[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6567-6568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02378]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Head Start Connects: A 
Study of Family Support Services (OMB #0970-0538)

AGENCY: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration 
for Children and Families, HHS.

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services seeks approval to collect 
information about how Head Start programs coordinate family support 
services. Information will be collected from Head Start staff members 
via surveys and focus groups.

DATES: Comments due within 60 days of publication. In compliance with 
the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, ACF is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects 
of the information collection described above.

ADDRESSES: You can obtain copies of the proposed collection of 
information and submit comments by emailing 
[email protected]. All requests should be identified by 
the title of the information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Description: The purposes of the data collection for Head Start 
Connects are to build knowledge about how Head Start programs (Head 
Start or Early Head Start grantees, delegate agencies, and

[[Page 6568]]

staff) coordinate family support services for parents/guardians; the 
characteristics of Head Start programs and staff members involved in 
family support services coordination; the job characteristics, work 
activities, and well-being of Head Start family support services staff 
members; and how Head Start programs can improve coordination of family 
support services. The data collection will build on information 
collected previously through case studies at six Head Start sites (OMB 
#0970-0538). Proposed data collection activities include three 
components. First, a brief web-based survey of a nationally 
representative sample of program directors will collect program 
information, including contact information for family and community 
partnerships managers and for family support services staff members 
needed for other data collection components. Second, an in-depth web-
based survey of family and community partnerships managers identified 
by program directors will collect information about Head Start 
programs' structures and services for providing supports to parents and 
families; and the demographic characteristics, experiences, job 
characteristics, and well-being of managers who supervise family 
support services staff members. Third, three data collection activities 
(referred to as Parts A, B, and C) will gather information from family 
support services staff members. Part A, an in-depth web-based survey, 
will gather information about the structures and services that Head 
Start programs have for providing supports to parents and families; how 
family support services staff members reach out to and engage families 
in family support services; how family support services staff members 
work with families; and the demographic characteristics, experiences, 
job characteristics, and well-being of staff members who provide family 
support services. Part B, brief web-based surveys, will supplement Part 
A and will collect additional information about specific daily work 
activities and well-being, providing more fine-grained detail about 
workdays of family support services staff members. Part C, focus 
groups, will be conducted with a sample of family support services 
staff to collect information about innovations and ideas for improving 
how Head Start programs coordinate and individualize family support 
services.
    Respondents: Head Start program directors, Head Start family and 
community partnerships managers, and Head Start family support services 
staff members.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
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                                                                     Number of
                                                     Number of     responses per
                                                    respondents     Respondent    Average burden   Total/ annual
                   Instrument                       (total over     (total over    per response     burden (in
                                                      request         request       (in hours)        hours)
                                                      period)         period)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Survey of Head Start directors..................             470               1             0.5             235
Survey of Head Start family and community                    423               1               1             423
 partnerships managers..........................
Survey of Head Start family support services               1,692               1               1           1,692
 staff members (Part A).........................
Survey of Head Start family support services               1,692               6             0.1           1,015
 staff members (Part B).........................
Focus groups of Head Start family support                     60               1            1.25              75
 services staff members (Part C)................
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,440.
    Comments: 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.
    Authority: Section 640(a)(2)(D) and section 649 of the Improving 
Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007.

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-02378 Filed 2-3-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-22-P