2011-12150. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Title: Measurement Development: Quality of Caregiver-Child Interactions for Infants and Toddlers (Q-CCIIT).

OMB No.: New Collection.

Description: The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is proposing to develop a new observation measure to assess the quality of child care settings, specifically the quality of caregiver-child interaction for infants and toddlers in nonparental care. The measure will be appropriate for use across child care settings, center-based and family child care settings as well as single- and mixed-age classrooms.

The two-year data collection activity will include two phases: (1) A pilot test and (2) a psychometric field test. We will request information about the child care setting, its classrooms and families for recruitment into the study. Information will be collected through observations, focus groups, and questionnaires.

In the pilot and field tests, the new Q-CCIIT observation measure will include observing a small group activity structured with a common task and asking follow-up observation questions. Caregivers observed will also complete a background questionnaire. Focus groups to obtain stakeholder input on caregiver-child interactions will be conducted separately with parents, caregivers, and training and technical assistance providers. Focus group participants will also complete a demographic questionnaire. Parents of children served by caregivers will complete a questionnaire on their child's competencies related to cognitive, language/communication, and social-emotional development. Parents will complete this questionnaire, which will also include family and child characteristics, once in the pilot test and twice in the field test, at the start of the field test and 6 months later to assess growth.

The purpose of this data collection is to support the 2007 reauthorization of the Head Start program (Pub. L. 110-134), which calls for periodic assessments of Head Start's quality and effectiveness.

Respondents: Child care setting representatives (directors or owners), caregivers (center-based and family child care settings), parents of children in those child care settings, and training and technical assistance providers.

Annual Burden Estimates

Instrument	Annual number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Average burden hour per response	Estimated annual burden hours
1. Child care setting recruitment form	190	1	0.5	95
2. Q-CCIIT measure—small group activity and follow-up	290	1	0.25	73
3. Caregiver background questionnaire	520	1	0.25	130
4. Focus group interview guide	20	1	1.90	38
5. Parent focus group demographic questionnaire	10	1	0.10	1
6. Caregiver focus group demographic questionnaire	5	1	0.10	1
7. Training and technical assistance provider focus group demographic questionnaire	5	1	0.10	1
8. Parent-report child competence questionnaire	880	2	0.75	1,320

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,659.

In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and Families is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described above. Copies of the proposed collection of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447, Attn: OPRE Reports Clearance Officer. E-mail address: [e-mail]. All requests should be identified by the title of the information collection.

The Department specifically requests comments on (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted within 60 days of this publication.

Dated: May 11, 2011.

Steven Hanmer,

OPRE Reports, Clearance Officer.