTRUCTIONS.]

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

About the Menu Survey

The Menu Survey will collect information about all of the foods offered to children at the provider’s child care facility during an assigned target week. This survey should be completed by the person most familiar with food preparation at your child care center or home. This person will receive a mailed copy of the Menu Survey before the target week, and someone from the study team will follow up to review the instructions and answer questions.

If the child care facility also serves foods to infants (under age 1), the respondent will also be asked to complete the Infant Menu Survey. It will be enclosed with the Menu Survey.

Respondents will receive a $50 gift card for completing the Menu Survey.

Reference Guide for the Menu Survey

The Menu Survey is divided into four sections:

1. Menu Survey Instructions

   • Includes the instructions for completing each section of the Menu Survey

2. Daily Menu Forms

   • Includes menu forms for the foods and beverages served during meals and snacks at the child care facility during the target week

3. Foods You Prepared Forms

   • For items made from two or more ingredients and served at the child care facility

4. Food Description Guide

   • Guidance for what details to include about each food listed on the Daily Menu Forms

[INSERT THE “PROTECTING PRIVACY” AND “QUESTIONS” TEXT FROM THE MENU SURVEY.]

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

About the Cost Interviews and Forms

The SNACS-II cost interviews and forms will collect information about the costs to produce CACFP meals and snacks and sources of revenue. Sponsors, center directors, and food preparers will be asked to participate in in-person interviews about time spent on CACFP activities and food costs. If a sponsor is not located near the sampled child care facility, the interviews may be done over the telephone.

Reference Guide for the Cost Interviews and Forms Pre-Visit Cost Telephone Interview and Form

The study team will conduct telephone interviews with sponsors and center directors to collect information that will help with planning the visit by determining the staff who are most knowledgeable about different aspects of food service operations. This interview will take about 15 minutes to complete.

Afterward, we will email the Pre-Visit Cost Form that requests some additional information. Respondents will upload the form and a financial statement to a secure site. This activity will take about 10 minutes to complete.

Self-Administered Cost Questionnaire

Sponsors or independent child care centers will receive this questionnaire shortly before the scheduled visit so that they can complete it and give it to the trained data collector during the visit. This questionnaire asks about operating days, the number of meals and snacks served, and average daily attendance. It will take about 20 minutes to complete.

Center Food Service Cost Interview

The Center Food Service Cost Interview will gather time use and payroll data for staff whose primary role is food service at the sampled child care facility. A trained data collector will conduct the interview with the food preparer during the scheduled visit. The interview will take about 30 minutes to complete.

Center Director Cost Interview

The Center Director Cost Interview will gather time use and payroll data for child care center staff whose job responsibilities do not primarily include food service, but who still assist with CACFP operations. A trained data collector will conduct the interview with the center director during the scheduled visit. The interview will take about 45 minutes to complete.

Sponsor/Center Cost Interview

The Sponsor/Center Cost Interview contains several modules that may require different respondents. We will determine the most knowledgeable staff for each module based on whether the sampled child care provider is sponsored and which staff are identified in the Pre-Visit Cost Telephone Interview.

Sponsors will complete modules in the interview to provide time use and payroll data about sponsor staff who have a direct or support role in CACFP operations. Sponsors or centers will complete modules in the interview to provide documentation for the prices of foods served in CACFP meals and snacks. In addition, they will provide the fringe benefit rate and review a current revenue statement with the trained data collector.

The respondents typically include the sponsor or center directors and business managers. The interview will take about 65 minutes to complete across all modules.

[INSERT THE “PROTECTING PRIVACY” AND “QUESTIONS” TEXT FROM THE PRE- VISIT COST INTERVIEW.]

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Onsite Point-of-Contact (POC)

Thank you for agreeing to serve as the SNACS-II onsite point-of-contact (POC)! We look forward to working with you.

The study team will coordinate with you to assist with parent/guardian recruitment and coordination of data collection activities. You will receive a stipend for completing these activities.

Summary

• At child care centers: We will randomly select at least 12 children or youth per child care center. If the center has infants enrolled, we will also randomly select up to 4 infants.

• At family child care homes: We will randomly select up to 3 infants and 6 children at each family child care home.

• We will conduct observations of children’s meals and activities.

• We will measure children’s height and weight.

• We will ask infants’ teachers or caregivers to complete a survey about the foods and drinks offered to infants on one day when the infant is in care.

Your Role

Your role will be to help the study team with selecting children and directing their parents/guardians to this website. Also, you will assist the data collectors with onsite data collection activities listed above. A member of the study team will provide you with study materials and instructions to help with these activities.

Please visit the onsite POC Roles and Responsibilities<Link to: Onsite POC Roles and Responsibilities Guide (L2)> page for the full list of onsite POC responsibilities.

Resources:

• <Link to: Onsite POC Roles and Responsibilities Guide (L2)>

• <Link to: Onsite POC How-To Steps (L3)>

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Onsite point-of-contact (POC) Roles and Responsibilities

[FILL WITH THE “WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME?” CONTENT FROM THE onsite point-

of-contact LETTER.]

As the onsite point-of-contact, you are critical to the success of SNACS-II! As such, you will receive a stipend for completing these activities. A member of the study team will discuss the stipend with you.

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Study of Nutrition and Activity in Child Care Settings II (SNACS-II) links to homepage Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Onsite Point-of-Contact (POC)How-To Steps

Note to reviewers: Below is an outline for the content to be developed.

1. Onsite POC Role before the Study Visit

   1. Summary of Recruitment Activities

      1. Recruitment protocols

      2. Parent recruitment letter and parent brochure

      3. Recruitment website

2. Onsite POC Role during the Study Visit

   1. Systems Access How-To Steps

3. Summary of Data Collection Activities

   1. <Links to: About the Parent Interview (G2), Parent of an Infant Participant (G3), Parent of a Child Participant (G4), and Parent of a Youth Participant (G5)>

For additional privacy information visit https://www.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

Floating links (to be included/accessible on each web page)

SNACS-II Data Collection

Letters of Support/ Endorsement

Contacts and Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions