Professional Development
The knowledge, skills, and practices of caregivers are important factors in determining how much a young child learns and how prepared that child is for entry into school. Early childhood caregivers need to have deeper understandings of child development and early education issues; provide richer educational experiences for all children, including those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged; engage children of varying abilities and backgrounds; and connect with a diverse array of families. As a caregiver you are required to take classes to enhance their abilities to support young children’s learning. The following links provide you access to all the professional development that is currently available.
I-PoWeR
Iowa's Early Childhood and School Age
Professional Workforce Registry
New Program: On-DEMAND Professional Development
Caregivers need professional development to maintain their child care registration and licensure, however the timing of class offerings are not always conducive to a child care providers schedule or personal life. We wanted to remove cost of training as a barrier to professional development and maximize flexibility, so we've partnered with Child Care Resource & Referral to create a reimbursement program for caregivers that wish to take On-DEMAND courses. These courses can be found on I-PoWeR. Individuals must complete the application with completed W-9, provide proof of course completion and a receipt in order to receive reimbursement. The application form is located to the left or can be completed on-line.