Welcome to 2023!

The WKU FCCN extends new year wishes to you! We know you are talented, caring, and hardworking. We recognize your talents and are so happy that you are a part of our Family Child Care Network.

We look forward to working with you in 2023!

New Year, New Trainings!

Every child care provider needs to obtain a minimum amount of training hours per year. Certified providers need to get nine hours of training each year, and licensed providers need 15. The training year now runs from July 1^st to June 30^th for all providers (with exceptions for those in their first/second year in the field). One benefit of being part of the Family Child Care Network is access to trainings created by your local Family Child Care Specialists. We want to highlight some of those opportunities and share some info about the types of training that you can choose from.

Choose the training type that works for you!

There are three types of training:

· Independent Study – completed online and at your own pace

· Virtual – live Zoom webinars where you learn together with other providers online at a set date and time

· In-Person – meeting together with your trainer and other Early Childhood professionals to learn in the same space

All providers are welcome to take part in any open training sessions, no matter the location or trainer! Visit our Training Calendar at www.wku.edu/fccn/calendar for the most up to date information on upcoming training opportunities from the WKU Family Child Care Network.

If you are looking for a training on a specific topic, and don’t see it in the currently available trainings, you can also search on ECE-TRIS for topics that relate to your interests - or reach out to your regional Family Child Care Specialist!

Professional Development Training

View the WKU FCCN Training Calendar for more information and to register.

The Family Child Care Network will be offering a 4-part training series focusing on strengthening business practices. The purpose of this training is to strengthen childcare providers’ foundational knowledge of fiscal terms, concepts, and practices. It encourages providers to realize the importance of financial planning to the sustainability of their business. It provides tips and best practices to help break down fiscal processes into manageable steps.

This training is intended to be one part of the learning process to build providers’ understanding of good business practices.

Whenever possible, it is recommended that this training be supplemented with technical assistance and ongoing peer-to-peer sharing opportunities such as communities of practice. During this training, you will be introduced to financial reports that can help you better manage your center’s finances. We will also be helping you understand the concept of internal controls and how they can strengthen your program's fiscal health.

The dates for the series are February 21st & 28th / March 7th & 14th.

Each month the WKU FCCN provides independent studies. Independent studies are online and work at your own pace. They are available for registration until the 15th of each month. Independent studies must be completed within two weeks.

Topics include:

Being Prepared for Emergencies
Curriculum-based Assessment
Developmental Screening
Evaluating Your Services
Family Engagement
Family Engagement: Literacy Bags
Health, Safety, and Nutrition
Infant and Toddler Development
Early Childhood Environments: Learning through Routines and Rituals
Let’s Get Appy
Preventing Burnout
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse Neglect and Safe Sleep
Science in an Early Learning Classroom
Social Studies in an Early Learning Classroom
The Stressed Child
The Value of Play

Join us for live training from the comfort of your home!

We strive to provide personal, live sessions that are welcoming to all that allow for networking no matter where in Kentucky you live.

You do not need any special skills to attend, however you do need access to the internet and a free Zoom account.

Upcoming Dates:

January 12 - Caring For Infants In a Mixed-age Family Child Care Setting

January 21 - Kentucky’s Early Childhood Standards: The Introduction to the Standards and Family Guides

January 24 - Family Engagement in Family Child Care

Do you need CPR and First Aid?

FOR A LIMITED TIME GET IT FREE!

The WKU CCR&R offers both hybrid and face-to-face sessions. During hybrid sessions, the session content is online and the skills check is in person. Please make sure you are registering for the session that best meets your needs.

Hybrid Classes: January 28, February 25, March 25th

In-Person Classes: January 21, February 18, March 18

Training Calendar

Join us along with the Child Care Council of KY in Lexington, KY on March 10-11, 2023, for the Family Child Care Convention! This amazing opportunity is FREE for Family Child Care Providers in Kentucky and includes nine hours of ECE-TRIS approved training.

This Conscious Discipline training is a premium event that combines quality instruction with a uniquely immersive experience. We literally create a School Family classroom environment with all the structures of Conscious Discipline, and then utilize that classroom to teach the powers and skills of Conscious Discipline. Based on brain research and developmentally appropriate practices, the Institute provides inspiration, proven discipline strategies and camaraderie that will promote lasting changes that echo through your organization for years.

A publication of the WKU Family Child Care Network

Funded through Family Childcare Support Award SC 7362100001482

www.wku.edu/fccn