What is Child Care Expulsion Prevention (CCEP)?

CCEP programs provide early childhood mental health professionals who consult with child care providers and parents in caring for children under the age of six who are experiencing behavioral and emotional challenges in their child care settings. Sometimes these challenges may put children at risk of expulsion. CCEP aims to reduce expulsion and increase the number of families and child care providers who successfully nurture the social and emotional development of children 0-5 in licensed child care programs. Referral Contacts

Currently there are 12 CCEP projects serving 35 Michigan counties. These projects are funded through the Michigan Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH). These projects are a collaborative effort between community mental health agencies, the Michigan Community Coordinated Child Care Association and Michigan State University Cooperative Extension Better Kids Care.

What do the programs offer?

Short-term child/family-centered consultation for children with challenging behaviors

• Observation and functional assessment at home and at child care
• Individualized plan of service developed by team
• Intervention (e.g., coaching and support for parents and providers to learn new ways to interact with child, providing educational resources for parents and providers, modifying the physical environment, connecting family to community resources, providing counseling for families in crisis, etc.)

Programmatic consultation:

• Training for administrators, staff and parents
• Incorporating curricula/systems to promote social-emotional competence
• Conducting quality improvement activities
• Improving the work climate
• Enhancing the mental health of child care staff and parents

Why are CCEP Programs needed?

• 60.9% of children under the age of six in Michigan require childcare.
• The prevalence of challenging behavior among infants, toddlers and preschool-age children in early care and learning settings ranges from 3-15%.

Child care programs are expelling increasing numbers of "problem" children. One recent survey reported that during one year, nearly 2% of the children in a single Michigan county were expelled.

Research shows that early intervention is the key to promoting emotional-social competency and school success among young children.

Contact:  Mary Mackrain (248)594-3250 or  e-mail at mackrain@aol.com

               Or Deb Marciniak (517)381-8247 or e-mail at dmarcini@mphi.org

(Contact: Sheri Falvay (517) 241-5762, Falvay@michigan.gov)