Providing Support to Early Childhood Educators

Children begin learning from their very first moments of life. Agenda for Children is here to support early childhood educators as they work to create high-quality environments and experiences that help young children learn, develop and grow.

We provide information on how to maintain licensing requirements, health and safety consultations, provider training opportunities, technical assistance to enhance the quality of your program, classroom arrangement ideas and strategies to create an inclusive child care program.

Agenda for Children offers several programs to support teachers of young children, directors of child care centers and family child care providers.

• Agenda for Children serves as the Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency for 16 parishes in Southeast Louisiana. As the CCR&R, we help parents find child care, train early childhood educators and provide on-site technical assistance and coaching to Class A child care centers and family child care providers. Our Child Care Resource and Referral work is comprised of four main initiatives:

  • Child Care Resource and Referral information:

    Child Care Resource and Referral helps connect parents to child care that meets their families' specific needs. Therefore, CCR&R can help you build your program's enrollment through its parent referrals. Visit our CCR&R page to learn more about how CCR&R can help your business.]

  • Positive Steps Child Care Training Program:

    Agenda for Children's Positive Steps Child Care Training Program offers general and specialized training opportunities to early childhood educators. Visit the Positive Steps page for more information, to download a training catalog and learn how to register for classes.

  • Child Care Technical Assistance Program:

    Our Child Care Technical Assistance Program (CCTAP) helps child care centers and family child care providers improve the quality of their programs by providing on-site coaching and technical assistance. Visit our CCTAP page for more information and to request a visit.

  • Directors' Network Meetings:

    Agenda for Children hosts monthly directors' network meetings to help center directors learn about the latest developments in the field of early childhood education. To learn about upcoming directors' network meetings in your area, click here.

  • Bridge to Quality:

    The Bridge to Quality program works intensively with child care centers to bring their quality to a four- or five-star level. Participating centers receive on-site coaching, small business consulting and assistance in purchasing the materials and furnishings needed to improve program quality.

  • Striving Readers Early Literacy Initiative:

    The Striving Readers program, a partnership with First Line Schools, is working with early childhood educators and parents at five child care centers and targeted pre-K classrooms to create literacy-rich environments in centers and in homes.

  • New Orleans Zero to Eight Early Learning Readiness Workgroup:

    works to increase the number of New Orleans children who are prepared for kindergarten. The workgroup will study and highlight best practices, support demonstration projects, conduct policy analysis and engage in advocacy as a means of accomplishing this goal.