January 10, 2010
Child Care Training Program Celebrates Success
RESTON, VA – A luncheon on January 9 celebrated the successful conclusion of a pilot program benefiting family child care providers and the children they serve.

The nine-month program supplied training and online resources to providers in Virginia’s Arlington and Fairfax counties. It was sponsored by the nonprofit The Source for Learning (SFL; www.SourceForLearning.org), and its subsidiary PreschoolFirst (www.PreschoolFirst.com). PreschoolFirst is a web-based early childhood curriculum and assessment system for children from birth to 66 months.

Family child care providers who ordinarily would not have the means to pursue professional development were given classroom and online instruction in their field. They also received subscriptions to the PreschoolFirst system, which offers hundreds of developmentally appropriate activities and online tools for measuring children’s growth and progress. The program also furnished computers and high-speed internet access to participants.

Funding for the program was obtained by Congressman Jim Moran, who represents Virginia’s 8th district. Congressman Moran has long been an advocate for the benefits of high-quality early learning. He said, “About a third of child care workers are in home settings, but most family providers can’t afford training in professional development. That training, combined with the resources of PreschoolFirst, can make a huge difference in the growth and development of the children in their care. This pilot program has demonstrated the great value of appropriate training and resources.”

Mai Weinhold of Creative Beginnings Home Child Care in Reston is one of the providers in the program. She said, “The program has resulted in significant improvements, both in the quality of the care I provide and in my own preparations, organization, and planning. Most importantly, I can see the improvement in the development of the children I look after.”

At the celebratory luncheon, SFL honored providers and their families, and presented an award to Congressman Moran for his leadership.

Steven J. Gorski, President and CEO of SFL, commented, “Low-income, at-risk children who have not had access to quality early learning can be at a severe disadvantage when they start school. Using PreschoolFirst, providers in family, center, and Head Start settings are working to ensure the children’s success in school, and later in life. Supporting their work is a key component of our mission.”

The Source for Learning (www.sourceforlearning.org) is a not-for-profit company that creates technology-based content for the parents and teachers of preschool and K-12 children. In addition to PreschoolFirst, SFL’s programs include www.TeachersFirst.com, www.TeachersAndFamilies.com, and a new service for the parents of young children, www.GrowUpLearning.com. Compiled and reviewed by education professionals, the resources provided by SFL enhance learning at every level.