Child Care Professionals

 Directors’ Caucus

Dodge County Child Care Appreciation

An Annual Child Care Appreciation celebration is held in Fall. In the past, this celebration has been a breakfast event, held on a Saturday, with an exciting and relevant speaker. Details will be posted on this Web site when they become available.

•   To Be Announced: 2012 Date, Time and Place

The Dodge County Early Childhood Care & Education Task Force

We are a collaboration of Dodge County Child Care Providers and Agencies interested in improving the quality of Child Care in the Dodge County Area.

Our Mission: The Dodge County Early Childhood Care and Education Task Force will collaborate to enhance the quality of childcare for families by promoting education and support for childcare professionals.

Our Accomplishments:

• Established Dodge County Director’s Caucus
• Received $57,059 Community Child Care Initiatives Grant
• Organized Child Care Professional Appreciation Day -

• Quality Improvements at five centers in Dodge County
• Organized Kid’s Share Fair – August 2003 and 2004, March 2005, April 2006, 2007, 2008, February 2009
• Supports the Beaver Dam Acting to Build our Children’s Future (ABC) Project
• Increased child care professionalism
• Offered Ready, Set, Relax – September 2003
• Offered Color R World – February 2005 and 2006

Resources

4-C’s Professional Development and Training Department: http://www.4-C.org  Offers affordable high quality workshops for childcare providers. Staff provide technical assistance to family and center based programs. A Resource Room and Lending library is available to all 4-C members offering among other things, toy kits for check out and access to a die cut machine and laminator. 4-C also sponsors the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). This Federal program allows regulated family childcare providers to receive monetary reimbursement for food served to children in their care. Nutrition workshops, assistance with business matters and information on child development are also available from the programs technical staff.

Wisconsin’s Early Childhood Excellence Initiative: http://www.sohe.wisc.edu/outreach/ece/index.html  Resource for childcare professionals.

Family Village: http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu
The Family Village of the University of Wisconsin’s Waisman Center offers resources for families and childcare providers and information on specific disabilities.

Child Development & Parenting

• Healthy Child Care AmericaThis site provides early education and child care information to health care professionals, child care professionals, and families. It also provides enhanced access to information and resources. Improvements are occuring so check back periodically.
• Child & Family Web Guide
• Children, Youth & Family Information Service
• Parenting the First Year
• Parenting the 2nd & 3rd Years
• I Am Your Child
• Articles and Activities from Penn State Extension’s Better Kid Care Program: http://www.betterkidcare.psu.edu
• Birth to 3: http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/bdds/birthto3/
• Creative Illustrator: http://www.janbrett.com
• Family Village: http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu
• Guide to Children’s Health: http://www.kidshealth.org/parent
• Home Visit Program: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/flp/homevisit/
• Parenting the Preschooler Program: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/flp/pp/
• Parenting Program: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/flp/parenting
• Thousands of Ideas: http://www.familyfun.com
• Wisconsin First Step 24 Hour Referral Service: http://www.mch-hotlines.org/     (1-800-642-7837) Public Health Information and Referral Service for Women, Children and Families

UW-Extension

• University of Wisconsin Family Living Programs
• University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Home and Family Publications