Power to the Profession Webinar: Innovative Strategies to Engage Staff and Providers

June 25, 2018

budget deal reachedWhat can Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&Rs) agencies do and how can they most effectively share information about Power to the Profession with the field? Join us for a webinar, "What can your CCR&R do to prepare for the evolution of the ECE profession?," on July 10 from 2:30-3:30 pm EST as we talk with our colleagues at Child Care Answers, a child care resource and referral agency in Indiana, to learn about innovative strategies they are using to help engage and inform their staff and child care providers in their area about Power to the Profession.

Child Care Aware® of America is one of 15 national organizations leading the Power to the Profession, an initiative working to develop a shared framework that describes career pathways, knowledge and competencies, qualifications, standards, and compensation for the early childhood workforce. Developing this framework and defining our profession is urgent in order to make a strong case for increased public investments. The taskforce recently released a joint statement regarding feedback received from the field on recommendations around preparation, specializations, and career pathways for the profession.

CCR&Rs are in the position to shape the future of the early childhood profession. Child care provider and community feedback are critical in this initiative. According to the CCAoA data, 85 percent of CCR&Rs participate in statewide partnerships or initiatives and 91 percent participate in local partnerships to identify and develop strategies to address gaps in services and systems that serve children and families. CCR&R agencies are in a perfect position to facilitate conversations with child care providers and community partners and ensure that voices from the field are represented in the recommendations from the national taskforce.

We can't make advancements in the field without you! Find out how you can be part of the solution.

 

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Topics: Business Operations for CCR&Rs, Systems Building, Workforce, Professional Development

Karen Ruprecht

Written by Karen Ruprecht

Karen Ruprecht is the Content Developer for the National Center for Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning at Child Care Aware® of America. She works with the National Center and throughout the organization to help distill research into practice and policy. She has worked in the field of early care and education for 15 years as both a researcher and practitioner. Her previous experience includes conducting regional and statewide evaluations on Indiana’s QRIS and state-funded pre-k programs with Purdue University. She has also worked with a statewide early care and education organization to advance policy on pre-k expansion and worked directly with child care centers to implement curriculum through an embedded coaching model. She has led statewide workgroups on QRIS revision and co-chaired a workgroup on child and family outcomes for Indiana’s Early Learning Advisory Council. Her research interests have focused on quality child care practices such as continuity of care and primary caregiving for infants and toddlers. She earned her PhD from Purdue University in child development and family studies and a master’s degree in public administration from St. Louis University.