UPCOMING WEBINARS
COVID-19 in Child Care GOECD Briefing
GOECD held a briefing, during which IDPH Epidemiologist, Shelby Daniel-Wayman, shared the latest data on COVID-19 in Illinois child care settings. A recording and presentation slides from the Dec. 9, 2021, COVID-19 in Child Care GOECD Briefing can be accessed below.
View the presentation recording here.
View the presentation slides here.
Watch Now: Child Care Aware Webinar on COVID-19 Vaccines
Our friends at Child Care Aware recently produced a webinar for child care providers to answer questions about the COVID-19 vaccines. Learn how the vaccines were developed and tested, and get answers to common questions about the vaccines including how to access them and what to expect. You will hear from child care providers who will share their experiences with the COVID vaccines, as well as a pediatrician who will share more about how the vaccines work.
You can watch this webinar recording on-demand at any time.
IDHS Grant Technical Assistance Tools
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) has launched a new tool to help organizations across Illinois successfully comply with the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA).
The IDHS Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Technical Assistance (TA) Learning Management System (LMS) was developed to provide technical assistance and navigation of the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act and the grant application process.
The system is available for self-paced, online learning, with an instructor in a physical classroom or in a virtual classroom online. It includes six modules and the estimated time to complete all modules is approximately 24 hours.
The weblink for self-paced, online learning is available at no cost on the IDHS website under the "Providers" tab, in the "Provider Information" section.
WEBINAR RECORDINGS
Children Thrive Outside: A New Day for Outdoor Play in Child Care
Join New America’s Early & Elementary Education Policy program and the National Wildlife Federation’s Early Childhood Health Outdoors (ECHO) program for a webinar highlighting opportunities to build outdoor learning opportunities that help young children thrive, especially children who may lack access to safe parks, nearby nature, or free time with family.
Watch the webcast here.
Webinar Recording: GOECD Learning Renewal
This webinar took a deep dive into Governor Pritzker’s Learning Recovery announcement, made on March 31, 2021, that Illinois K-12 schools are receiving $7 billion in federal funding to support students as they return to the classroom after distance and hybrid learning due to COVID-19.
This announcement included the release of the P-20 Council's Learning Renewal Resource Guide, a 180-page guide filled with ideas from experts and stakeholders from across the State to help school districts renew learning and provide ongoing feedback.
Watch the recording or view the webinar slides to learn more.
Townhall FAQ and Webinar Recording
A townhall FAQ was released online in both English and Spanish. This FAQ answers questions the state received from early childhood providers on vaccines, federal funding, program capacity and policy clarification.
FAQ English – https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/OECD/Documents/IN24621.pdf
FAQ Spanish - https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/OECD/Documents/IN2462_SP.pdf
Townhall Webinar Recording in English | Spanish
Webinar Recording: Economic and Workforce Stability
Our friends at Start Early (formerly known as The Ounce) recently presented a webinar focused on issues related to a lack of access to child care, early learning programs, or in-person instruction as a result of the ongoing pandemic. Panelists included:
- Dr. Theresa Hawley, First Assistant Deputy Governor, Education, State of Illinois
- Peter J. Holt, CEO and General Manager, HOLT CAT; Co-Chair, Early Matters San Antonio
- Angela Lampkin, Director, Educare Chicago
- Cheryl Oldham, Vice President of Education Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Senior Vice President of Education and Workforce, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
- Moderator: Diana Rauner, President, Start Early
In this recorded webinar, this group of experts discusses the state of the workforce and what needs to be done at corporate, provider, and policy levels to reopen early learning programs equitably and safely.
Early Childhood Funding Commission Town Hall Meetings
Governor Pritzker’s Early Childhood Funding Commission—an appointed group of child care and early education leaders charged with making recommendations that will result in big, meaningful changes that will give parents better child care and early education options hosted two town hall meetings.
The Commission hosted a series of community Town Hall meetings on their draft recommendations. Click on the links below to view the recordings of the Town Hall meetings.
During the town hall meetings, participants had the opportunity to connect directly with members of the Commission to ask questions about their emerging recommendations, that are to:
- Make it easier to manage and communicate about the quality and availability of child care options by pulling all the programs into one new structure;
- Make it easier to get public funding for child care to local child care providers; and
- Urge the state to invest billions more in early childhood so that more providers can provide excellent care to all families who want it, in all parts of the State.
Early Childhood Workforce Webinar Series Recordings
A robust and effective early childhood workforce is vital—for Illinois’ children, families, and communities. Early childhood educators shape the developmental experiences that form the foundation for children’s future learning. Inadequate compensation and barriers to higher education and credentials, among other challenges, have made it difficult to attract and retain a qualified early childhood workforce.
