Education and child care are ever-changing, and educators need to upskill continually. In fact, continuing education is essential for anyone in the sector.
Post-graduate training will get you those much-deserved pay rises. But there are other ways to build your skills and help your kids learn better, faster, and more profoundly. Among them, webinars for child care providers are one of the best resources—and sometimes even free!
Of course, we all know how busy teachers and child care providers are. The key is finding beneficial webinars that won't waste your precious time. Look for content created by a reputable early child care organization.
Read on for the places we like to go for the most beneficial child care provider webinars.
Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA)
Child Care Aware is one of the leading voices promoting child care best practices in the country.
They work with nearly 500 child care agencies through various programs and initiatives. These are designed for families of every socio-economic background. They give them access to affordable, high-quality child care.
They have dozens of webinars on their website. Subjects include:
- Advice on navigating COVID-19 restrictions
- Implementing emergency child care systems
- Empowering children and their families in racial justice and equity
There's even a webinar on business automation in child care. That's something we know a lot about, too!
National Head Start Association (NHSA)
With that in mind, their Resources section offers various webinars and informational videos. Learn about childhood health and wellness and family engagement in education. Brush up on government programs like SNAP and the Child Tax Credit.
Early Childhood Investigations
Early Childhood Investigations offers webinars for child care professionals. They are presented by some of the top experts and thought-leaders in education today. The program is funded by various sponsors, mainly in the education sector.
Tune in on their website to dive deep into subjects like:
- Planning nature-based programs
- Designing developmentally appropriate curriculums
- Disability in early childhood education
- Guiding technology use for young children
... And so much more!
Best of all, the webinars are free! Participants also get certificates for participating in live webinars and watching recorded sessions.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
If you're starting a child care program, just focusing on the business side of child care isn't enough. You also need to educate yourself on current best practices.
Thankfully, the NAEYC has you covered! They have an extensive collection of online training on their website. This includes a packed archive of pre-recorded webinars.
- Head here for top-quality content like:
Running kid's science classes—with content by PBS - Advice on handling the COVID-19 pandemic in ECE
- Early Learning Program Accreditation Standards & Assessment Items revision
- Integrating subjects like math, literacy, and play into ECE classrooms and child care centers
Some of the webinars offer a certificate of participation, but not all.
Zero to Three
Do you care for children under three years old? Then, you'll want to check out the webinars offered by Zero to Three.
The organization aims to help early childhood educators better understand the brain science of very young learners. Their collection of webinars focuses on translating complicated research into the critical learning period of the zero to three age range into an easily digestible format.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
UNESCO recently urged all countries to implement environmental education into their teaching systems at all levels. If you're running a child care program, you're likely implementing some kind of environmentally focused curriculum or activities into your kids' day.
But have you thought about the environmental safety of your facilities as well? A safe space goes well beyond child-proofing furniture and play items or banning peanuts in lunch boxes.
The EPA offers a range of webinars aimed at helping educators and child care providers create healthy child care facilities. This includes topics like creating healthy indoor environments and responsible pest management and pesticide use.
National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)
Webinars are arguably one of the best uses of child care software, and the collection on offer from the NAFCC is an excellent example of what can be achieved.
The NAFCC offers a rotating selection of live ECE-focused webinars that participants can register to attend. The webinars cost $25 for members and $40 for non-members and are presented by leaders in the education sector. Most sessions run in the early evening (PST), and attendees get 0.1 CEU credit.
Their webinar archive can also be accessed for free on the NAFCC's YouTube channel.
Early Learning Ventures (ELV)
Webinars are offered in English and Spanish by experienced ECE educators and typically take place in the early afternoon on Fridays—the perfect way to wrap up a busy week! Participants need to register for upcoming events, and you can also view recordings of previous sessions.
Your Go-To List of the Best Webinars for Child Care Providers
Webinars for child care providers are an excellent way to upskill.
They help you brush up on the latest research in the early childhood education sector and connect with peers. You can gain practical skills, tips, and tricks in everything from professional development to running a child care business.
Best of all, you can participate from the comfort and convenience of your home office!
Are you looking for ways to improve the quality of your child care business? Early Learning Ventures (ELV) is a registered education non-profit that offers a back-office child care management system designed to cut down the time you spend on administration.
Are you looking for more child care management information? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Child Care Management.
Our child care management system makes running your child care program simple and efficient. Get back to what's most important. You shouldn't have to spend more time on the administrative tasks than you do with children and staff.
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Or schedule a demo with us to learn more about how our child care management system, Alliance Core, can streamline your administrative processes.
Do you run an early childhood association made up of child care providers? If so, check out our Ultimate Guide to Shared Service Alliance.
Header image courtesy of Jumpstory.
