Are you interested in learning how to embed racial equity into your early learning program? Join the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) on Fridays from July 10 – 24 for their Zoom Series, “Racial Equity in Early Learning.”
About
This three-part professional development series is designed to help early learning and school-age programs embed racial equity from recruiting, hiring, and on-going training offerings for staff to interactions with children of color. After defining key racial justice terminology such as implicit bias, cultural competency, race, racism, antiracist ally, etc., participants are encouraged to identify concrete ways to embrace racial equity personally and professionally.
These Zoom meetings will be informative and interactive, and will provide participants with real resources and supports for classroom situations. Individuals who participate in all three meetings will receive 4.5 hours of PQAS credits and/or 4.5 Act 48 hours.
Cost
-
- PACCA Members: $20 for all three meetings
-
- Non-Members: $45 for all three meetings
Registration
To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
Zoom links will be sent in a confirmation email when your registration is received. If you do not receive confirmation, please check your Junk inbox or contact maureen.murphy@pacca.org.
To better understand the success and challenges child care providers are experiencing as they operate during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) released a brief survey that providers can complete to share their experiences. Child care providers are encouraged to complete this survey by Wednesday, July 8, 2020.
About
Since March 2020, COVID-19 has had significant impacts on the child care provider community. The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is interested in understanding the success and challenges child care providers are experiencing as they operate during the pandemic. One strategy they are using to collect information is a brief monthly survey on staffing and enrollment.
While the survey is voluntary, OCDEL encourages every child care operator to participate. OCDEL will issue the same survey at the end of June, July, August, and September to compare and analyze changes.
Take the Survey
To share your successes and challenges, complete the survey today!
If you are a child care provider in Allegheny County currently using or interested in using the Allegheny Child Care Finder, you can join Bridgecare during open office hours to get your questions answered!
Wednesday, 6/24
- 1:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 468 916 5631
One tap mobile +16699009128,,4689165631# US (San Jose)
Thursday, 6/25
- 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 468 916 5631
One tap mobile +16699009128,,4689165631# US (San Jose)
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
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.
“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.
Everyone with a job feels the pressure of work-related stress at some point, even those who love what they do. While we can’t always avoid on-the-job tension, we can take steps to manage work-related stress. This online course introduces its participants’ potential relief strategies for workplace stress. Through varied group discussions and engaging exercises, we invite each participant to identify and define stress through a uniquely personal lens, reflect upon their personal role in the creation and reduction of stress, and think of personal and group strategies for relieving stress.
Limited spaces are available. All registrations must be submitted by May 20 at 5 p.m.
Course Information
-
- Timeline: May 22 – June 12, 2020
- Instructors: Sarah Byrne Houser and Mimi Loughead
- CKC: D6.4 C1
- Keystone STARS Alignment: SQ. 3.4.5
- CDA Subject Area: Maintaining a Commitment to Professionalism.
- Three PQAS and Act 48 hours available.
Registration
To register, please visit the event registration page.
More Information
For more information, contact Rosie Hogan at rosie@tryingtogether.org.
The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), Bureau of Certification, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Key, will be offering weekly webinars on the CDC guidance for operating child care providers. These webinars are intended for currently operating child care providers.
Objectives
The webinars will be facilitated by Amy Requa, MSN, CRNP (Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner) and Senior Health Manager at the Pennsylvania Key and will:
-
-
- emphasize how the guidance offers practices for keeping people healthy and safe; and
-
- answer questions that are submitted by providers.
Questions may be submitted prior to the webinar to hssco@pakeys.org. Questions can also be entered into the chat box during the webinars and will be addressed in future webinars.
Registration
To attend the webinar on April 29, register by clicking on the links below:
If you work for or operate an early learning program in Pennsylvania, including public and private schools; child care centers; group child care homes; family child care homes; family, friend, and neighbor care, it’s important to remain calm, prepare, and take precautionary measures. By doing so, you will help to maintain the health and wellbeing of yourself, other staff, and the communities you serve. For up-to-date recommendations and COVID-19 Resources for Early Learning programs, please visit the ELRC Region 5 website.
Continue reading below for a brief overview of COVID-19; information about waivers and enrollment capacity; and a list of resources.
An Overview of COVID-19
COVID-19 is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a new coronavirus not previously seen in humans. Because the virus impacts the respiratory system, common symptoms of infection include fever, dry cough, tiredness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. However, WHO states that some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, and diarrhea. After being infected with COVID-19, individuals generally display mild symptoms that begin gradually, but some people who become infected may not develop any symptoms at all and may feel healthy.
To learn more about COVID-19 and the steps you can take to reduce your family’s risk of infection, read our recent news post. This post also includes information about what to do after infection, information on how it spreads, and links to several other organizations and entities that can provide more information.
National Sex Offender Registry Clearances
According to the Department of Human Services Office Child Development & Early Learning Bureau of Certification Services, no exceptions will be made for expired or late National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR) clearances after regular child care operations resume. Once regular child care operations resume statewide, staff will not be permitted to return to early learning programs if any of their clearances are expired. For this reason, it is recommended that all staff who require new or renewed finger-print checks should do so as soon as possible at one of the following available facilities.
To learn more about NSOR changes in the last 12 months, please visit ELRC Region 5’s news post.
COVID-19 Resources for Early Learning Programs
Information about COVID-19
Guidance for Providers
-
-
- Coronavirus Emergency Loans: Small Business Guide and Checklist (English) (Spanish), U.S. Chamber of Commerce
-
Early Learning
Talking with Children
Prevention
After Infection
Impacts on Child Care, School, and Work
Fact Sheets
Informational Flyers
Mental Health
Receiving Support
Multilingual Resources
Curated Lists
Recorded Webinars
Contacts and Information
-
- Pennsylvania Department of Health
www.health.pa.gov
1.877.72.432584 | 1.877.PA.HEALTH
- United Way
www.pa211sw.org
Dial 2.1.1 | Text Your Zip Code to 898-211 (Text Alerts)
- Optum (Free Emotional Support Helpline)
866.342.6892
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
suicidepreventionlifeline.org
1.800.273.8255 (English) | 1.888.628.9454 (Spanish) | 1.800.799.4889 (Deaf or Hard of Hearing)
More Information
For more information about COVID-19, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), or World Health Organization (WHO) websites.
Join the national American Academy of Pediatrics on March 11 for a one-hour webinar to learn more about two new tools that help professionals meet national early education and child care training requirements for managing infectious diseases.
Included Topics
Participants will learn about the following:
-
- the important role managing infectious diseases training plays in early childhood settings;
-
- a free, new online managing infectious diseases module for any early learning provider;
-
- a free, fully downloadable managing infectious diseases training curriculum that can be tailored for your audience’s needs; and
-
- training tips that can help you share information about managing infectious diseases with your early care and education community.
Registration
To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
More Information
For more information, contact Eleni Victoria at evictoria@aap.org.
