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All Resources Newsletter

Children’s Integrated Services Professional Development Newsletter – Summer 2024

This newsletter provides information related to professional development, recruitment, and retention for CIS professionals across Vermont.

Table of Contents:

1. CIS Spotlights

2. Upcoming professional development

3. Recruitment and retention

4. Resources

5. Links to recent newsletters

CIS Spotlights

This month: CIS Specialized Child Care (SCC) in Rutland

This month, Courtney Mason, Specialized Child Care Coordinator (SCCC) for the Rutland County’s CIS Team, offers us her perspective on the valuable role that a SCCC has in CIS. We see the benefits for children, families, and early childhood education and after-school programs across the state on a daily basis. Thank you, Courtney, and thanks to all our incredible CIS SCCC’s across Vermont! 

What are your favorite parts of your role as a CIS SCCC?
 My favorite parts of being a CIS SCCC are all the networking and case management behind the scenes that takes place to have SCC and other referrals all come together. Beyond the CIS team and me, there is a whole network of community members that play a role in having it come together. I sometimes feel like a conductor of a symphony and my favorite part is when everything clicks and comes together for the family.  How does your role support children and families, as well as early childhood education/ afterschool programs?  
I have played an invaluable supportive role for children and families for early childhood and afterschool programs. I’ve been instrumental in helping licensed early childhood education programs open. Currently I’m helping a licensed home provider open a third site in our county, serving a total of 86 children! I help coordinate Special Accommodation Grants (SAGs) for programs so children can fully access their child care with success. I also help with the search for individual aids to work with children who receive SAGs, which is above and beyond my role but a crucial need, especially in the current workforce environment. This happened twice just this summer where a child would not even be able to attend a program without a SAG and without the person I recruited to apply to work as an individual aid.  I often help to place children in specialized early childhood education programs when those children are in the Department of Children and Families’ Family Services/protective services and foster care. Specialized child care offers children a high quality, inclusive environment which supports growth and development while meeting individualized needs on a daily basis. Often the children supported by SAGs have special needs and benefit from this extra support to be in a safe and nurturing environment. I’m currently exploring a SAG at two separate programs to support children who have special health needs and require individual aids and specialized equipment. Examples of specialized equipment include iPads, communication software, mobility devices, etc. Sometimes staff need specific training, and a SAG can will help with that, such as an Autism Awareness training, or Circle of Security Classroom course.  


What are some of the important ways that you feel you (and other CIS SCCCs across VT) make a positive impact in our communities?
SCCCs stretch our abilities far and wide because our role is so broad. We help coordinate child care, recruit new specialized child care providers, coordinate transportation to and from child care for eligible families, and many other things. We also help families with other referrals such as food pantries, supplies, housing, employment agencies, developmental concerns, domestic violence, and help them access many opportunities. The families that we work with drive our support and I do everything in my power to help get what they need to alleviate stressors and barriers. 

You’ve worked with the CIS team since it’s inception in 2010! Can you talk about what you appreciate about your CIS team in Rutland?
Our CIS team has changed and evolved with several different professionals over the years. One thing that remains consistent about our team is our dedication to families. We go above and beyond for children and families to help them be successful, and that is across the board with all CIS services including; CIS Strong Families Vermont Nursing and Family Support, CIS Early Childhood Family Mental Health, CIS Early Intervention, and CIS Specialized Child Care. I’ve lived in Rutland County my entire life and been employed by the Vermont Achievement Center (VAC) for the past 29 years. The VAC’s mission statement is, “ Because when families thrive, communities succeed”. Their mission is nothing short of everything and our CIS team wouldn’t be as successful as it is without our partnering agencies like VAC, Rutland Mental Health, Rutland County Parent Child Center, and Visiting Nurse & Hospice of the Southwest Region.