We dove into these critical issues in a multipart webinar series, Building a Thriving, Diverse Early Childhood Workforce in Illinois: Opportunities to Advance Competitive Compensation and Accessible Higher Education. View the recorded webinars below:
New Report - Closer to Home: More Equitable Pre-K Access and Enrollment in Chicago
In the virtual event, “Advancing Equity in Pre-K Access and Enrollment in Chicago: A Conversation with Researchers, Policymakers and Parent Leaders,” Start Early partnered with researchers from NORC at the University of Chicago and the UChicago Consortium on School Research to present results from their new study of Chicago’s school-based pre-K system: Closer to Home: More Equitable Pre-K Access and Enrollment in Chicago. Findings from this study show that improving access to full-day pre-K programs may be an effective policy strategy for increasing enrollment among high-priority student groups and making educational opportunities more equitable. To view the recording of the webinar on the Start Early website, click here.
A Media Mentorship Forum and Workshop
New Directions for Guiding Families, Educators, and Kids Through the Digital Deluge
Join New America's Education Policy Program for a national forum on how media mentorship meets this moment, co-hosted by Chicago Public Library, Skokie Public Library, and Schaumburg Township District Library. Speakers from across the country will address key questions about equity and access, family engagement, media literacy, and learning in the age of Covid and beyond. The final day is an open workshop for librarians and other educators looking to develop innovations and build new outreach efforts into their programming for 2021.
View the webinar here.
New Report - Closer to Home: More Equitable Pre-K Access and Enrollment in Chicago
In the virtual event, “Advancing Equity in Pre-K Access and Enrollment in Chicago: A Conversation with Researchers, Policymakers and Parent Leaders,” Start Early partnered with researchers from NORC at the University of Chicago and the UChicago Consortium on School Research to present results from their new study of Chicago’s school-based pre-K system: Closer to Home: More Equitable Pre-K Access and Enrollment in Chicago. Findings from this study show that improving access to full-day pre-K programs may be an effective policy strategy for increasing enrollment among high-priority student groups and making educational opportunities more equitable. To view the recording of the webinar on the Start Early website, click here.
Join New America's Education Policy Program and their partners for an engaging webinar series on improving outcomes for children and families from birth through elementary school.
View the webinar here.
School-Community Partnerships for the Whole Child: Learning from Comprehensive Models
Webinar 3: Partner with Families
Join New America's Education Policy Program and their partners for an engaging webinar series on improving outcomes for children and families from birth through elementary school. In this session, we will discuss meeting the needs of culturally-specific groups, connecting to families through play and learn groups and home visiting, and deepening family engagement to family partnerships.
View webinar here.
School-Community Partnerships for the Whole Child: Learning from Comprehensive Models
Webinar 2: Coordinate Comprehensive Services
Join New America's Education Policy Program and their partners for an engaging webinar series on improving outcomes for children and families from birth through elementary school.
View webinar here.
School-Community Partnerships for the Whole Child: Learning from Comprehensive Models
Webinar 1: Collaborate to Improve Teaching and Learning
Join New America's Education Policy Program and their partners for engaging discussions on advancing equity and promoting whole child learning and development from before birth through elementary school. We will learn from innovative models from around the country.
View webinar here.
For Front-Line Workers: Grief Sensitivity Virtual Learning Institute
The Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network held a two-part virtual learning series, Grief Sensitivity Virtual Learning Institute. This series is geared towards providing front-line workers with tools and strategies that can be used when addressing the needs of individuals experiencing grief and loss during COVID-19 and beyond.
Click here to access all materials and watch the webinars.
Resources for Child Care Providers
On 10/14/2020, GOECD, IDPH, DCFS, and IDHS hosted a Child Care Provider Town Hall Meeting for child care providers currently caring for children, CCR&R staff, and advocates. The following resources were made available following the meeting and have been posted to the GOECD website:
UPCOMING: Q&A based on the chat box from the 10/14/20 Town Hall and the 9/24/20 webinar “The Early Learning Landscape Six Months into the COVID-19 Pandemic” in English and Spanish.
LSX Summit: Innovative Ways to Communicate the Science of Early Learning
Online
Join New America's Education Policy Program for an interactive discussion on why it is critical to elevate and improve early learning and science communication. For the past two years, the Learning Sciences Exchange (LSX) fellows program has brought together 12 experts in Europe and North America across disciplines—research, policy, journalism, and entertainment—to design innovative projects that translate childhood development research for parents, educators, and the public.
Watch the LSX Summit: Innovative Ways to Communicate the Science of Early Learning.
For Early Intervention Providers
How Do I Prepare My Site for the Reopening of Child Care?
