Appendix C: Recruitment of child care providers

Appendix C. Recruitment of CCEE providers

Introduction Email/Letter

Attachments: Letter of support from OCC

Dear Child Care Program Director/Family Child Care Provider,

Please tell us about your experience with the child care licensing system! We know very little about how child care licensing affects child care providers and hearing from providers like you is critical. So, we’re inviting you to complete a survey about your experiences with child care licensing, including regulations, inspections, and your ideas about what’s working well and what could be improved.

As a thank you, we have included a $5 gift card with this letter, and you will receive an additional $20 gift card once you complete the survey. The one-time, voluntary survey should take no more than 30 minutes.

Individualized QR Code will go here

To take the survey, use the following weblink or scan the QR code below using your smartphone’s camera: [individualized URL]

Please see the FAQ below for more information. If you have questions, would like to take the survey over the telephone, or would like us to stop contacting you, please email us at [email protected] or call or text us at [Phone number].

Thank you,

Brenda Miranda, on behalf of the TRLECE team

FAQ

Who is conducting this survey?

The project team, led by Child Trends, is conducting this survey as part of The Role of Licensing in Early Care and Education (TRLECE) project, funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, within the Administration for Children and Families. It is one of multiple studies to learn more about licensing. Please see the attached letter of support from the Office of Child Care in the Administration for Children and Families.

What will happen with the information?

The information in this survey will be used only for research purposes and in ways that will not reveal who you are. You will not be identified in any publication from this study. We will share some of the data we collect with qualified individuals for research purposes.

Personally identifying information (PII), such as your name, can only be accessed for the study’s research purposes by the project team and authorized personnel associated with the project, on a need-to-know basis.

What are the next steps?

Use the weblink or QR code above to complete the survey. We will remind you about this survey over the next few weeks if we don’t hear from you.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Example Reminder: Email/Letter 1

Attachments: Letter of support from OCC

Note: This will be emailed to providers for whom we have email addresses and mailed to providers for whom we don’t.

Subject: Don’t forget to complete the licensing survey!

Dear Child Care Program Director/Family Child Care Provider,

Please remember to complete the licensing survey. We know very little about how child care licensing affects providers and hearing from providers like you is critical. Your experiences with the child care licensing system are important and your help is vital to the study’s success.

As a thank you, we included a $5 gift card with the first letter we mailed and you will receive an additional $20 gift card once you complete the survey. The survey should take no more than 30 minutes.

Individualized QR Code will go here

To take the one-time, voluntary survey, use the following weblink or scan the QR code below using your smartphone’s camera: [individualized URL]

Please see the FAQ below for more information. If you have questions, would like to take the survey over the telephone, or would like us to stop contacting you, please email us at [email protected] or call or text us at [Phone number].

Thank you,

Brenda Miranda, on behalf of the TRLECE team

FAQ

Who is conducting this survey?

The project team, led by Child Trends, is conducting this survey as part of The Role of Licensing in Early Care and Education (TRLECE) project, funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, within the Administration for Children and Families. It is one of multiple studies to learn more about licensing. Please see the attached letter of support from the Office of Child Care in the Administration for Children and Families.

What will happen with the information?

The information in this survey will be used only for research purposes and in ways that will not reveal who you are. You will not be identified in any publication from this study. We will share some of the data we collect with qualified individuals for research purposes.

Personally identifying information (PII), such as your name, can only be accessed for the study’s research purposes by the project team and authorized personnel associated with the project, on a need-to-know basis.

What are the next steps?

Use the weblink or QR Code above to complete the survey. We will remind you about this survey in a few weeks if we don’t hear from you.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is XXX-XXXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Example Reminder: Email/Letter 2

Attachments: Letter of support from OCC

Note: This will be emailed to providers for whom we have email addresses and mailed to providers for whom we don’t.

Subject: We want to hear your experiences with child care licensing

Dear Child Care Program Director/Family Child Care Provider,

Please tell us about your experiences with the child care licensing system by completing the licensing survey. We know very little about how child care licensing affects providers and hearing from providers like you is critical. Your responses will help us understand what licensing is doing well and what licensing could do better

As a thank you, we included a $5 gift card with the first letter we mailed and will send an additional $20 gift card once you complete the survey. The survey should take no more than 30 minutes.

Individualized QR Code will go here

To take the one-time, voluntary survey, use the following weblink or scan the QR code below using your smartphone’s camera: [individualized URL]

Please see the FAQ below for more information. If you have questions, would like to take the survey over the telephone, or would like us to stop contacting you, please email us at [email protected] or call or text us at [Phone number].

Thank you,

Brenda Miranda, on behalf of the TRLECE team

FAQ

Who is conducting this survey?

The project team, led by Child Trends, is conducting this survey as part of The Role of Licensing in Early Care and Education (TRLECE) project, funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, within the Administration for Children and Families. It is one of multiple studies to learn more about licensing. Please see the attached letter of support from the Office of Child Care in the Administration for Children and Families.

What will happen with the information?

The information in this survey will be used only for research purposes and in ways that will not reveal who you are. You will not be identified in any publication from this study. We will share some of the data we collect with qualified individuals for research purposes.

Personally identifying information (PII), such as your name, can only be accessed for the study’s research purposes by the project team and authorized personnel associated with the project, on a need-to-know basis.

What are the next steps?

Use the weblink or QR code above to complete the survey. We will remind you about this survey in a few weeks if we don’t hear from you.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is XXX-XXXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Example Reminder: Email/Letter 3

Attachments: Letter of support from OCC

Note: This will be emailed to providers for whom we have email addresses and mailed to providers for whom we don’t.