*Note, part of Act 76, Section 16, is related to Special Accommodation Grants (SAGs), as Vermonters recognize the importance of, “…improving support and training for providing inclusive care for children with special needs”, and, “…determining how to better meet the early learning needs of children with disabilities within a child care setting” (Act 76). Watch for the Child Development Division’s SAG Legislative Repot, coming out in August!  

Upcoming Professional Development

DEC Standards for Highlighted Trainings:  

Division for Early Childhood’s EI/ECSE Standards (2020) are connected to highlighted professional development in these newsletters. DEC Standards are included after each professional development opportunity. For more information about the DEC Standards, please visit their website.  

July

  • Bringing the Protective Factors to Life in Your Work | Illuminate: Building Brighter Childhoods & Children’s Trust Fund Alliance | July 12, 12:00-2:20 p.m. | Virtual Live| Cost may be associated for providers outside of Colorado| Registration Link 

Explore the five protective factors of the Strengthening Families approach. Move from knowledge to action in your community to help increase family strengths, enhance child development, and reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect.  

DEC Standard 2 
 

  • Building Blocks for Supporting all Children in Inclusive Settings | Early Childhood Investigations Webinars | June 12th, 2:00-3:30 p.m. | Virtual Live | Free | Registration Link  

This webinar offers an opportunity to learn about the Building Blocks Framework, how to meaningfully include children with disabilities in early childhood settings. The presentation will reference the book, Building Blocks for Teaching all Children in Inclusive Settings.  

DEC Standard 5
 

  • CIS SMARTIE Goals Training Series| Facilitated by Ann Dillenbeck, CIS Program Improvement Manager, Julia Wayne, CIS Personnel Development Coordinator, and Lori Meyer, UVM Associate Professor in the Department of Education | Virtual Live | Free | Email questions to julia.wayne@uvm.edu  
  • Part I: SMARTIE Goal Fundamentals, July 11, 12:30-2:00 p.m. | Registration Full (recording will be posted)
  • Part II: SMARTIE Goals in Practice, August 15, 12:30-2:00 p.m. | CIS Providers Only | Registration Link  

This two-part series is for all CIS professionals interested in developing SMARTIE goals for CIS One Plans (or equivalents). Part I will be a webinar, followed by time for questions, answers, and discussion. The focus will be on applying the SMARTIE goal concepts (Specific, Measurable, Attainable/Achievable, Relevant/Routines-Based, Timely, Inclusive and Equitable) when writing outcomes with families and clients. Participants will relate this to their practice. Part II (only open to CIS Providers) will be an opportunity to come back together as a group for a live session to reflect on experiences writing SMARTIE goals. Bring examples! We’ll discuss successes, challenges, and reflections 

DEC Standard 4  
 

  • The Magic of Music for Infants and Toddlers | Head Start’s BabyTalks Webinar Series | July 18, 3:00-4:00 p.m. | Free | Virtual Live | Registration Link

In this webinar, explore the amazing cognitive, social, and language learning benefits of music and rhythm exposure during the infant and toddler years. Join Amelia Bachleda, PhD, and Marie Baeta, MA, from the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning to hear the latest research on how music supports early learning. Discover strategies to incorporate culturally relevant and engaging music experiences for infants and toddlers. 
DEC Standard 5
 

This workshop is for Excel beginners who are seeking to learn the skills of sorting and filtering data in Excel. Interested in more Excel trainings? Check out KnowledgeWave’s list of Upcoming Live Webinars! They also offer private training sessions. Become a member of KnowledgeWave for $180.00 annually per person and access any live event and close to 2,000 recordings.  

