Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino and the Child Care Council of Dutchess and Putnam, Inc. are urging state lawmakers to address critical challenges facing child care providers. In a recent letter sent to State Representatives, Serino and the Child Care Council called for legislative solutions to improve accessibility and quality of child care services that are vital for families and the local economy.

In the letter to State Representatives, they addressed the following critical issues.

 Substitute Pool for Child Care Providers – Currently substitutes must be cleared by the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) for each location where they work. A new system that would allow substitutes to register with the local Department of Social Services would streamline the process for multiple locations.

 Home-Based Child Care Provider Relocation Flexibility – Providers who move from one home to another must go through a lengthy re-registration process. Streamlining the process for location moves would eliminate this barrier.

 Staffing Challenges – Inconsistent funding and times of low enrollment make it difficult to retain staff. A dedicated funding stream during periods of low enrollment would alleviate this problem.

 Duplicate Background Checks – Child care providers undergo duplicate lengthy fingerprinting and background checks even if the checks have previously been done for other positions. Integrating background checks would reduce delays.

Child care is the backbone of our workforce and economy. Providers are struggling and families are feeling the impact. We need legislative action that prioritizes solutions, removes red tape, and makes it easier for people to open and maintain child care programs.

Food, Nutrition and Health Tips from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Snacks can play an important role in meeting kid’s nutrient needs. Choosing a variety of foods from all of the food groups will give them the energy they need between meals.

Tax time is here, and often home-based providers complete their taxes themselves. We strongly recommend that you work with a tax specialist. However, no matter if you have help or complete them yourself, we have resources on our website to assist you

Tiffinie Helweg, Infant Toddler Specialist, is excited to start promoting a three-course series titled Clarity with Consistency: A Three-tier Approach to Developmentally Appropriate Practice. 

This series will consist of three courses to providers who are interested in refreshing their classroom maintenance and management skills, reviewing and enhancing age-appropriate behavioral interventions, and exploring the New York State Dept. of Health Early Intervention guidelines in order to have a deeper understanding of developmental milestones, resources, and how to communicate effectively regarding "red flag" behaviors. 

This series is ideal for all providers as we can all benefit from the material as review, or as a deeper dive into child behavior and development. 

For information on how and when to register for the courses in this series, please contact the council today. 

Thank you for all you do!

Course 1- Routines of the room: Proactive Classroom Management 

In this course we will review the roles and responsibilities of the providers, learning environment/maintenance, material maintenance, being prepared to observe, document, and communicate, basic review of typical development and curriculum/implementation in each area of play in order to engage the children throughout their whole day. 

Course 2- Active Interventions 

In this course we will discuss age-appropriate behaviors and responsive caregiving, applying proactive/inclusive care, mindfully refreshing learning materials, referring to anecdotes and communication, and how to treat the children as individuals following the same guidelines.

Course 3- Responding With Loving Care

In this course we will be referring to the NY State Dept. of Health Early Intervention guide as we talk about red flag behaviors and the steps to take when we have exhausted typical classroom interventions.

What Families Look for in Child Care Programs

When families call our referral service, they are often in search of child care programs that have a few key components. Families want to be sure that their child care provider is providing care in a warm, safe, and friendly setting, along with offering activities that promote their children’s growth and development. Cost, location, and availability are important factors-but quality is often the most crucial. Here are some of the most common factors families are looking for when searching for the right child care program:

To best serve you and the families in our area, please make sure we have the most up to date information about your child care program. You can let us know about any changes in your program using our Provider Update form available on our website or by calling Crystal Cooper at (845) 473-4141 ext. 221 or Sarah Rokitowski (845)-473-4141 ext. 219.

Spring is around the corner, and we are all looking forward to getting outside and enjoying the warm weather. But something else comes out when the weather warms up, ticks.  

Ticks live in moist shady areas at ground level. They will cling to tall grass, brush and shrubs. They also live in lawns and gardens, especially near wooded areas, all the places where children like to play. While they don’t fly or jump, they can attach themselves to you as you move past them. 

If you see a small bug attached to a child’s skin, do you know what to do? Well, the CDC does. They have developed an interactive tool to help you remove attached ticks and determine if you need to seek medical treatment. Just click the button below to access it.

Happy Spring!!  

Child Care Council of Dutchess and Putnam, Inc. Professional Development Department:

Programs can reach out to Wendy Cooper, Director of Professional Development, CCCDP requesting on-site training or intensive technical assistance (ITA.) We have a list of developed training courses available to choose from but can also assist and develop training courses based on the specific program’s need.

Upcoming April Trainings:

April 1, 2025 – DECA – Discovering Assessment Tools for Your Toolbox (Trainer: Wendy Cooper)

April 3, 2025 – Emergency Preparedness (Trainer: Citizens Preparedness Group)

April 5, 2025 – First Aid/CPR/AED (Trainer: Scott Kohn)

April 15, 2025 – The Calm Within: Creating Child-Centered Resiliency Spaces (Trainers: Wendy Cooper, Mara Goulette)

April 17, 2025 – DAP Course Series II (Trainer: Tiffinie Helweg)

Our Infant Toddler Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant, Cyndie Hackett has been working on creating fun activities for children that allow them to work on their emotions, have fun, and practice mindfulness. 

The activity below is focused on letting loose and having fun!

For more activities please reach out to Cyndie: chackett@childcaredutchess.org or (845) 473-4141 ext.223

Warm weather brings unique responsibilities for ensuring children's safety and well-being. Here are some additional tips to keep in mind:

Sun Protection: Apply and reapply sunscreen, and use sunglasses and hats for UV protection.

Playground Safety: Regularly check for hazards like broken equipment and uneven surfaces.

Hydration: Encourage children to drink water every 20-30 minutes, even if they aren't thirsty.

Heat Illness Awareness: Recognize symptoms of heat exhaustion/stroke and take action if needed.

Limit Outdoor Play: Schedule activities for cooler times of day.

Provide Shade: Ensure access to shaded areas for breaks.

Appropriate Clothing: Dress children in lightweight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothes.

Stay Informed: Monitor weather conditions and heat advisories.

By keeping these precautions in mind, you can help create a safer and more enjoyable outdoor experience for children during warm weather.

414.5(n)(1) - Materials and play equipment used by the children must be sturdy and free from rough edges and sharp corners.

417.11(f)(7)(i)-Permissions needed from parent and/or health care provider in order to administer medications (i) Over-the-counter products, including but not limited to over-the-counter topical ointments, lotions, creams, sprays, including sunscreen products and topically applied insect repellant can be administered by a caregiver for one day only, with verbal permission of the parent. If an over-the counter product is to be administered on a subsequent day or an ongoing basis, written permission from the parent must have been provided to the caregiver.

414.12(l)- Safe drinking water must be available to children at all times and must be offered at intervals that are responsive to the needs of the individual children.

Click below for the link to our nominations page!