APRIL 2021 EDITION
Early Childhood News and Events
Welcome to the Alliance for Kids EC News! As we continue efforts to build an Early Learning Community, we hope you will find this resource helpful as you strive to impact the lives of children and families each and every day.
Join us for Community Network!
All are invited to connect with the early learning community at AFK's April's Community Network gathering! El Paso County's Department of Human Services and Illuminate Colorado will share information to support the early learning community's role in the prevention of child maltreatment. For details and registration, click HERE.
CSQI Grant Expands Eligibility!
Alliance for Kids is excited to announce that the Colorado Shines Quality Improvement grant eligibility has been expanded by the Office of Early Childhood to allow Alliance for Kids to support more early childhood programs! If your program wasn’t eligible for this grant in the past, please take a look at the new criteria because chances are you are now eligible! For all the details, visit: bit.ly/3q92tIY
COLORADO SHINES UPDATES
Click HERE for Credential Interface Update
The Office of Early Childhood's Provider Hub is your access point to the QRIS Portal, Licensing, the CCCAP Attendance Tracking System (ATS), and the PDIS, as well as where you will update your operational status. Learn more here.
The Colorado Shines rating process has been modified to support a virtual assessment during COVID-19. Additional details are available HERE to learn more and access a recorded Q&A session.
Navigating the Rating Process
For technical assistance with navigating the rating process, to celebrating your rating results, email Geanina Brown or call 719.651.3484.

If your rating decreases, so does your reimbursement rate for CCCAP. Don't let your rating expire! Call 719.466.0099 for assistance.

View alternative pathways for HERE.
Alternate Pathways for School Districts
Eligible school district programs may apply to be included in Levels 3 and 4 based on their submitted crosswalk data. Programs wishing to pursue a Level 5 must apply to be rated by a qualified Colorado Shines assessor by submitting an application to be evaluated. Click Application & Instructions for details or contact Kelly Hurtado at 719.291.9315.
PDIS Courses | View Catalog
Click here for details about getting training aligned and approved through PDIS. Click here to apply for trainer credentials in PDIS.
ITERS/ECERS-3 Versions            
These versions are put on hold for Colorado Shines ratings due to COVID-19. Programs that would be going through a rating should continue using the ERS-R version of the scale. Please note that this information is subject to change until CDC guidelines change. If you need support with this new tool, contact Tanise Dixon to set up coaching or to answer questions.
Text “CC Opening” to 898-211
Notify Mile High United Way about openings at your program via text! An automatic reply will request your license number, age availability, and whether CCCAP is accepted. Text any time to update your openings.
Inclusion & Universal Design Project
Creating Change and Opportunity!
The Preschool Development Grant: Inclusion & Universal Design Project, is a partnership between the Center for Inclusive Design and Engineering (CIDE), University of Colorado Denver, and the Colorado Department of Human Services – Office of Early Childhood. It was designed to meet a statewide need for more inclusive and universally designed child care options for families of children with developmental delays and disabilities.

Early Learning Community Supports
Fostering Resilience in Early Education (FREE) Program
Are you a relative, friend, neighbor, or nanny providing care for young children that are not your own? Are your children in this type of care setting? Caregivers can receive $100 to support self-care practices. Contact Kim Santaniello at 719.650.3736 or view the FREE Program Flyer for details.
Designed specifically for early childhood providers, this ACES Learing Series explores how a child’s early experiences, both positive and negative, impacts early brain development and life outcomes. Cohort begins April 13th - click HERE for details and registration ($25).
Alliance for Kids, in partnership with The Resource Exchange, is offering the opportunity to view recorded sessions of its Free Learning Series. Sessions are designed to support you in meeting the social-emotional and behavioral needs of children in your care. Download the Learning Series Flyer for all the details. Take a short survey following each session to receive a certificate for one hour of social-emotional training.
For a complete listing of resources: Allianceforkids.org/resources.
Get Reverse 9-1-1 Notifications HERE
Family Child Care Provider Resources
Click on the boxes below for more information and be sure to check out the PD Catalog for new training especially for family child care programs!
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal program that reimburses participating centers and family child care homes for serving nutritious meals and snacks to children in their care. The CACFP, in partnership with the Colorado Department of Human Services Preschool Development Grant and CACFP family child care home sponsoring organizations, is excited to share a cost-benefit tool for home providers. The tool uses the number of children in care to determine an approximate meal reimbursement. Licensed home providers interested in enrolling in the CACFP can visit the Colorado CACFP website or contact a Colorado CACFP sponsor to learn more. 
Professional Development
The April-June edition of the PD Catalog is filled with brand new training you won't want to miss! Click below to visit the PD page of our website and view the catalog. We have new training to support YOUR health and wellness, and two NEW series highlighted below to get you started!
Alliance for Kids is offering a new series of training opportunities, featuring Dr. Lissanna Follari, UCCS Assistant Professor and Certified Trauma and Resilience Trainer. This sessions offers tools and strategies to use children’s emergent interests as the central themes for creating integrated, active learning experiences and inclusion in early childhood settings. Register for this session and learn more about her additional sessions for May and June.
Alliance for Kids is offering a new series of training opportunities, featuring Niki Gill-Adams, ECE Instructor and Executive Director of Culturally Responsive Community-Based Child Care Licensing (IREE). This webinar is designed to create a paradigm shift in how early childhood professionals view and address diversity and equity in early childhood settings. Join this webinar to participate in an overview of the current inequities that exist in early childhood programs and learn strategies to balance the scales of justice. This session is for center-based providers. (The session designed for family child care homes will be held in May. Check out the PD Catalog for full details.)
Spring half-day virtual training on ECERS-3 and ITERS-3 is being offered FREE from Clayton Early Learning and the Office of Early Childhood!
For dates and registration, visit: bit.ly/3vLhxAe For ERS COVID-19 recommendations, visit: bit.ly/3lq1YZS
The CDA credential is a key stepping stone on the path of career advancement in Early Childhood Education. Scholarships applications are now open for this program for teachers not yet ECT qualified. For more details, go to rrcc.edu/childcareinnovations and click on the CDA Program tab, or download the flyer HERE.
The Child Care Development Specialist Apprenticeship allows job seekers and early learning professionals to choose their own path to become Early Childhood Teacher/Director qualified while learning on-the job skills with on-site support. To find out if this unique program is the pathway for you, download our Apprenticeship flyer HERE. You'll learn how the program works, how you'll be supported throughout the process, and more about the benefits of Apprenticeship. To sign up for a 1-hour information session, please click on the date you prefer:
Coaches Corner
Click on the boxes below for more information!
Dynamic Coaching Systems in collaboration with the University of Colorado at Denver offers a program for earning a Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Coaching! The certificate program provides experiential learning in best coaching practices for teacher-leaders, coaches, directors, principals, home child care providers, early interventionists, special education staff, or anyone looking to enhance their coaching skills. To learn more, click HERE.
Pre-Licensing Classes & Free AFK Supports
Are you thinking of becoming a licensed child care provider? 
Pre-Licensing Sessions:
April 26 - 30 ($150)
July 26-30 and October 25-29
 
