Items filtered by date: May 2024
Westchester Child Care Advocacy Hour!
Westchester Child Care Advocacy Hour
Friday, October 14th, 12pm to 1pm
This virtual event will feature parents, child care and school age professionals, community leaders and YOU!
Register today at Advocacy Hour!
Let's keep building the child care system we need in Westchester County.
Advance as a Professional with the Pyramid Model!
Preschool Pyramid Model Module 1-3 Part Series
WHAT IS IT?
The CSEFEL Pyramid Model is designed to support the social and emotional development of children 2 1/2 through 5 years of age. The Pyramid Model is a framework of evidence-based practices for promoting young children's social and emotional competence and for preventing and addressing challenging behavior. The Pyramid Model includes extensive resources to help New York's child care programs and providers.
PRESENTED BY:
Ellen Cogan, Master Cadre Pyramid Model Trainer
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Directors, administrators, and lead teachers/caregivers who work with older toddler and preschoolers (aged 2 1/2 - 5 years of age)
WHERE?
This 3 part series will be held via Zoom
Special Event Price: $10 for members/$20 non-members (Price includes ALL THREE sessions)
Training Titles and Dates
Thursday, September 15, 2022 from 6-8:30pm (Session 1 - Understanding Challenging Behavior: Building Positive Relationships)
Thursday, September 22, 2022 from 6-8:30pm (Session 2 - Environmental Impacts on Challenging Behavior)
Thursday, September 29, 2022 from 6-8:30pm (Session 3 - Daily Activities, Rules and Positive Attention Effects on Challenging Behavior)
*YOU MUST ATTEND ALL 3 SESSIONS TO RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE*
To register, please click here!
For more information, email Sarah Ruppert at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Congrats to Our 2022 Innovation Grant Winners
Helping young children realize their full potential is a critically important task. Those who do it well display an understanding of children, passion for their work, creativity and more. To encourage on-going efforts to build child care quality, the Council established the Cathryn A. Riley Innovation for Quality Prize in 2016, named after a former member of the Council’s team who made a lasting impact not only on the Council but also the field statewide. With an unprecedented number of grant applications this year, the Council is delighted to announce 9 awardees including centers, family child care and afterschool programs:
Amani Public Charter School – Scholar Sensory Awareness Room. A calm and peaceful space will be created to help students relax and manage their stress. The room may be used for multiple purposes such as meditation, yoga, massages via a massage chair, etc.
Country Childrens Center - School Age 3D Printing Discovery Club. The new school-age club will bring children and teachers together to experience the evolving world of additive manipulation and computational literacy, not only enhancing the quality of the afterschool experience but also advancing the children’s creativity and imagination.
Endicotts Kids Zone - Outdoor Learning Space Expansion. With new equipment, toys, materials and a gardening experience, the children will increase their exploration and enjoyment of the outdoors and also learn more about healthy nutrition.
First Stage Day Care – Enhancing Playground Experience. With the installation of new playground equipment, the children will increase their enjoyment of the outdoors as a place for physical, social, emotional and cognitive learning.
Jump for Joy Day Care – We Are the World. In learning about other cultures – their celebrations, foods, dress, language and more - the children will understand and respect differences.
RABY Stem Childcare – Lil Olympics. Children, staff and parents will come together to learn and practice yoga, stretching, gross motor activities and better nutrition, culminating in a special community event.
RYE YMCA – Expanding After School. An elementary school offering STEM, recreation, arts and crafts and more will have new materials and supplies to enrich the learning experience for their children.
Y-COP of Mount Vernon – Hummingbirds Group at Summer Camp. A key summer camp program expands to serve younger children with appropriate materials and activities.
Yosaya’s Day Care - Montessori Arts and Crafts and Outdoor Family Day. Expansion of art activities to promote children’s development and also foster closer connections between program and families.
We look forward to sharing the results and “lessons learned” from our recipients with you. For a list of all the Innovation for Quality award winners, from 2016 to 2022, 
click here.
Emergency Medication Training - Spots Available!
OCFS Emergency Medication Administration Overview Including Stock Epinephrine Auto Injectors
Tuesday, November 8th - Click HERE to register or Tuesday, December 13th - Click HERE to register
$25/members, $35/non-members
Do you have children with allergies and asthma that require emergency medications? Would you feel comfortable administering emergency medications to a child in your program? This training will teach you how. It is highly recommended for ALL programs that administer Emergency Medications (Epinephrine auot-injectors, diphenhydramine in combination with auto-injector, asthma inhalers & nebulizers).
Learn important information about asthma, anaphylaxis, and how to safely administer emergency medications. Each participant will be provided with the forms necessary to be in compliance with OCFS Child Day Care Regulations pertaining to the administration of emergency medication.
This training includes how to safely administer non-patient-specific epinephrine auto-injectors if your program chooses to stock epinephrine auto-injectors.
OCFS Topic Areas Covered:
- 2. Nutrition and Health
- 4. Safety and Security Procedures
- 7. Child Care Statutes and Regulations
Meet our 2022 Hall of Heroes Honorees
Join us for a wonderful evening as we celebrate our 2022 honorees and the entire child care and after school care field at the Early Education Hall of Heroes celebration. Click HERE to watch a special video to our honorees. Click HERE to register for the event.
