Community Programs
The Community Programs Department at Prince George’s Child Resource Center supports families and children through educational programs and technical assistance for the child care provider community.
For information on becoming a licensed child care provider, call Maryland State Department of Education’s local Office of Child Care at (301) 333-6940 or click here
Maryland State Department of Education accredited core of knowledge training is offered to the child care community to meet start up and licensing renewal requirements. Wide choices of workshops in child development, curriculum, health, safety and nutrition, community, special needs and professionalism are available in our training calendar. Online registration.
The 90-clock hour class for Maryland providers is offered in an accelerated schedule. This class prepares child care professionals for advancement in the field. Call for more information.
On-Site Workshops: Any Resource Center training can be conducted at your site. Contact the Director of Community Programs to arrange the details.
School Age Training:
The goal of our special grant-funded School Age Training Program is to enhance the quality and delivery of services to school age children by offering six comprehensive training modules that reflect national standards for school age care. The Resource Center offers training and educational opportunities for family child care providers, child care center staff and other providers of school age care. The likelihood that children will achieve positive results is enhanced by providing information on high quality educational materials and resources and by delivering training that improves the skills of school-age provider staff.
Trainings cover child growth and development, community, curriculum development, professionalism, special needs, and health, safety and nutrition. Each six-hour module is offered at a cost of only $25. Contact Jodi Regner, School Age Coordinator at 301-772-8420, extension 243 for additional information on the training modules or to arrange for trainings at your site. See our training calendar for current workshops. Online registration.
This special grant-funded program seeks to enhance the care, early education, and healthy development of infants and toddlers through intensive training and mentoring of their caregivers. Ten three-hour training modules cover prenatal development, growth and development, routines, working with parents, health, safety, nutrition, special needs, assessment and screening, and community resources. Child care providers can attend individual three hour sessions that best meet their needs at a cost of only $15 and can choose sessions in the Resource Center’s current training calendar that are offered during the weeknight and on Saturdays.
Care to Read is a six-hour early literacy training created by Reading is Fundamental for early education providers and teachers working with toddlers and preschoolers. This training gives practical strategies and activities for creating high-quality oral language and literacy-rich environments. All participants in Care to Read receive “Story S-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-r-s” by Shirley Raines and Robert J. Canady. Special grant funding allows us to offer this session for only $20! See our training calendar for current workshops. Online registration.
Our Technical Assistance Coordinator, Kimberly Merritt, offers technical assistance, mentoring and training to enhance the quality of child care in Prince George’s County. The coordinator also offers telephone consultations and works with MSDE, Office of Child Care to assist both center-based and family child care providers in resolving compliance issues. The Technical Assistance Coordinator works closely with the Early Mental Health Coordinator to provide services to caregivers experiencing behavioral issues with children in their programs and/or providers experiencing issues with caring for children with special needs.
Do you have a child who exhibits challenging behavior? Have you tried almost everything? STOP!!! There is HOPE. Project WIN (Wise Identification Now) Early Mental Health Consultation Project addresses the mental health needs of children age birth to five enrolled in child care programs. Project WIN is funded by the Maryland State Department of Education/Office of Child Care and partners with Bowie Therapeutic Nursery Center.
Project WIN services are FREE and include:
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telephone consultations for child care providers,
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site visits by project staff conducting observation,
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technical assistance to enhance environments,
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assessment and diagnosis (if necessary),
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referral of children to agencies as needed,
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training for parents and providers, and
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follow-up technical assistance.
If you have concerns about a child’s behavior or social/emotional well-being, contact Paul Armstrong, Early Mental Health Coordinator, at 301 772-3607. With Project WIN, we all can win!
The Prince George's Child Resource Center, in partnership with Maryland State Department of Education, provides early literacy enhancement services to two child care centers within the County. This program impacts the early literacy development of three and four year olds by creating print-rich environments, supplying furnishings and books for quality library centers, training and mentoring for center staff, and by increasing parent involvement and knowledge of early literacy development. Through this project, children enter school ready to learn and with a love of reading that will last a lifetime.
The Prince George's Child Resource Center's Science Road Show is an innovative project created to educate and support child care providers as they infuse science into their curricula. The Early Childhood Science Coordinator will make visits to child care centers and family child care providers to promote this program, designed to increase and enhance children's scientific thinking skills. Science Road Show visits include modeling, technical assistance, and lesson planning to help providers promote scientific inquiry, observation, and discovery in their programs. Information and support will also be provider for child care staff to participate in the Maryland Child Care Credential Program, pursue program accreditation, and attend Maryland Model for School Readiness professional development.
For more information about the Science Road Show please contact Diane Embrey, Early Childhood Science Coordinator, at (301) 772-8420 extension 231.
Other Services
Reference Library: A number of periodicals, publications, and videos related to early childhood development and child care are maintained in our reference library for use by the child care community. Please call for an appointment.Fingerprinting: Certified Resource Center technicians perform fingerprinting necessary to operate or work in a licensed program in Maryland. Each person must bring in two cards furnished by the Maryland State Department of Education, Office of Child Care as well as a picture I.D. There is a fee for this service. Appointments must be made in advance by calling (301) 772-8420.Resource Room: The Resource Room is part of our Training Room and may be used in the evenings when there are workshops. Arrive at least twenty minutes before scheduled workshops to browse through informational tables and displays. You will observe developmentally appropriate children’s art or visuals showing activities to enhance your early childhood curriculum through the use of learning centers and a print rich environment. Informational handouts are provided to help you bring new ideas to your program.Providers may also schedule appointments during the day to use the binding machine, paper cutter, heavy duty stapler, waxer and laminating machine. Use of the equipment is at no cost; however, there is a small charge for certain supplies.Latex gloves: These gloves are mandatory for universal precautions in your child care programs. They are available in various sizes and are sold in the office during regular working hours (8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.).Job Board: Position vacancies may be posted on our job board. Send a copy of job announcements for your child care program and we will post it in our lobby.