Providers

Welcome to the 2022-2023 Professional Development Program (PDP) with stipends for eligible childcare providers working with children ages 0-5 years in Contra Costa County. You may apply between 9/1/2022 – 10/31/2022.

Program Guide 

Please download this year’s Program Guide: 

• 2022-2023 Program Guide (English)
  
• 2022-2023 Guía del Programa (Español) 

Welcome Video

Please view this 10-minute welcome video (subtítulos en español): 

If you haven’t yet applied, join one of the PDP October Virtual Drop-in Hours! We will walk you through the process of applying:

A brief list of the application steps is listed below: 

1. Update your profile in the My Tools & Settings dropdown on the menu.

   

2. Navigate to “Stipends & Pathways” → Select “Application” → Confirm Profile Information → Select “Contra Costa Professional Development Program.”

   

3. Review the program description (same information as the PDP Guide) and select “Continue to Online Application.”

   

4. Complete the application questions.

   

5. After completing relevant information and reviewing the Statement of Understanding, click “Submit Stipend Application” when ready.

   

More details on how to apply can also be found in this tutorial video. 

Setting up a Workforce Registry Account 

To set up a Workforce Registry Account:

1. Go to www.caregistry.org and click “Register Now.”
2. Once registered, you will receive an email with a link to activate your account.
3. Click the link and log in.  You must log in to activate your account.

Contact Us

For general PDP-related questions, please email Elida Treanor (etreanor@first5coco.org). 

Click here for a contact information sheet for the Community Colleges.

COVID-19 Updates 

News and Updates

• First 5 Contra Costa
  • First 5 Contra Costa COVID-19 Information

Resources for Online Learning, Support, and Self Care:

• Early Childhood Education from continued:
  • CLICK HERE TO VIEW COURSES. Please select “take course for free” under the JOIN button.” Each course offer CEUs with a certificate:
• California Early Childhood Online (Click here to visit the CECO website)
  • Click here to view modules for an Online Learning Portal from the California Department of Education (PDF)
• The Trauma Therapist Project:
  • Staying Emotionally Close In The Time of COVID19, Bruce Perry, MD, PhD.

Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University

• Click here to view a list of links to national and international resources that can help with a variety of concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. From child care, to housing, to health care and medical information, many outstanding organizations are offering helpful resources.
• A Guide to COVID-19 and Early Childhood Development
• What Is COVID-19? And How Does It Relate to Child Development?
• How to Support Children (and Yourself) During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Government and Federal Updates

• U.S. Small Business Administration
  • Loans for Businesses, Private Non-profits, Homeowners and Renters
  • Payback Protection Program
    • Click here to see a sample of the application
•  IRS
  • Relief for Taxpayers Affected by Ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic
• Congress.gov
  • S.3548 – CARES Act

Quality Matters!

Licensed (or license-exempt) child care programs–public and private centers and family child care programs–throughout Contra Costa County can join Quality Matters (QM), our quality rating and improvement system, which supports and incentivizes child care programs to offer the best early care and education possible.

Quality is the new benchmark of early child care and education

High-quality child care programs excel in all areas of service. They provide safe, healthy, nurturing and stimulating environments that support and promote all areas of a child’s physical, social, emotional and cognitive development.

Quality early child care lays the foundation for future success

• Quality care is linked to the brain development and social development of infants and toddlers.
• Children who receive higher-quality care show more positive outcomes in academics, behavior and social skills than those who receive lower-quality care.¹
• Lower-quality care can have negative effects on a child’s language, social development and school performance.²

Resources to help you improve the quality of care you provide

Contra Costa County

CocoKids

Provides free or low cost programs and services to help support child care providers in Contra Costa County. Services are available to licensed child care centers and family child care homes to support their quality improvement, school readiness efforts and the success of their businesses.
Call: (925) 676-5442

Quality Matters

If you are a licensed child care provider for children ages 5 or under in Contra Costa County, you may be eligible to participate in Quality Matters—a program that offers training, coaching, and financial rewards to help providers improve the quality of care they offer.
Call: (925) 771-7319

Community College Support

Support is available for Contra Costa child care providers taking classes at Contra Costa College, Diablo Valley College, and Los Medanos College, including an academic advisor to help providers set and meet educational goals, tutoring and special provider-only classes, assistance for English as a Second Language students, textbook loans and more.

Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE)

The Contra Costa County Office of Education provides services for children 0-3 years old who qualify for special education services through the Early Start program.  A Road Map to Kindergarten^©Guide for parents is available in English and Spanish to help promote successful kindergarten transitions for children.

The Contra Costa County Local Planning and Advisory Council for Early Care and Education (LPC)

LPC promotes quality child care through community assessment, advocacy, resource development, and collaboration with other organizations. The LPC coordinates ongoing early care and education trainings, seminars and events for providers and families in Contra Costa County.

California

Professional Association for Childhood Education (PACE)

A statewide non-profit organization committed to advancing the profession of childhood education. Provides resources and services for early care and education professionals to improve business management practices through education, networking and advocacy.

California Association for Family Child Care

A nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that providers have the support and resources they need to be successful. Members are provided with information, professional growth opportunities and mentoring.
Call: 510-450-7152

National

National Association for the Education of Young Children

Professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy and research. Supports all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.

National Association for Family Child Care

Nonprofit membership association dedicated to promoting quality child care by strengthening the profession of family child care.

¹ www.del.wa.gov/publications/elac-qris/docs/SynthesisDoc.pdf
² http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/115/1/187

ABOUT

Quality Matters

To date, over 15 licensed child care programs in Contra Costa County are participating in Quality Matters. Most of these sites are located in low-income communities and/or serve children with high needs.

Providers, who voluntarily join the program, receive training, coaching, support, and advice along the way.

If you are interested in more information, please contact Kimberly Nguyen: (925) 265-6454 or kimberly.nguyen@cocokids.org

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