A Message From the Director

Champions Turns 15!

In 2003, the Child Care Council of Dutchess, Inc. decided to honor child care providers with a Champions of Child Care celebration. We thought it would be good to “give it a try” and now the celebration is in its 15th year! Prior to 2003, we had presented awards to child care providers at our Annual Meeting, but with speakers, lunch and a packed agenda, there wasn’t enough time to appropriately recognize child care providers. So the Champions of Child Care event was the inspiration to publicly honor the hard-working and little recognized child care providers. Nearly 100 people attended Champions in 2003 and we received nominations from peers of child care providers for the special awards. At the conclusion of the celebration, a Family Day Care provider told me, “I was ready to close my doors, but now I feel appreciated for what I do and will keep going.” That one comment made the difference – we needed to make this an annual event.

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Is it the Flu or a Cold?

It is wintertime and we are in the heart of flu season. Many people are coughing, sneezing and blowing their noses. But how do you know if it is the flu or just a bad cold?

According to the CDC, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it is not always easy to tell since both conditions are viral illnesses that share many symptoms. In general the flu is worse than the common cold and can lead to serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections or even hospitalization.

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Infant/Toddler Services for Providers

The Infant/Toddler Technical Assistance Network, funded by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, is an initiative aimed at supporting high quality infant and toddler care. The Network offers support to programs serving infants and toddlers.

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Child Care Referral Service

Make sure we have the most up to date information about your child care program. You can let us know about any change in your hours of operation, rates, and openings that you may have by using our Provider Update Form available on our website, www.childcaredutchess.org.
(Please be sure to tell your registrar or licensor about any changes in your hours of operation.)
If you have more detailed changes or updates, please email us at

services@childcaredutchess.org or call the referral service at (845) 473-4141 x 221.

Applause!

A new column about great things happening in local childcare programs.

Click here to read about 2 School Age Child Care programs in Putnam County.

Click here to submit a Champions nomination!

Save the Date!

Hula on over to the Champions Luau! Help us celebrate Provider Appreciation Day! Thursday May 10, 2018 at The Grandview in Poughkeepsie, NY.

News From the Registrars

The importance of proper hand washing
Best way to wash hands
Reminders
Why is active play so important
Active play ideas

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It is our pleasure to welcome Alicia Sullivan to the Child Care Council Registration staff!

Child and Adult Care Food Program

CACFP is an Indicator of Quality Child Care

One of the most important lessons a child will learn is healthy eating habits. Children learn these habits in a childcare home, center, or afterschool program which recognizes the importance of participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program as a way to help children grow and develop to their fullest potential. With guidance from the USDA Dietary Guidelines and Meal Patterns, caregivers work to establish and encourage healthy eating habits. Receiving nutritious meals early in life, as well as being physically active, is critical to the establishment of positive lifelong habits..

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Professional Development Opportunities

We are holding a 3 part training series titled “Difficult Conversations with Parents.” The dates for this training series are February 5, March 22, and April 17. It will be held in our Poughkeepsie Office from 6:30-8:30 pm. The cost for a partner is $50 and $65 for a non-partner for the series. If you would like to register for the series, please contact Darla Fulmer at (845) 473-4141 ext. 216.

We are continuing with our Training Reward Cards. Remember to bring your card with you to each workshop you attend in order to receive your stamp. Once you receive 5 stamps, you will receive a voucher for a FREE workshop, good for up to 6 months from date of issue.

You must register to attend all workshops, unless otherwise noted. To register, contact Darla Fulmer at 473-4141 ext. 216 or Nancy Owen at 473-4141 ext. 214. Payment must be made prior to the night of the workshop. For our Dutchess trainings, all trainings will be held in our Dutchess Office, unless otherwise stated.

Click here for a list of upcoming trainings.

Click here for our online training calendar.

Helpful Links

Parent Survey: For any parent in NYS with children from 0-12. Complete for you chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!
Champions of Child Care Nomination Form
Consumer Product Safety Commision: The CPS is warning people to stop buyng products if they're made with "organohalogen flame retardants" because they contribute to health problems.
Provider Update Form
Training Calendar