The webinar: How do I prepare my site for the reopening of child care? is geared towards all child care providers (family child care, center-based, and school aged). The webinar addresses how providers will need to plan for the physical setup of their child care programs in Phases 3 and 4 of Restore Illinois in the areas covered in the Restore Illinois Day Care License Guidance.
Social Distancing in Early Care and Education: Feasible or Impossible?
Watch this one-hour chat discussion with pediatrician, Danette Glassy, MD, FAAP. Dr. Glassy will review the CDC guidance for early care and education programs and provide practical strategies for implementation in a variety of early care programs. By completing the form, you will be able to view the webcast on-demand. Participants will receive an email with a link to download the certificate of attendance, at the end of either the live event or on-demand viewing.
CCAP Update Webinar Recordings Now Available
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) recently presented multiple webinars this week to child care providers participating in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).
During these webinars, IDHS discussed some of the financial assistance that has been made available and provided information on how to bill CCAP for May and June services. Information on how receiving federal funding through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) programs can affect CCAP billing was the main focus of the webinars. Please refer to the “GUIDANCE FOR CCAP BILLING CERTIFICATES (Issued May 15, 2020)” memo and the COVID-19 Attendance Exemption Form (Version 2, Issued May 2020)
CCAP Updates for Centers and Licensed Home Providers
CCAP Updates for License-Exempt Home Providers
Lo que las familias inmigrantes de Illinois deben saber durante la pandemia de COVID (en Español)
What Immigrant Families in Illinois Should Know during the COVID-19 Pandemic (Spanish)
Los asistentes comprenderán lo que las familias inmigrantes de Illinois necesitan saber en respuesta a la pandemia de COVID. Los temas incluyen: cambios en la política y la aplicación de la leyes de inmigración, requisitos para ciertos beneficios y programas públicos (incluyendo los beneficios de desempleo, atención médica y cobertura, programas de nutrición y otros programas de emergencia) y cómo la regla de carga pública puede o no afectar el acceso a estos programas. También se presentarán recursos para las familias inmigrantes de Illinois.
State of Illinois Emergency Child Care Webinar Series | The Erickson Institute
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Erikson's Policy and Leadership Department is creating webinars to support emergency child care providers on behalf of the State of Illinois' Department of Human Services and Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development (GOECD).
This webinar series helps guide the efforts of Emergency Child Care Providers to create safe learning environments and support the emotional well-being of children during this time. Available webinars outline health guidelines to make a site safe for both providers and children.
National Immigration Law Center | 3-Part Webinar Series
To examine the impacts COVID-19 is having on immigrant communities, join this webinar serices covering federal responses to COVID-19s impact on immigrants and how states and localities are filling in the gaps left by the federal government's response. Click the links below to access the webinar recordings.
Webinar: What Illinois Immigrants Need to Know During the COVID-19 Pandemic | 04/14/2020
Learn more about changes to immigration policy and enforcement, immigrant eligibility for public benefits, and how/whether the final public charge rule affects access of these programs.
Child Care During COVID-19: Guidelines & Implementation from Experts Webinar | 04/13/2020
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released a Supplemental Guidance for Child Care Programs that Remain Open. Learn about the latest recommendations for child care providers who remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paying Yourself, Your Staff, and Your Bills: Helping Child Care Programs Understand and Navigate the SBA Loan Options | 04/09/2020
Cómo pagarse a sí mismo, a su personal y sus deudas— Entendamos las opciones de préstamos SBA para programas de cuidado infantil | 04/10/2020
Child Care Business Resources: COVID19 Webinar | 04/06/2020
The Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development GOECD hosted a webinar that gave an overview of the current federal and state supports available to providers, including for-profit and non-profit, child care and preschool, center- and home-based, licensed and license-exempt.
CACFP During COVID-19 Webinar - On this live webinar USDA will explain the new waivers allowing CACFP sites to make adjustments to normal operating rules. VIEW RECORDING
Caring for Children While Social Distancing (recorded webinar)
IDHS & GOECD - COVID-19 Child Care Business Practices and Resources: Webinar Slides and Webinar Recording (3/23/2020)
National Association of Family Child Care (NAFCC) - Family Child Care Environments (recorded webinar)
NAFCC - Caring for Mixed Age Groups (recorded webinar)
Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH): Connecting Communities with Information to Stay Healthy - Webinar Slides (4/01/2020). Includes links to resources and information on the Chicago Citywide Literacy Coalition strategies and resources
The Ounce Online Training Portal
Visit the Achieve OnDemand online training portal and take advantage of our comprehensive offering of self-paced trainings and webinars made just for home visiting professionals.