NEW Early Childhood Educators’ Screening Collaborative Launching 2022

Now Accepting Applications! 

Help Me Grow-Long Island, in partnership with the Child Care Councils of Nassau and Suffolk, and QUALITYstarsNY, is launching the newest cohort of the Early Childhood Educators’ Screening Collaborative. This is a free program that teaches childcare directors how to start using developmental and social-emotional screening at their child care programs.

HMG-LI is accepting applications for the next cohort, which will begin in January 2022 and continue over the course of six months, guiding participants from the very basics of screening all the way through to implementation and actively screening children in their programs!

Why participate?

• Screening is important: As a provider, you are dedicated to engaging and supporting the development and wellbeing of children, and you are a key partner with the families of the children you serve. You may also be the first to observe potential delays or know what to do when there is a concern. Developmental and social-emotional screening captures 70-80% of delays compared to observation alone, which catches 30% of delays. If developmental concerns are caught early, you can help ensure that children receive the extra support they need while in your care and are linked to the appropriate services. Offering screening can also support conversations with parents around concerns.
• Participation is FREE: There is no cost to participating and you will even receive prizes that will help you promote development at your center.
• Access to free screening: ASQ Online will be made available to your center during and after the program allowing ongoing, free access to the ASQ and ASQ-SE; this access is contingent on ongoing screening and sharing of data, along with completion of annual refresher sessions.
• Professional Development Hours: Participants that complete the program receive 18 professional development hours.

When and where does it meet? The program follows a hybrid model, with virtual and in-person meetings.

Part 1 (Training):

• Total: 3 months
• 5-hour meeting every week
• Every other week the meeting is in-person at your local Child Care Council

Part 2 (Implementation):

• Total: 3 months
• Monthly virtual meeting
• Monthly site visit from HMG-LI or Child Care Council

By the end of the program, participants will:

• Learn how to train staff on important principles about developmental promotion, developmental & social-emotional screening, and quality improvement
• Implement standardized developmental & social-emotional screening in classrooms
• Learn how to use screening information to improve curriculum and direct professional development
• Incorporate the new screening into policies and procedures

Who participates? Directors of center-based childcare in Nassau and Suffolk County.* Additional participants can include relevant site leadership, but director participation is required to support efforts. The program will prepare directors and guide them through training staff on screening.

*Please note: this program is designed for child care centers. Family and group-family providers will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

If you’re interested, here’s what to do…

1. HMG-LI hosted an information session on Thursday, 11/18/21. Watch the info session and learn all about this program. Code to access recording is @^5&7v+Z
2. Applications due Friday, 12/10/21. Click here to learn more and apply.

This training was exceptional and I learned so much from the “leaders” of this cohort…I have done developmental checklists in my child care center before but the ASQ3 and ASQSE brings it to the next level and includes the parents…I am so excited to bring this to my center in the New Year!

Past participant