Dec Standard 4 
 

  • The Conversation Guide for Professionals on Substance Use, Children & Families Training | Illuminate Colorado | July 30, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. | Free| Virtual Live | Link to Events Calendar & Registration

This training will explore the Substance Use Conversation Guide, a tool for professionals that provides direction on strengths-based conversations with families on substances and substance use. This training addresses the concepts found in the Conversation Guide, like safe storage, safe and engaged caregiving, and the Protective Factors. It also explores stigma, bias, boundaries, screening tools, and resource/referral options.
DEC Standard 2

August

  • Supporting Children and Youth with Anxiety and/or Depression | Dr. Jacqui Kelleher, Executive Director of Vermont Family Network | August 22, 1:00-2:00 p.m. | Virtual Live | Free | Registration Link 

This workshop looks at anxiety and depression in children across the U.S. along with some patterns and trends from Vermont. This workshop will assist parents, caregivers and/or providers with deepening their perspective-taking, while providing evidence-based approaches to behavioral strategies, support techniques, instructional approaches, and maximizing the environment. Simple positive reinforcement methods and techniques will be explored, as well as best adaptational practices for students who exhibit these characteristics. 

DEC Standard 6 
 

  • Using Everyday Conversations to Nurture Play and Creativity in Young Children | Rebecca Rolland, Early Childhood Investigations | August 7, 2:00-3:30 p.m. | Virtual Live | Free | Registration Link  

Rebecca Rolland is the author of, The Art of Talking with Children, lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and an oral language specialist. She will dive into play! Topics will include the importance of play for learning and development, different types of play, and how to support young children’‘s play and development through everyday talk.  

DEC Standard 6  
 

  • Addressing Behaviors that Challenge | Brazelton Touchpoints | August 19-September 11 1:00-3:00 p.m.| $500 | Learn More and Register 

Explore how to use a relationship-based care approach to understand and respond to child behaviors that providers may find challenging. Topics include supporting adults to reflect on their own reactions to children’s behavior and regulating those reactions. Learn how our own biases can influence our views of, and responses to, a child’s behavior. This course is for all professionals who work with young children and their families, including CIS providers. This course is approved for 16 Continuing Education Credits for physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and social workers.  

DEC Standard 2 
 

September

  • CIS Child Outcome Summary Training | September 5, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. in Northern VT (location TBD), September 6, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. in Southern VT (location TBD) | In-person | Free | Registration to follow | Email questions to julia.wayne@partner.vermont.gov  

This in-person training will be held in two different locations. CIS-Early Intervention providers will learn about the fundamentals of completing the Child Outcome Summaries (COS) following new state guidance. There will be opportunities to explore questions and challenges. Topics will include; engaging families in the COS process, looking at functional skills and age-anchoring, and rating children with fidelity. We’ll explore strategies to involve families, while being sensitive to scoring children. 

In advance of the training, please familiarize yourself with the COS Process Online Module, developed by the Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA) Center.  

DEC Standard 4  
 

  • Touchpoints: The How of Child and Family Engagement |Breena Holmes, MD, FAAP, Vermont Child Health Improvement Program (VCHIP) | September 11-October 30 | Hybrid (part asynchronous and part virtual live) | Free | Registration Link 

The Touchpoints Approach is an evidence-based method for building strong family-child relationships from before birth through age five and is applicable for all CIS providers. This intensive training program provides a practical, preventive approach that supports professionals in forming strengths-based partnerships with families. This is a seven-module course. Each module is made up of a live session on Zoom (1.5 hours) and asynchronous work online (1.5 hours). There will be six reflective practice sessions (1 hour). Attendance is required for all sessions.

September 11, 18 & 25, 2024: 6:30-8:30 p.m. 

October 2, 9, 23, & 30, 2024: 6:30-8:30 p.m. 

DEC Standard 2 
 

  • Nurturing Transitions: Supporting children and families in a new school year | Amanda Higgins and Sharon Carlson, Early Childhood Investigations | September 11 2:00-3:00 p.m. | Virtual Live | Free | Registration Link 

Learn strategies for supporting young children and their families as they transition into the new school year. Program leaders and educators will learn about effective communication, cultivating relationships, tailoring approaches for individual children, nurturing well-being and belonging, and collaborative engagement with families.  

