Child Care Provider Education

There seemed to be a drop in the number of home based daycare providers attending the annual Child Care Givers Workshop. However, an increase was seen in the number of center-based daycare providers. Fourteen (14) of the 69 centers invited brought their staff to the training. Each of these centers were located in Roosevelt, Chaves, Eddy, and Lea Counties, as well as Gaines County, Texas.

Evaluation forms from each of the workshop/presentations show and increase in knowledge gained by most of the participants.

Ninety-nine percent (99%) of those providers who completes the Penn State Self paced training needed the necessay credit hours to keep their child care providers license. Twenty percent (20%) of those providers were new employees in the caycare and needed supplemental training prior to beginning their job.

Short term objectives were met. The Home Economist in Otero County reported that 85% of the 39 participants who attended the workshop on play and the young child scored higher on the post test when compared to the pretest. Of the 43 participants who participated in the child development workshop, 95% scored higher on the post test than the pretest.

Forty-five participants at the Otero County Regional Early Care and Education Conference and 100 child care providers at the Lea County Child Caregivers Workshop (100% of participants) acquired 2-5 (depending on the county) continuing education hours to keep their employment as child care providers.

Provided an educational workshop to 45 child care providers at the Regional Early Care and Education Conference. The educational workshop assists providers in obtaining certificates to meet child care licensing and registration requirements. In addition, participants in the workshop have an interest in learning how new skills and knowledge will help children develop. Providers increased their knowledge in the areas of child development, encouraging creativity in young children, and how teachers can help children learn through play.

43 participants completed the child development pretest and posttest. Of the 43 participants who took the pretest, 41 scored higher on the posttest. A comparison of pretest and posttest scores showed that 95% of the child care providers improved their understanding of child development by a 39% gain in understanding.

39 participants completed the play and the young child pretest and posttest. Of the 39 participants who took the pretest, 33 scored higher on the posttest. A comparison of pretest and posttest scores showed that 85% of the child care providers improved their understanding of play and the young child by a 36% gain in understanding.

Additional comments from child care providers participating in the workshop included, very good class, very interesting, awesome, fun, and great workshop. Participants also reported that the information covered in the workshop is useful to their jobs, the information presented is easy to understand and the written materials provided are useful.

Twenty-five perent of the annual workshop participants have contacted the Lea County Extension Service for additional training, curriculum or project information for their centers, and progam presentations.

These requests have been handled on a case by case basis. When a childcare center or individual has requested training, programs have been presented through the Lea County I CAN program, specific topic areas as requested at the center, or through a self paced training program developed by Penn State Extension Service. Evaluation forms are filled out for each program to gauge the knowledge increase in all the participants. Once the evaluation forms have been returned, certificates are issued to the program participants. To date approximately ten percent of the childcare providers in Lea County have completed the additional trainings from Lea County Extension Service staff.

The childcare providers in Lea County have began using the extension service as a resource for program supplies, or as a program presenter for their children or parents. The Headstart of Hobbs has requested programs on nutrition, holiday projects, and other topics for the parents of their students. A private day care center has used the Glo Germ products for their children and staff as a training on proper hand washing techniques.

In March, 2008 the annual Lea County Child Caregivers Workshop was held for over 100 child care providers in the region. Each of the participants completed five hours of training towards their yearly continuing education hours for employment as a New Mexico provider.