About the Child Care Workforce

2 Presentation Overview The Institute The Myths The Truths The Research My Knowledge

3 A product of the NC Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development MISSION Define and advocate for the implementation of a comprehensive early childhood professional development system that provides supportive, accessible, and individually appropriate education which is linked to compensation in order to ensure high quality care and education services for children and families.

4 Institute is a national model… –Information Source Website ( Publications (Why Education Matters, Newsletters, Busting the Myths) Training Tools Research Resources –Support for… Facility license education standards Accreditation of AAS degree programs Community college quality improvement Professional development providers Systems development

5 Institute Structure Task Groups Compensation & Education Educational Certification Outreach & Support Research & Policy Professional Development Infrastructure Committees Current Needs

6 The Institute is you! Be part of the work & be involved! -Learn about the work of each group -Tie into virtual and in-person meetings -Network! -Learn! -Grow Your Knowledge & Skills in the area of early childhood professional development!

7 Research has shown that the quality of child care is related to both the formal education levels and the specialized early childhood training of the teachers.

8 Suggested Small Group Strategy Count off into 3 teams (1,2,3) Each number is assigned a perspective from which they will review the Myths Teams are asked to share how the population they represent could be informed about the truth…busting the myth.

9 Women do not need college classes to know how to love and take care of children.

10 Child care is just babysitting.

11 You do not need an education to work with young children.

12 Child care providers are uneducated and not capable of college coursework.

13 An experienced teacher is better than a teacher with a degree.

14 Child care providers do not want to go back to college.

15 Child care providers can’t afford to go to college.

16 Head Start teachers don't need help paying for college.

17 Only education courses matter – general education (math, English, reading, history, etc.) classes are a waste of time for child care providers.

18 Child care providers will leave their program after they receive a degree.

19 The child care workforce is losing ground and will never be able to turn it around.

20 Parent fees can support the salaries and benefits needed by the child care workforce.

21 Check In & Report Out

22 Are you prepared to bust these myths? What additional resources do you need? How can the Institute help you back home? How will you be involved? Leadership in this field is one of the most pressing needs.

23 Discussion

24 Website: Interactive workbooks Community & Interactive workbooks Resources & Links At the Fulcrum