DEC Standard 5 
 

  • Augmentative Communication Strategies for Young Children Training Series | I-Team EI | Six sessions from September 24-December 19, 2024 |Langevin House, Vermont Tech campus in Randolf, VT |Free | Details and registration information can be found on the I-Team EI Website 

This training is for SLPs, ECSEs/EIs, DEs, OTs, PTs, teachers and paraeducators working with children from Early Intervention to Grade 2. Participants will increase their knowledge in assessment and identification, and implementation of augmentative communication systems for young children with complex communication needs.  

DEC Standards 4 & 6  
 

Asynchronous Trainings 

This three-part learning series, held last summer, intends to help build home visitor skills in supporting people who are pregnant or have recently given birth. Learn strategies for reducing disparities and help new families thrive. The content is designed around the Perinatal Maternal Health Promotion Model and includes information such as physical recovery, mental health and wellness, maternal and home visitor self-care, and systems of social support.  

Check out other recordings from Start Early!   
 

DEC offers a tremendous library of webinars. Topics include:  

– Infant Toddler Mental Health and Early Intervention 

– Speech, Language, and Communication for the Non-verbal Child 

​- Increasing High Quality Inclusive Practices in Early Childhood 

​- Feeding Challenges in Young Children 

– Early Mobility Enhances Participation 

And many more!  
 

  • The Hanen Centre E-Seminars for Professionals | Asynchronous, self-paced | Costs range from $45-$84 for a single participant  

The Hanen Centre offers many asynchronous webinars for providers. Topics include:  

-Parent coaching 

-Promoting self-regulation in young children 

-Using routines to promote young children’s interaction and language skills 

-Building emergent literacy in children on the Autism Spectrum 

-Boosting peer play 

-Coaching parents to prepare their preschooler for literacy success 

-Book reading: making it a time for interaction and conversation 

Resources

This paper explores the many ways water affects children’s development, and how to protect children from water contaminants. It also addresses issues affecting children’s equal access to safe, healthy water on a national level.  

Our Child Development Division’s Deputy Commissioner, Janet McLaughlin, recently shared NAEYC’s statement, published in April 2019. It speaks to the fact that all children have rights to equitable learning opportunities, and to achieve their full potential, and includes many recommendations for people working with young children. Our incredible CIS providers work tirelessly each day to ensure that our young children and their families are included and feel a sense of belonging in their communities. Thanks CIS!  
 

These easy handouts provide suggested games and play-based activities for adults to engage with young children. They are helpful for any CIS provider, early childhood educator or caregiver!  They also offer the research behind why this play is so important for development.  
 

  • Serve and Return | National Scientific Council on the Developing Child & The Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University 

Learn about the key scientific concepts behind how ‘serve and return’ builds infants’ and toddlers’ brain architecture. Improve your skills by applying this to practice with easy handouts for providers and caregivers. 

This article discusses maternal depression, the affects on both mother and child, as well as significant long-term effects. It offers advantages and strategies for prenatal intervention for positive child outcomes.  

As early as preschool, research shows that African American boys are nurtured less, disciplined more, and educators are less likely to form strong relationships with them. Learn strategies for supporting successful early childhood education experiences for these children, and lay the foundation for health social and emotional development responsive learning environments! Perhaps these strategies can carry over for all children we’re working to support in our specialized child care settings.  

  • Visual Supports |  Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center

Visuals help to reinforce instructions and requests for all children, including children with special needs. They help children understand the expectations at home and at school, what to do, or what will happen in their daily activities and routines. Head Start offers many different visuals that can be printed out, from behavioral expectations, to a visual schedule and specific visuals for infants and toddlers.  

This library of teaching tools is a wealth of information to help providers and caregivers prepare young children for success in their daily routines and when interacting with others. Many of these tools, including sets of visual supports, can be printed for home or for early childhood education programs.  

Hoping for any particular resources in this newsletter? Email julia.wayne@partner.vermont.gov  

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