Child Care Aware of NH, a program of Southern NH Services, is excited to be presenting the Fall 2023 Keys to Quality Conference!

This event is happening Saturday, September 30th, 2023 from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. It is being held at Manchester Community College in Manchester, NH. To view all of the learning sessions available and for more details, click the image of the brochure above, OR click the button below!

***please note that this will be the last opportunity to use any Training Bucks earned through participating in a Progressive or Cohort with Child Care Aware of NH. To learn more about how to use them, see page 14 of the Conference Brochure.

Did you know if you complete the SNHS Department of Labor (DOL) Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program with a Child Development Associate (CDA) education pathway you are eligible to earn 9 college credits when enrolling in an Early Childhood Degree program at either NHTI-Concords Community College or River Valley Community College? If students are not apprentices and only have a current CDA they are eligible for 6 credits at River Valley Community College only. This includes anyone with a CDA Credential, including T.E.A.C.H. NH recipients.

Find out how you can advance your career to the next level at apprentice@snhs.org.

T.E.A.C.H. NH Scholarships are available for those who need financial assistance in earning their CDA.

August might be a little quieter than some of our other months, but there's still some great opportunities!

We have ERS and Revive & Thrive! Have you already taken the Intro and Overview of ERS and are looking for something more in-depth? We've got you covered! Check out our Community of Practice: Beyond the Intro and Overview of ERS.

You can find all of these amazing opportunities in the training calendar in your NHCIS account!

Elevate your child care program to new heights this summer with our Progressive Training and Technical Assistance Program!

Just as summer presents a golden opportunity for personal transformation, it's also the perfect time to strengthen your child care practices. With our program, you'll receive unparalleled guidance and support tailored to your program's needs. Our team of experts will equip you with focused and facilitated training sessions, personalized coaching, and continuous technical assistance throughout the sunny season. By partnering with us, you'll witness remarkable growth and progress as you continue to provide exceptional care and education to the children in your program.

Check out the state initiatives we can support you with:

Nearsightedness has risen dramatically over the last 50 years. If nothing is done to help slow the increase, half the world’s population may be nearsighted by the year 2050. That means much more than a lot of people in glasses. It means a lot of kids today are at risk of developing vision-threatening eye conditions tomorrow. That’s why Child Care Aware of NH and the American Academy of Ophthalmology are sharing information about myopia and its progression.

People who have myopia, also known as nearsightedness, can see close-up objects clearly, but objects farther away are blurry. Myopia that begins in early childhood often worsens as the child grows. If these changes are too extreme, it can be hard to correct the blurriness with glasses or contact lenses and the risk of potentially blinding eye conditions rises.

Check out the video below for 5 tips for slowing near-sightedness.

Take advantage of this FREE Children’s Environmental Health e-course! It is a free online training on the ProSolutions website: Eco-Healthy Child Care. Use Code NHECO at checkout. The training was produced and created by the Eco-Healthy Childcare Program of the Children’s Environmental Health Network.

Learn about low-cost, effective tips for reducing

potential environmental hazards like unsafe plastics,

pesticides and lead, and improving environmental quality in water, air, soil and dust to support healthy children as they learn and grow. This training counts as part of your required annual Health and Safety training hours

This is a great place to begin learning about the ways you can save time, save money, and support quality in your program. Here you’ll find links to get you started – general overview, how to use the platform, reference sheets to show you all of the resources, tools, tip sheets, guides, etc. that can be found on the platform!

You can also take a general tour to see how SELA can save you time and money while supporting your quality work.

Click on this link to register and go to the START HERE tab https://www.selanhmembers.com/start-here/.

Log in or register for the SELA Platform for free at www.selanhmembers.com or use the register QR code (to the right).

QUESTIONS? Email sela@earlylearningnh.org or schedule a half hour Zoom with us using this link https://calendly.com/jcowell-2/30min?month=2022-11 or use the QR code below. 

Today marks the start of World Breastfeeding Week! World Breastfeeding Week is an annual celebration which is held every year from August 1st to August 7th in more than 120 countries. It is supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and many Ministries of Health and civil society partners. This year's theme is, "Let's make breastfeeding and work, work!"

To learn more about how you can support breastfeeding families and staff in your program, check out the New Hampshire Breastfeeding Task Force. They have resources, tips, and toolkits, as well as plenty of resources to share with families.