Subject: Time is running out to complete the licensing survey!

Dear Child Care Program Director/Family Child Care Provider,

Time is running out to complete the survey about child care licensing! Your help is vital to the study’s success—the more people we hear from, the better we’ll be able to learn more about how licensing affects child care providers like you. Please complete the survey this week!

As a thank you, we included a $5 gift card with the first letter we mailed and will send additional $20 gift card once you complete the survey. The survey should take no more than 30 minutes.

Individualized QR Code will go here

To take the one-time, voluntary survey, use the following weblink or scan the QR code below using your smartphone’s camera: [individualized URL]

Please see the FAQ below for more information. If you have questions, would like to take the survey over the telephone, or would like us to stop contacting you, please email us at [email protected] or call or text us at [Phone number].

Thank you,

Brenda Miranda, on behalf of the TRLECE team

FAQ

Who is conducting this survey?

The project team, led by Child Trends is conducting this survey as part of The Role of Licensing in Early Care and Education (TRLECE) project, funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, within the Administration for Children and Families. It is one of multiple studies to learn more about licensing. Please see the attached letter of support from the Office of Child Care in the Administration for Children and Families.

What will happen with the information?

The information in this survey will be used only for research purposes and in ways that will not reveal who you are. You will not be identified in any publication from this study. We will share some of the data we collect with qualified individuals for research purposes.

Personally identifying information (PII), such as your name, can only be accessed for the study’s research purposes by the project team and authorized personnel associated with the project, on a need-to-know basis.

What are the next steps?

Use the weblink or QR code above to complete the survey. We will remind you about this survey in a few weeks if we don’t hear from you.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for the described information collection is XXX-XXXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Phone/Voicemail Script

Instructions for caller:

Please use the following script to remind licensed child care and early education (CCEE) providers to complete the survey.

Before the call, collect the participant’s contact information and date of most recent email communication to provide to them. Also have the participant’s unique survey link accessible to use if participant chooses to complete the survey over the phone.

If the respondent doesn’t answer, use the voicemail text provided below.

If someone answers the phone:

Hi, my name is __________. I am calling from Child Trends on behalf of a project called The Role of Licensing in Early Care and Education. May I please speak with [name (if we have it)/the director/the owner of the child care program (name the program if we have it)?

[IF SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE LICENSED PROVIDER RESPONDS AND THE LICENSED PROVIDER IS UNAVAILABLE]: Is there a better time to call back or a better number to reach them?

[If yes, take the information and call back] Thank you!

[If no] Is there a way I could leave a message for them?

[If yes] We’re calling about a survey about child care licensing. Can you ask them to reach out to our team via email at [email protected] or by phone at [phone number]. Thank you.

[If no] Okay, thank you.

[TALKING WITH THE PROVIDER]: Hi [participant], my name is __________. I am calling from Child Trends. I am following up on a letter we sent recently requesting your help with our study.

Do you remember receiving this letter?

[YES]: Great! Then, as you might remember, we’re hoping you can complete a one-time survey online. We would like to learn more about your experiences with child care licensing. As a thank you for your participation, we sent you a $5 gift card with the first letter we mailed and will send an additional $20 gift card once you complete the survey. Participation is completely voluntary, and you can decide to withdraw from the study at any time. Are you interested in filling out the survey?

[NO]: Thank you for your time. Have a great day.

[YES]: Great, would you prefer to do it on the phone with me, right now, or on-line after we hang up?

[NOW, ON PHONE – Click the personalized link for the participant and ask them each question, completing the survey as you go.]

[AFTER WE HANG UP]: Sounds good. I can send you the survey link via email right away. What is the best phone number/email address [whichever the respondent prefers] for me to use? [confirm phone/email address and send email] Great! I am sending this to you now. [If by email] If you don’t get in in the next few minutes, you may need to check your spam folder of your email. If you have trouble finding the email or opening the survey link, please call us at [Phone number] or contact us by email at [email protected].

[NO]: Sorry you haven’t gotten it! We’re hoping you can complete a one-time survey online. We would like to learn more about your experiences with the licensing system. As a thank you for your participation, we will send a $20 gift card once you complete the survey. Participation is completely voluntary, and you can decide to withdraw from the study at any time. Are you interested in filling out the survey?

[NO]: I understand, thank you for your time. Have a great day.

[YES]: Great, would you prefer to do it on the phone with me, right now, or on-line after we hang up?

[NOW, ON PHONE – Click the personalized link for the participant and ask them each question, completing the survey as you go.]

[AFTER WE HANG UP]: Sounds good. I can send the survey link via email right away. What is the best contact email address for me to use? [confirm email address or phone number and send email] I am sending this to you now. If you have trouble finding the email or accessing the survey link, please call us at [Phone number] or contact us by email at [email protected].

Do you have any questions? [Respond to any questions about the study or survey and thank them for their time.]

Example Voicemail for Licensed Provider:

Hello, this message is for [licensed provider]. My name is _____________. I am calling from a research organization called Child Trends.

I am following up about an invitation we sent recently to take part in a one-time, voluntary survey about providers’ experiences with the child care licensing. You should have received a letter from us with a link to complete a one-time survey and a $5 gift card to thank you for your participation. We are offering an additional $20 gift card once you complete the survey. We value your perspectives on licensing. Please complete this survey as soon as possible. If you have trouble finding the letter or accessing the survey link or if you have any questions, please contact us by email at [email protected] or call us at [study specific phone number]. Thank you.

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