COLLEGE STATION – Five Texas AgriLife Extension Service family and consumer science agents teamed up to make a difference in training day-care employees, and recently received an award for their efforts.
The Red River Child Care Conference team, consisting of Kathryn Carnes, Archer County; Sherri Halsell, Clay County; Elsie Lacy, Montague County; Vanessa Selby, Wichita County; and Penny Warren, Baylor County, were presented with a 2009 Superior Service Award at the 2010 AgriLife Conference at Texas A&M University.
The team was formed in 2006 following numerous requests by directors for child-care employee trainings, the nomination said. After outstanding participation in the first conference, the team decided to make it an annual event.
The Texas Workforce Commission estimates there are more than 100,000 child-care providers caring for more than 760,000 children under the age of 13 in licensed or regulated child-care facilities in Texas.
In its research, the team determined that quality matters when it comes to child care. Children who receive high-quality care develop better language, math and social skills; exhibit fewer behavior problems; and tend to be better prepared for entrance into school.
Child care administrators are required by Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to have 20 hours of training, while employees are required to have 15 hours of training.
The Red River Child Care Conference team has conducted training in Wichita Falls for 422 child-care providers and directors who watch over 5,321 children enrolled in child-care centers or family day homes.
The programming they offer includes: playground safety and standards; transportation safety, anger management, MyPyramid nutritional guidance; immunization requirements; identifying child abuse; and stress management. Programming also includes training in the areas of curriculum, child growth and development, guidance and discipline, and management.
“As one who works with multiple organizations to provide training, I can truly say this team’s highly capable staff has had an impact on the child-care workers’ capacity to interact with children, family and co-workers,” said Jill Landrum, Region 9 Education Service Center Head Start director, in her letter of support.
“We know that every adult who has a relationship with a child and his or her family can make a difference in that child’s life,” Landrum said. “Through the thoughtful preparations for each conference, child-care workers in our area have been given opportunities to improve their own skills in providing quality child care.”
The success of the conferences inspired area organizations and AgriLife Extension agents to form the North Texas Child Care Association, according to the award nomination. This association meets monthly and offers two hours of training at each meeting.
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