Pre-Licensing for Exempt Providers:
April 26-28 ($90).
July 26-28 and October 25-29

Contact Geanina Brown (719.651.3484) or click HERE
Family Support & Education Resources
Resources & Supports for Families: Alliance for Kids has added many resources for strengthening families and supports for navigating these difficult times to its FamilySPEAK.org website. We invite you to check it out and share it with others!
This Virtual Parenting Workshop meets Monday evenings from 5:30-7:30 pm. Positive Solutions for Families is an evidence- and researched-based curricula with years of success behind it. In addition, we will share a special introduction to Adverse Childhood Experiences and how we can work to grow you and your child’s resilience. Click HERE to view the dates, details, and process to get registered. Adam and Nicole are excited to share these positive parenting strategies with you and to help improve your child’s overall social-emotional competency.
Alliance for Kids is excited to serve as a hub of information for families with children entering kindergarten! Our FamilySPEAK.org/kindergarten is especially for families. So far, you'll find information on school choice, links to each school district in El Paso County, updated dates specific to many districts, and resources for determining if your child is ready for kindergarten...plus how to help them prepare for this next step.
Are you concerned about the way your child speaks, plays, or interacts with others? No-cost evaluations are also available by connecting with The Resource Exchange (birth - three) or Child Find (ages 3-5). Child Find supports are still being provided and are based on your child's school district. Click HERE for phone list.
The Resource Exchange can help you and your family with everything from speech therapy to parenting classes, all at NO COST. For a listing of their professional services and added benefits you can expect, download their flyer HERE. You can also reach their team for assistance by calling 719.577.9190. Services are for children from birth up to age three...reach out today!
Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Are you struggling to meet the unique behavioral needs of a child? Would you like help creating a plan to decrease behavioral challenges and promote success at home, school, or in a community setting? Families and caregivers can call the AFK ECMH Referral Line: 719.205.2691.
Supports & Resources for Military Families: Click HERE. Be to check out this page - we've added new resources for supporting military communities and families through COVID-19 crisis, including this one for COVID19 Military Support
Inside this issue, you will find resources for families related to window safety, sports safety, pedestrian safety, and car seat checks.

The SafeCare Colorado program offers in-home, voluntary services that support families in gaining skills to provide a safe home, address child health needs, and engage in positive interactions with their children ages five and under. Trained Parent Support Providers deliver services in the family’s home or another convenient location on a weekly basis.

All families want their children to thrive. If you have questions about how your child is learning, growing, or behaving, the resources listed on this page will help you find the answers you need.
Choosing Quality Child Care Matters!
THREE WAYS to FIND Quality Child Care
Visit: ColoradoShines.com/Search
Call: 877.338.2273
Text: "child care referrals" to 898-211
T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® COLORADO Scholarship Program
Contact Shannon or Apply HERE

For more information, visit the AFK Advocacy Page
In honor of 50 years of advocacy for young children and families, the UCCS College of Education invites you to a Town Hall conversation with an esteemed panel of early childhood leaders discussing today's most pressing issues facing our children and families.
Topics to be discussed include:
Universal Pre-K, ECE/ECSE Workforce Development, Regional Barriers and Bridges to Seamless ECE/ECSE Systems, and Equity and Inclusion for All Children. Register HERE for the April 14th event from 4 - 5:30 pm.
The Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center offers training and consulting with local business experts for existing businesses as well as those looking to start businesses. This is a great resource for early childhood owners and directors to connect with consultants, workshops, and resources related to running a successful small business. Click the image to learn more!
Child Care and Development Fund State Plan for FFY 2022-2024
The DRAFT Pre-Print Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Plan for Colorado is available for public review and comment. The public comment period will close on June 1, 2021. This Plan describes the Child Care and Development Fund program to be administered by Colorado from October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2024. The Colorado Department of Human Services is the Lead Agency in this effort. For details and link to comment, click HERE.