care Archives

News

June 4, 2020

Questions for Your Early Learning Provider During COVID-19

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, early learning programs across Pennsylvania are adding new operating procedures (as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) to maintain the health and safety of their staff and the families they serve. To help parents and caregivers better understand these changes, Trying Together developed a Family Checklist that features questions families can ask their early learning providers.

Access the Checklist

The Family Checklist features fifteen questions caregivers can ask, including questions on how programs plan to communicate with families, meet the developmental needs of children, implement health screenings, and more. To see the full list of questions, view the Family Checklist: Questions for Your Early Learning Provider During COVID-19. [En Español]

Additional Resources

In addition to the Family Checklist, Trying Together developed the following news posts to answer common questions and highlight resources for families, caregivers, and early learning professionals:

More Information

For more information about COVID-19 and to view current case counts in Pennsylvania, please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Health website. To view current guidance for child care programs that remain open, please visit the CDC website.

News

June 1, 2020

Summer Camp and Recreation Guidance During COVID-19

On May 22, the Wolf Administration issued frequently asked questions to provide guidance to parents, caregivers, summer camp operators, public bath places, part-day school-age programs, and other entities that provide necessary child care and enrichment and recreational activities for children and youth during the summer.

About

Summer programs that provide child care and enrichment and recreational activities for children and youth are permitted to operate without a waiver in counties in the yellow and green phases of the Governor’s phased-in reopening plan so long as they follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for Youth and Summer Camps and the CDC Supplemental Guidance for Child Care That Remain Open.

Summer programs include child care facilities regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and the following part-day school-age programs:

- a part-day school-age program that operates for less than 90 consecutive days per calendar year from the date the program opens to the date the program closes;
- a part-day school-age program that operates 2 hours or less per day for 3 or fewer days per week;
- a part-day school-age program that has a single purpose for the children’s attendance and that purpose is the only focus of the program (e.g., soccer or art class); and
- a drop-in program where a child or youth may come and go at will.

To view the guidance, visit the FAQ document. This guidance does not apply to public school-operated summer programs or extended school year services. Guidance related to reopening public schools will be released by the Pennsylvania Department of Education at a later date.

Summer Programs in Pittsburgh

On May 15, the City of Pittsburgh announced how summer activities will be impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While many activities will be allowed, others will be cancelled or postponed. Decisions on closures and activities may be revisited as pandemic circumstances and federal and state guidelines change.

To view lists of permitted and non-permitted activities, read our news post.

More Information

For more information, view the full press release.

News

May 27, 2020

Connecting with Families Around What They Care About

Are you interested in learning family engagement strategies that value families’ passion for the success of their young children? Join Brazelton Touchpoints Center on June 8 for their course, “Valuing Passion: Connecting with Families Around What They Care About.”

About

Families demonstrate a wide range of emotions, both positive and negative, as they navigate through their ever-changing experiences with their child. The negative emotions that families sometimes show can be challenging for providers to manage. Reframing these emotions as coming from a family’s passion for their child can strengthen provider’s partnerships with families. In this webinar, presenters will explore ways that providers can value families’ passion.

Registration

To access the course and learn more, visit the Brazelton Touchpoints Center website.

*Information provided by Brazelton Touchpoints Center

News

Connecting with Families Through the Child’s Behavior

Are you interested in learning how to use a child’s behavior to open up communication with the family? Join Brazelton Touchpoints Center on June 1 for their course, “The Power of Observation: Connecting with Families Through the Child’s Behavior.”

About

When providers share with families specific details of what they notice about their children—such as their interests or temperament—they open the door to connecting. In this webinar, participants will learn specific steps for using the child’s behavior to open up communication with the family. Participants will learn about family engagement strategies for Connecting with Families through the Child’s Behavior that can immediately apply to their work.

Registration

To access the course and learn more, visit the Brazelton Touchpoints Center website.

*Information provided by Brazelton Touchpoints Center

News

Working With Young Children During COVID-19

Join HiMama on May 28 for their HiMama Helps webinar, “Working With Young Children During COVID-19.”

About

This session will explore ways to support young children as new guidelines refine what “normal” looks like in child care. Presenters will discuss the following:

- how to prepare young children to return to a child care setting,
- how to support families and staff during the pandemic,
- what it means to serve essential workers, and
- additional tips through a community Q&A session.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.

News

May 21, 2020

New Portal Helps Allegheny County Families Find Child Care

Caregivers and parents of young children can now search available child care spots at Allegheny County early learning programs in real-time with the Allegheny Child Care tool.

Emphasizing Access

Child care needs for families are varied, and may change at any time. The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created a situation where many early learning programs have had to close abruptly or drastically adjust their operations. In turn, this has left many families without continued care and education for their young children. From the COVID-19 crisis, Allegheny Child Care is a unique pilot project that has been developed to support the child care needs of families.

The Partners That Made This Possible

The child care initiative will be managed by Trying Together in partnership with the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, with additional support from the City of Pittsburgh, and was developed in collaboration also with Child Care Aware of America, the Endowments and technology partners Bowtie, BrightHive, and BridgeCare.

More Information

The Allegheny Child Care tool may be accessed online. For more information about the launch of Allegheny Child Care, read the full press release. Additional support for finding and/or funding your child care needs can be found at the Early Learning Resource Center Region 5 website or by calling 412.350.3577.

News

May 19, 2020

Social Distancing in Early Care and Education: Feasible or Impossible?

Join the National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness (NCECHW) on June 2 for, “Social Distancing in Early Care and Education: Feasible or Impossible?,” a one-hour discussion exploring issues around social distancing in early care and education programs.

