Important Updates from TWC

Texas Workforce Commission Updates:

October 2023 TX3C Provider Newsletter Texas Child Care Connection (TX3C) is Texas’ new Child Care Case Management system. TX3C will be a modern, user-friendly, mobile-friendly system. The new system includes: – Mobile device-based attendance tracking (no more swipe cards) Available now! – A new statewide application for parents to apply for Child Care Services (CCS) scholarships Coming soon! – New features on the Availability Portal for providers to market their programs Available now!   TX3C Attendance Tracking Important! Families that receive Child Care Services (CCS) scholarships MUST record their children’s child care attendance in the TX3C Time and Attendance system (KinderConnect).  Providers must provide parents with a method to record their children’s attendance. All CCS-funded Child Care providers must register with KinderConnect to create an account. CCS-funded providers must provide parents with a method to record their children’s attendance in TWC’s system: – A state-supplied tablet at the provider, or – The provider’s child care center management system (for example, Brightwheel, Lillio (formerly HiMama), Procare, etc.) if the provider has set up a connection with KinderSystem to upload attendance at least weekly, and parents are entering their child’s attendance. Attendance tracking is a requirement of the Child Care Services (CCS) program, for both parents and child care providers. For providers, failing to ensure availability of TWC’s attendance system may result in the provider being placed on a Service Improvement Agreement (SIA) or the termination of their Provider Agreement to provide subsidized child care services.   TX3C Child Care Availability Portal  The TX3C Availability Portal has new features to help both parents and child care providers! – No more passwords! A login code is sent to your email for access. Note: the email with the code may go to spam or junk folders  – New features to market your program:  – Enhanced program highlights and descriptions fields for your profile – Allow families to schedule tours at your facility (optional) – Share information about your curriculum (optional) Provide available openings by age group Learn more about these features by viewing: Texas Child Care Availability Portal Provider Training Video Find additional information and resources at: Availability Portal- TX3C Information Site   Upcoming Events and Additional Information Child Care Providers may be contacted about their use of the attendance tracking system. This outreach may come from KinderSystems support staff or your local Workforce Solutions staff.  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)   What do I do if I find an error in KinderConnect like a misspelled name, a child that is no longer at my center, or other information about the child’s authorization? Please contact your local Child Care Services office (the office that sent the child’s care authorization) and report any issues, such as: – Child still appearing in KinderConnect who is no longer attending – Child that is not appearing in KinderConnect – Child’s Date of Birth is incorrect – Child’s name is misspelled Parent is requesting a transfer If you are unsure which Child Care Services office to contact, please use this link: How to Apply for Child Care Assistance | Texas Child Care Solutions What if I don’t have a tablet yet? If you have responded to the survey email sent from TWC@public.govdelivery.com, we are working on getting a tablet to you or helping you set up using your supported center management system (CMS). TWC uses the email provided from HHSC Child Care Regulation–if your email is not correct in their records, this may delay your registration in the TX3C program. What if I haven’t answered a survey, or I don’t remember if I have answered it? Please send an email to TX3Cquestions@twc.texas.gov with your license number and name of your center. What are the tablets going to be used for? Parents will use the tablets to enter child attendance in TX3C (powered by KinderConnect). Currently, tablets are only distributed to Child Care Providers who do not have a CMS. I responded to the survey that I needed a tablet, but I haven’t received a tablet yet. Tablets are being shipped out to those providers who said they weren’t using a Center Management System (CMS) for attendance collection based on how many CCS/subsidy children they have currently in care. Shipment is continuing to providers who have CCS/subsidy children in care. If you are a CCS subsidy provider, but do not have children in care you will not be sent a tablet, until all other child care providers that currently have subsidy children in care have been served. I am a child care provider and have a Center Management System (CMS) that I use for all my parents to enter child attendance. Can I still use this method for my CCS/subsidy parents? – The new system, KinderConnect, can communicate with your CMS, if your CMS vendor has this configured on their end. The CMS products currently supported for