Aleida Vitolo, A Kid's World Preschool & Daycare
Byron Smalls, City of White Plains Youth Bureau
Cynthia Bolding, Blessed Beginnings Childcare
Deloris & Patrick Hogan, Dee's Tots Child Care
Ester Aguzzi, Country Kids Schoolhouse
Gina D'Amore, Harrison Children's Center
Howard Milbert, Ossining Children's Center
Kathy Lynam, Rye YMCA
Lia DaRocha, Lia's Daycare
Michelle Dalton, Little Lamb Child Care
Sawudat Abraham, Baby Cubs Daycare
Shari Lewis, Nana's Place Family Childcare
Last Friday, members of the Council's Board of Directors were joined by the leaders of the Westchester Children's Association and United Way of Westchester and Putnam to discuss the importance of child care and urge elected officials to restore this funding. Click below to watch:
Our Honorees
Child Care Assistance a.k.a Child Care Subsidy New Application
New Application for Families to Apply for Assistance
OCFS has updated the Application for Child Care Assistance. Effective Sepetmber 1, 2022, changes include:
Section 2
- Added gender identity
- Changed disabled child to child with special needs
Section 3
- Clarity that it includes a parent who is considered temporarily absent from the household, who are required to contribute to the needs of the household
Section 4
- Changed names of children under 19, it used to be under 21
Section 11
- Added permission to share families information with other districts for jurisdictional purposes
- Added no discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation
Letter from OCFS about changes
Child Care Assistance/Subsidy Application - English
Child Care Assistance/Subsidy Application - Spanish
Instructions on how to complete application
Reminder: Applications can be submitted via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
REVISED OCFS is Hosting an Informational Session for Stabilization Grant applicants
Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) is hosting an Informational Session!
OCFS is holding an informational webinar on Wednesday, August 31st at 11am to step through the application process and answer any questions providers may have with the portal opening for SACC programs and new providers who were licensed before January 1, 2022.
The session is open to only the first 1,000 attendees but will be recorded and posted on the OCFS website. Register here.
Get Help Applying for the Stabilization Grant!
CHILD CARE STABILIZATION GRANTS ARE BACK!
August 30th the portal opens for SACC and programs licensed on or before January 1, 2022.
Child Care Stabilization Grant 2.0 for Workforce Supports. OCFS is prioritizing workforce support for child care staff by requiring that at least 75% of the Child Care Stabilization Grant 2.0 for Workforce Supports be spent on workforce support expenses.
Workforce Supports Application Portal
For more information and application assistance, please call 914-761-3456 to speak to our Child Care Business Development Specialists.
- Jayselle Trancoso x227
- Jessenia Tejada x161
Congrats to Our 2022 Innovation Grant Winners
Helping young children realize their full potential is a critically important task. Those who do it well display an understanding of children, passion for their work, creativity and more. To encourage on-going efforts to build child care quality, the Council established the Cathryn A. Riley Innovation for Quality Prize in 2016, named after a former member of the Council’s team who made a lasting impact not only on the Council but also the field statewide. With an unprecedented number of grant applications this year, the Council is delighted to announce 9 awardees including centers, family child care and afterschool programs:
Amani Public Charter School – Scholar Sensory Awareness Room. A calm and peaceful space will be created to help students relax and manage their stress. The room may be used for multiple purposes such as meditation, yoga, massages via a massage chair, etc.
Country Childrens Center - School Age 3D Printing Discovery Club. The new school-age club will bring children and teachers together to experience the evolving world of additive manipulation and computational literacy, not only enhancing the quality of the afterschool experience but also advancing the children’s creativity and imagination.
Endicotts Kids Zone - Outdoor Learning Space Expansion. With new equipment, toys, materials and a gardening experience, the children will increase their exploration and enjoyment of the outdoors and also learn more about healthy nutrition.
First Stage Day Care – Enhancing Playground Experience. With the installation of new playground equipment, the children will increase their enjoyment of the outdoors as a place for physical, social, emotional and cognitive learning.
Jump for Joy Day Care – We Are the World. In learning about other cultures – their celebrations, foods, dress, language and more - the children will understand and respect differences.
RABY Stem Childcare – Lil Olympics. Children, staff and parents will come together to learn and practice yoga, stretching, gross motor activities and better nutrition, culminating in a special community event.
RYE YMCA – Expanding After School. An elementary school offering STEM, recreation, arts and crafts and more will have new materials and supplies to enrich the learning experience for their children.
Y-COP of Mount Vernon – Hummingbirds Group at Summer Camp. A key summer camp program expands to serve younger children with appropriate materials and activities.
Yosaya’s Day Care - Montessori Arts and Crafts and Outdoor Family Day. Expansion of art activities to promote children’s development and also foster closer connections between program and families.
We look forward to sharing the results and “lessons learned” from our recipients with you. For a list of all the Innovation for Quality award winners, from 2016 to 2022, click here.
