CHILDCARE RESOURCES

The goal of Childcare Resources is to make quality care and education of children accessible and possible through providing information, education and assistance to families, providers of child care, and the community. Alabama is on track to produce the most educated and skilled workforce of the 21st century. With the expansion of state-funded Pre-k programs which prepare children for school success, the advancement of STEAM training and programs, encouragement of the skilled trades, and a focus on college and career ready standards, the time is now to enhance these efforts with investments in quality early learning experiences and environments. Research demonstrates both immediate and long-term benefits of quality early learning experiences and environments to both the individual child and the larger society: improved school readiness, increased high school graduation, higher individual earnings, a qualified future workforce, and reduced costs associated with the devastating effects of school dropouts, teen pregnancies and crime.

Children are one of our greatest natural resources; therefore, it is imperative that children receive quality care from trained and supported staff. To support children in achieving their full potential, Childcare Resources provides training and technical assistance programs to early childhood educators and those interested in entering the child care workforce. Professional development of early care educators is an ongoing program of Childcare Resources and has been offered to the community since 1984. Training is available for entry level to highly experienced staff. The flexible schedule and variety of topics, including those required by Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) for child care licensure, create opportunities for child care staff to improve their knowledge and skills in caring for children. The training schedule is planned quarterly and is communicated to early care educators through a quarterly newsletter that is also available online. Registration occurs online, in person or via fax. Our training and technical assistance programs, which meet International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) standards for content, delivery and evaluation, increase the availability of quality early learning experiences from trained early care educators. When early childhood educators understand how to support and nurture healthy child development across all domains - cognitive, physical, emotional - children are equipped to enter school ready to succeed. To help working parents be able to afford quality care and education for their children, Childcare Resources also provides financial assistance through our Supplemental Child Care Program (SCCP) to working families who are at or below 200% of the federal poverty guideline.

Childcare Resources' professional staff are committed to providing programs and services that are effective and efficient. The Financial Assistance Coordinator, who coordinates the enrollment, eligibility and re-determination of families benefiting from SCCP, has a Master of Science in Higher Education and has six years of experience coordinating support services to assist families in becoming financially self-sufficient. Her supervisor is the Program Director who holds a Master's Degree in Early Child Development and has 28 years of experience in child care. Additionally, our Child Development Associates are all educated in the field of early childhood education and bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the trainings and programs they lead. Additionally, we have started a new Early Learning Demonstration Classroom to support early childhood education provider trainings as they meet DHR licensing requirements, improve quality, or prepare for the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, as well as others who are compiling their Professional Portfolios, and composing their Competency Statements toward earning the CDA. As part of the CDA Credential Process, candidates are required to complete 120 training hours in 8 subject areas, with no fewer than 10 hours in each of the CDA subject areas:

1. Planning a safe and healthy learning environment
2. Advancing children's physical and intellectual development
3. Supporting children's social and emotional development
4. Building productive relationships with families
5. Managing an effective program
6. Maintaining a commitment to professionalism
7. Observing and recording children's behavior
8. Understanding principles of children's behavior
9. Understanding principles of child development

Additionally, trainings will provide a foundation for program directors and teaching staff to observe and participate in best practices exercises when preparing the classroom environment for the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) Alabama STARS Standards. Learners will have a hands-on opportunity to create a developmentally appropriate learning environment which includes classroom arrangement, materials, schedule and routines, learning experiences, assessments, and curriculum as they prepare for the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale Revised (ITERS-R) and the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS-R) classroom assessments. These assessments are required in the QRIS evaluation process.

The impact of the SCCP program is best described by clients:

“Financial assistance has been a life saver and a blessing to my family. I have been able to keep my son in child care. I was about to have to pull him out of care because I not afford the increase in weekly cost. The assistance provided me the opportunity to keep him in child care so I could continue to go to work and provide for my family."

“Financial assistance as a big factor in ensuring my child has a great start to early learning while being in child care. I was able to change my child to a new provider that had a quality learning environment and a better facility."