About

During the webinar, participants will hear from Danette Glassy, MD, FAAP, pediatrician, about guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and discover practical strategies for implementation in a variety of early care programs. Webinar topics include:

- CDC guidance for early care and education programs;
- barriers to implementation within early care settings; and
- strategies for early care and education programs to keep children and staff as safe as possible.

This event is best suited for Head Start program directors and health services staff; Head Start State Collaboration directors; child care resource and referral agencies; child care directors and health consultants; state public health departments; and nurses working with early care and education programs.

Registration

To register, visit the event page. The registration link can be used for both the live event and on-demand viewing.

A recording of the discussion will be available to watch on-demand 30 minutes after the event ends until June 15, 2020. A version with English closed captions will also be posted on the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) in the coming weeks.

More Information

For questions, please contact NCECHW at 888.227.5125 or health@ecetta.info.

News

May 14, 2020

Virtual UnConference: Re-Opening to Our ‘New Normal’

News

Virtual UnConference: Re-Opening to Our ‘New Normal’

Join Trying Together on May 26 for our first virtual UnConference as we dive into topics that are relevant to child care centers as they begin to re-open to a ‘new normal’ due to the effects of COVID-19. A recording of this event will be available for those who are unable to attend.

UnConference Details

We are facing a “new normal” in our field that has never been envisioned before. COVID-19 has taken our state, our country, and our world on a tumultuous journey, invoking fear, anxiety, reflection, and change-making at unprecedented levels. As an early childhood educator, you are most likely thinking about how to continue supporting children and families while maintaining high-quality programming, business operations, and personal health for both you and your colleagues.

This free three-hour online UnConference will help you virtually connect with other educators while gaining information about the steps you can take to prepare for and respond to the effects of COVID-19 on early childhood programming. Three PQAS and Act 48 hours available.

About

UnConference: Re-Opening to Our ‘New Normal’ will be hosted via Zoom. It begins with a “rapid-fire” keynote by four speakers, featuring Michelle Figlar of The Heinz Endowments, LaTrenda Leonard Sherrill of LaTrenda Consulting (and Board Member of Trying Together), Muffy Mendoza of Brown Mamas, and mental health expert Diana Schwab.

The keynote is followed by two workshops. Participants can choose from the following:

- Coping with COVID – HR Thoughts and Tips for Child Care Centers,
- Building Community and Connection with Digital Technologies,
- How to Stay Healthy and Provide Safe Child Care During COVID-19, and
- Everyday Interactions Matter: Noticing the Simple and Ordinary

Course Objectives

Through successful participation and completion of the UnConference, participants will:

- become familiar with regional, state, and national resources to support child care programs in response to COVID-19;
- gain appropriate strategies recommended for caring for young children and families in response to COVID-19, including health and safety practices and innovative ECE practices (social-emotional learning);
- discuss appropriate strategies for supporting the early education workforce in response to COVID-19; and
- learn how to create authentic connections with families and community members using digital tools.

Schedule

Each session will have its own Zoom link which will be provided to you upon registration. Upon completion of the UnConference, three hours of accredited professional development will be given.

1:00 – 1:30 p.m.: “Rapid Fire” Keynote featuring Michelle Figlar, LaTrenda Leonard Sherrill, Muffy Mendoza, and Diana Schwab

1:45 – 3:00 p.m.: Workshop #1 (choose between two options)

3:15 – 4:30 p.m.: Workshop #2 (choose between two options)

Available Workshops

There are four workshops provided for this UnConference. Two options are available between 1:45 – 3:00 p.m. and two other options are available between 3:15 – 4:30 p.m. View the list of workshops for the Virtual UnConference: Re-Opening to Our ‘New Normal’.

Registration

This virtual UnConference is free. Participants must pre-register for the UnConference by 3 p.m. on Monday, May 25 in order to receive links to each session via email. Visit the event page to register and learn more.

How to Virtually Attend

The sessions will be hosted using the web-based video conferencing platform Zoom. Please download Zoom prior to the UnConference to your device of choice. We will send you a Zoom link for the keynote as well as a Zoom link for each workshop based on what you select. A recording of this event will be available for those who are unable to attend.

How to Receive Credit

Three PQAS and Act 48 hours will be available. Participants must attend the UnConference and complete the survey at the end of each session (keynote and two workshops) in order to receive credit. Once completed, Jasmine Davis, Professional Learning Program Manager at Trying Together, will process your credit. If you have questions specific to receiving credit for coursework, please email Jasmine at jasmine@tryingtogether.org.

More Information

For questions, please contact UnConference Director, Yu-Ling Cheng, at conference@tryingtogether.org.

News

May 12, 2020

Learning to Play, Playing to Learn: Encouraging Play within Early Childhood Classrooms

“Play acts as a mechanism into courageous, creative, and rigorous thinking in adulthood.” (T. Bruce,., 2013)

The benefits of children’s play can be life-lasting, as long as the experiences are developmentally appropriate, positive, and engaging. This free online course focuses on children’s play and the role of play in early education settings. Participants will take part in varied individual and group activities that pertain to the definitions, developmental mechanics, and functions of play as well as new strategies for encouraging play within children’s earliest classrooms.

Limited spaces are available. All registrations must be submitted by May 27 at 5 p.m.

Course Information

- Timeline: May 29 – June 19, 2020
- Trainers: Chasta Shaw and Alicia Sebastian
- CKC: K2.14.C1
- Keystone STARS Alignment: SQ.3.4.10
- CDA Subject Area: Advancing children’s physical and intellectual development.
- Three PQAS and Act 48 hours available.

Registration

To register, please visit the event registration page.

More Information

For more information, contact Jasmine Davis at 412.567.3933 or jasmine@tryingtogether.org.