TX3C can be found here. – If your CMS isn’t listed, you can request that your CMS vendor investigate making this connection with KinderConnect by sending an email to partners@kindersystems.com. I use my CMS for tracking attendance, but I enter it myself as I don’t have a tablet for parents to use. Can I continue that practice? Child care providers and staff are not allowed to enter attendance on behalf of CCS/subsidy parents per Child Care Rule §809.95 (1)(B). If you are a provider in this situation, who has a supported CMS listed in the table above, please send an email with your license number and the CMS you are using to TX3CQuestions@twc.texas.gov. Can my staff enter attendance information on behalf of parents using child care provider staff personal devices? As stated above, this is not allowed under Child Care Rules. Parents of CCS/subsidy children attending your center should be entering attendance on behalf of their children. Please let us know how we can assist your center in complying by sending an email with your license number and the CMS you are using to TX3CQuestions@twc.texas.gov. What do I do once I receive my tablet? – Once you receive your tablet, you will use the registration code sent to the email you listed in your survey response to set up. You may have received the registration code email before, or after, you get your tablet. If you are having issues with your registration code, please email SupportTX@Kindersystems.com. – Additional resources on using your new tablet, as well as webinars, are available at Texas 3C Information Site – Information for the Child Care Connection (tx3c.info). When do parents have to start using the tablet for attendance? The tablet should be made available to parents as soon as it is set up and ready. CCS/subsidy families should begin using the new attendance collection process as soon as possible. Collection of child attendance data is a requirement of the CCS program. Can parents choose to use their smart phone to record attendance with the KinderSystems app? Yes, if your facility uses KinderConnect on a state-supplied tablet, your parents have the option to download the KinderSystems app for Texas and record attendance on their smart phone. The app is available for Android and iOS devices and can be found by searching for ‘KinderSmart Texas’ in the app store. The child care provider must download a QR code from KinderConnect for the parents; parents scan the code to connect the parent’s account/child attendance to the provider. Can I use the tablet for anything thing else? No. The tablet will come preloaded with software for the new attendance system and will be locked from any other applications. Can I keep the tablet for my center to use if I stop accepting subsidy/CCS children? No, the tablets are the property of the Texas Workforce Commission. If you have an agreement with a Local Workforce Development Board to serve CCS/subsidy children, the tablet will remain with your facility for attendance. The tablets can only be used for attendance data entry with KinderConnect. Will I get more than one tablet if I have a large center? Providers with 25 or more children, who do not currently have a CMS for attendance, will be the first to receive tablets. Only one tablet will be initially shipped out, but if more tablets are needed, the provider can request additional tablets based on their CCS/subsidy enrollment or offsite/transportation needs. More information will be sent out in the next update about how to request additional tablets. How can I learn how to use the new system? Additional resources on using your new tablet, as well as webinars, are available at Texas 3C Information Site – Information for the Child Care Connection (tx3c.info). What do I do if I need to reset my tablet or have questions about the settings on my tablet? Additional resources on using your new tablet, as well as webinars, are available at Texas 3C Information Site – Information for the Child Care Connection (tx3c.info). If you find you need help resetting or adjusting your new tablet’s settings, please reach out to supporttx@kindersystems.com and they will be able to assist you. What is a CCS/subsidy child? CCS stands for Child Care Services which is what the subsidized child care program is often called. Subsidy refers to a child who is attending your center while receiving CCS subsidized child care. What should I do with the tablet if I sell my center, should I leave it for the new owner or return it? Please contact supportTX@kindersystems.com and request to return your device. The new owner will need to request a new tablet that is registered to the new center owner/management. I want to use my CMS for private pay parents and KinderSystems for CCS/subsidy children, can I get a tablet? Providers are allowed to run their facility as they choose to do so. If your center wants to use KinderConnect for CCS/subsidy children, and only use your CMS for private pay, please send an email to TX3CQuestions@twc.texas.gov with this request.   Questions? 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