WV Early Childhood Training Connections and Resources (WVECTCR) is a statewide program designed to provide professional development opportunities for the early care and education community. Through an extensive network of information, training and technical assistance, resources, and collaboration, WVECTCR strives to improve the quality of early education services for young children and their families.

http://www.wvearlychildhood.org

Helping Families, Children and Communities
Through Numerous Programs and Projects

The West Virginia Apprenticeship for Child Development Specialist program, often referred to as ACDS, is based on a professional partnership between early care and education providers and their employers.  It is a teaching program where apprentices “learn by doing”.  A blending of classroom work and on-the-job training provides professional growth for providers.  It also enhances the quality of care that their employers offer to the community.

Child Care Health Educators provide trainings and resources to child care providers serving children and their families. They focus on providing the most up-to-date information on health, safety, and nutrition topics to child care providers to improve the overall health of the child.

Child Care Nurse Health Consultants work with child care providers to promote the health and safety of children in the child care setting.  These consultants can provide expert guidance, technical assistance and training on a wide range of health and safety topics.

Early Care Share WV is an online platform that delivers a wealth of practical resources for early childhood education directors, family care providers, teachers, and students. Most simply, the website helps its users manage their programs more efficiently by saving time, reducing costs, and improving quality. Examples of resources offered include links to state and national regulations, discounts from vendors, and templates and sample documents.

Engage WV is a distance learning project that utilizes technology to bring professional development to the early childhood workforce across the state of West Virginia. The goal for the project is for all individuals working in the early childhood education field, regardless of location, setting or sector, to have access to comprehensive, high quality, and collaborative professional development opportunities.

The Early Care and Education Consultant provides policy and technical assistance support to the state’s resource and referral agencies.

Project LAUNCH strives to establish a sustainable infrastructure to promote the wellness of families.  The project will coordinate early childhood programs through promotion of physical, emotional, cognitive, social and behavioral well-being of children birth through eight by enhancing collaboration through increased screenings and mental health consultations, enhanced professional development activities, increased evidence-based home visiting services and providing family strengthening and parent skills training.

The Training and Technical Assistance Statewide Coordinator facilitates three statewide annual conferences/events along with various other meetings and trainings for the early care and education community.  Camp Gizmo is a five day, hands-on camp where parents, professionals, and students learn how assistive technology can help young children, birth through 8 years, with significant and multiple developmental needs.  Great Beginnings Infant/Toddler Conference is a professional development opportunity for Infant/Toddler Caregivers, Administrators, Early Interventionists, Home Visitors, and Early Head Start Staff.  Celebrating Connections Conference is the annual early childhood conference providing learning opportunities for all professionals in the early care and education community and parents.

WV Early Intervention Interagency Coordinating Council is a governor appointed council mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to advise and assist with the implementation of the WV Birth to Three Early Intervention System.  The Council is composed of families, practitioners, state agency representatives and other early childhood stakeholders.

WV State Training and Registry System, often referred to as WV STARS, is dedicated to impacting care and education by promoting quality professional development opportunities for those who care for, educate, and support West Virginia’s children and families.

WV STARS Pathway Advancement Scholarship is a project developed to encourage individuals to advance their education through the offering of scholarship opportunities.  The WV STARS Pathway Advancement Scholarship is available to child care providers and directors in a licensed child care center, licensed child care facility, or registered family child care home.

WVECTCR provides financial support in the form of grants to assist in providing training opportunities on a local county level or for an early childhood conference.  Stipends are available for families of children with special needs to attend conferences and training events.  WVECTCR also provides financial support to child care centers and family child care homes seeking accreditation or Tier II status.

WVECTCR creates several publications for use within the early care and education community.  The WV Early Childhood Provider Quarterly Magazine supports and informs the early childhood community, including families, on a variety of topics through an online format and distributed electronically.  The Parent Blocks Newsletter is a section of each magazine that is designed to provide families with relevant information on a variety of topics that focus on children’s issues from a parent’s perspective.  The Healthy Kids WV Newsletter includes relevant information on a variety of health, safety and nutrition topics that focus on children’s issues.

More Info:

http://www.wvearlychildhood.org