Stay Current! Stay Relevant! Attend Trainings & Workshops

Strategic child care in the US go back as far as the Nineteenth Century when women of various cultures found innovative ways to care for their newborns and young children.  Innovation for child care indeed came out of necessity for many women including immigrants and migrant workers who worked the fields.  Child care arrangements many women sought to establish while  they worked the fields in hot temperatures and endured long hours. This included setting up coverings. These coverings would shade their young ones in the fields.  You can just imagine what this type of care arrangement brought with it.  Although non-conventional as this type and other care arrangements were - inclusive of practices posed, it was developed out of necessity. Unfortunately, it would leave infants and young children unsupervised -  alone.  Where supervision was questionable - children were placed in situations offering 'less'.  Less time spent with one-on-one adult interact, less opportunities to appropriately engage socially-emotionally, and to explore cognitive and physical activities.  Moreover, it was not unrealistic to understand based on circumstances that existed, children from low income families had greater potential to experience bulk impact of a weak child care system. Child care at the end of the Nineteenth Century did consist of some formality, but generally associate with poor working families.   The practice of child care itself - that is it's setting, the work associated with efforts put forth, and skills to perform the work, providers' education was perceived as minimal.  Preparation and skill building opportunities for individuals to provide meaningful child care experiences was rare.  Thus, the origin of child care bare scares - showcased a stigma as being subpar, and highlights  patterns of informal practices. 

By the Twentieth Century, revealed footprints to women's reform as well as some reform in child care.  In as much as women from various cultures represented different ethnicity, a large segment were of low income.   Economic status brought poor mothers to work outside the home.  Many mothers were the sole wage earner in their household, some being widows.  Nevertheless, being poor - obliged to take low paying jobs.  Meanwhile, the wheels of reform for women turned.  Accompanied women's reform which revealed gradual change, the need to address child care for women working outside the home.  It prompt attention to set up organized Day Nurseries as early as 1890's.  Josephine Jewell Dodge, from New York, an philanthropists and innovator led the project of setting up the first Day Nursery in 1893.  Workers in the nurseries were predominately female volunteers.  (I imagine, here's where ambiguity plays into the image of child care being viewed as 'charitable and casual '.   Currently, some believe this image shadows child care today.  Frankly speaking, for a very long time a culture of thought regarding child care could be summarized as having a charitable nature producing minimal.  Characterized as requiring little input...not much to expect in terms of beneficial outcomes for children.  Likewise,  for adults hidden as a serious, respectable profession.  It was not considered 'real work'. However, today as researchers, educators, advocacy groups and politicians take their platforms, what many consider an ongoing reform crusade in child care - change is inevitable.  It invites win-win opportunities for children and those who are committed to their best interest.

Even today, child care reform issues in the US such as appropriate funding sources, fiduciary responsibilities, developing more unified method (tools) to assess quality is ever present.  Reform must continue in child care to champion excellence.  Strong and relentless voice is significant as it will keep quality child care issues in the forefront of what's really important.  Hence, issues relative to individual and program performance, and raising a higher standard level, as applies to providers' formal education and training. All such interest sparks debate.  These issues ultimately impact quality care provisions.  How can we get a reading that accurately reflects the pause of meaningful and best practices in the child care profession?  It's through training - honing relevant skills and practice!!! Whether in a intimate small learning group or large formal classroom setting, followed-up with mentorships - training, or (lack of thereof) is the fundamental base to read what is representative of image and state of child care.  To avoid it or de-value it is a big mistake.  Your profession and professionalism is valuable.  Children having diverse and multi-facet learning opportunities for their future endeavors are valuable.  Here are ten (10) reasons to attend Early Childhood Development & Management Trainings/Workshops:

1. It's a Professional Practice - Not a Personal Preference - Everyone has a style or way preferred to do things; The practice of caring for and helping to educate and facilitate learning environments for children is a profession.  Researchers, specialists, educators and practitioners in the field of early childhood education work collaboratively to investigate, study, and be current on how children learn.  Observe and document what are the best practices to encourage whole child development.  What becomes a personal child care  practice and works well at home with your child - may not be 'best fit' for another child, or group of children.
2. Safe Care Practices - Attending training sessions, staff development workshops can be excellent for re-kindling your safety awareness when providing healthy environments for youngsters.  Some safety aspects of taking care of children may become instinctual.  However, it is vital to plan for the unexpected.  What better way to explore various aspects of safe child care than to discuss/examine with peers.  Doing a safe and health assessment of your classroom, center, or home day care business is essential.
3. Become part of a Network to Help Navigate - When you value learning and attend regular trainings and workshops offered, you become part of a network.  Individuals such as yourself you can meet.  These formal gatherings individuals can share similar experiences, ideas, as well as discuss common concerns - interest in children and families.  In addition, collaborate  - value growth in their profession....together respecting the child care industry as extraordinary.  
4. Gain Information /Ethical & Legal Insights - Children's different learning activities and play options in a child care setting are quite vast.  It is just as vast as the adult's ability and willingness to be creative. While is necessary to set the stage for children to explore safely - so it is just as important to be equipped with knowledge of providers' legal and ethical responsibility.  The duty of 'due diligence' as it pertains to providing/maintaining a safe environment for youngsters. This includes being aware of your core personal values, beliefs, and practices.  Understanding how personal core values and beliefs translates into ethical competency.  Performing in accordance to set guidelines/policies of your program.- Also, to follow identified rules which aids in keeping staff from falling into legal or ethical pitfalls. Generally, many early learning programs adapt rules and polices to comply with state and federal child care licensing and child welfare laws.  Gaining insight on effective communication is another benefit when attending trainings. 
5. Ways to Better Communicate with Children & Adults - The familiar saying...'less is more', becomes more consequential when you don't know you've said enough.  Words are powerful and can be used to one's advantage or detriment. That's why it's important to think about word choice before speaking.  Through training participation... find out more about active listening and it's role in effective communication.
6. Understanding How Curriculum Impacts Children's Interest & Development - Practically everything children learn based on teachers lesson planning can be considered part of curriculum.  That's why thoughtful planning should be focus.  Learn why building trust, lends to meaningful relationships with children, families.  It is part of a curriculum foundation.
7. To Develop Leadership Skills - Explore the leader in you!  Discuss how leadership and management differ as well as share common characteristic traits.
8. Business Management Training - Documentation is part of how child care business is conducted. No doubt recordkeeping takes place whether in the front office, or in the classroom.  Documentation provides a base for planning, follow-up, review and confirmation
9. Celebrating Employees - Having great staff is like having a gold mine.  Not recognizing and properly celebrating their achievements is like...using a gold mine to store rocks.  Not only wasteful, but not utilizing resources at full or intended valued purpose.  
10. Opportunities to Enlist Others in...unified child care initiatives, encouraging local/state and federal child care polices, participation in associations, networks, think tanks, AND promoting fair wage increases that reflect provider based training, education and performance.   

          - Anytime You Sincerely Want to Make a Change, the first thing you do is...Raise Your Standards. - Anthony Robbins

Eartha L. Deyampert, EL Deyampert Child Care Brand Consulting

Please contact us for training and workshop information by completing the information/contact form on front page of the website. 

Reference - VCU Libraries: Social Welfare History Project, Michel, S. (2011). The history of child care in the U.S., http://social-welfare.library.vcu.edu/programs/child-care-the-american-history/ 

Resource: Child care Lounge /Article: Milestones - A Child Care History Timeline 2016