Find essential information about our upcoming and past webinars.
Learn how you can participate in an upcoming webinar related to OEC’s Behavioral Health Initiative — or review materials from previous sessions, including video recordings and supplementary materials.
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Upcoming webinar: Little Eyes are Watching…and Learning: The importance of practicing what is preached when talking about mental health and wellness
When: Thursday, May 29, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Where: ZOOM Click Here to Register
Description: It has been said many times before: “Children listen to what we do, more than hear what we say”. Children depend on the adults in their lives, and those in the community at large, to be healthy and role model healthy behaviors. This webinar will focus on the importance of mental health, recognizing it applies to everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, identity, socio-economic status, religion, ability, or educational background. As a community, we have to work together to promote destigmatization of mental health and illness, where the children around us learn from adults practicing what is preached.
Keynote Speaker: State Senator Ceci Maher
Engaging Panel Discussion
Past webinars
The Whole is Greater than the Sum of the Parts: The Impactful Presence of Fathers/Father Figures in a Child’s Development (April 29, 2025)
Watch a video of OEC’s The Whole is Greater than the Sum of the Parts webinar on YouTube
Coming Soon!
This webinar highlighted the important role fathers/father figures play in a child’s development, recognizing the lasting impact they have in a child’s cognitive, social and emotional development. Raising children is a responsibility one is honored to have, one that can be filled with both challenging and rewarding experiences. Often the role of fathers is overshadowed by expectations and additional responsibilities placed on mothers/mother figures. This may manifest from individual life circumstances, societal norms promoting role differentials defined by gender stereotypes, or racial disparaging norms about fathers/father-figures of color.
The session included:
- Welcome messages from Beth Bye, Commissioner of the Office of Early Childhood and Jodi Hill-Lilly, Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families
- Opening Keynote Speaker: Brandon McGee, Executive Director- CT Social Equity Council
- A presentation on the Office of Early Childhood’s efforts to support father/father figures
- An engaging Panel Discussion: facilitated by Doug Edwards, Founder and Director of Real Dads Forever
| Resources |
| Connecticut’s Social Equity Council |
| Office of Early Childhood’s Support for Fathers |
| Real Dads Forever |
| My People Clinical Services |
| Office of Early Childhood’s Parent Cabinet |
Women in History Educating Young Children: Reflections from the Past, Shining Light in the Present, Enlightening Forward Movement (March 25, 2025)
Watch a video of OEC’s Women in History Educating Young Children webinar on YouTube
This webinar focused on women in history and the valuable role they’ve played supporting and educating young children. Our goal was to show how women have played an instrumental role in uplifting early care and education while preserving the workforce at large. This especially holds true for women of color who’ve been the backbone for the workforce for centuries. This webinar highlighted the grit, determination, and resilience women display in raising and educating our youth, an investment producing benefits beyond measure.
The session included:
- Opening Keynote Speaker: Elsa Jones, Child Development Specialist and Advocate
- A Voice from the Field video message featuring Georgia Goldburn, Executive Director, Hope for New Haven, Inc
- An engaging Panel Discussion: facilitated by Artie Hill, Education Program Manager at Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame
| Resources |
| Children’s Defense Fund |
| Lab Schools Investments Initiative |
| Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame |
| Staffed Family Child Care Networks |
| Connecticut Head Start |
| Undervalued |
| Webinar Feedback Survey |
How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways: Why it is important to routinely practice parental self-care, which ultimately benefits the children we love. (February 25, 2025)
Watch a video of OEC’s How Do I love Thee? Let me count the Ways webinar on YouTube
This webinar focused on the importance of personal development for parents, recognizing raising children can be both rewarding and demanding all at the same time. We highlighted how parental self-care promotes overall wellness, parental self-care is not selfish, and parental self-care must be practiced on an ongoing basis. Overall, time taken caring for self places one in a better position to care for others. This is of utmost importance for children cannot raise themselves, therefore we are in need of healthy adults helping to raise the next generation, and generations to come of children.
This session included:
- Welcoming remarks from Elena Trueworthy, acting commissioner of the Office of Early Childhood
- Opening Keynote Speaker: Joelle Murchison, Founder and Principal of EMG
- Engaging Panel Discussion facilitated by Melvette Hill, Executive Director of the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity (CWCSEO)
| Resources |
| EMG |
| Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity |
| Link to webinar feedback survey |
Showing up or showing out? How professional learning promotes self-awareness and improves how one gives to others. (January 27, 2025)
Watch a video of OEC’s Showing up or showing out? webinar on YouTube
In this webinar, we discussed how Professional Learning is a process that promotes self-awareness and improves practices supporting children’s healthy growth and development. This webinar highlighted the value of participating in professional learning opportunities, both for the individual and program growth. Professional learning not only benefits one’s personal well-being and growth, but also benefits the early childhood profession as a whole.
This session included:
- Welcoming remarks from Elena Trueworthy, acting commissioner of the Office of Early Childhood
- Opening Keynote Speaker Louise Evans, Founder and Director of The 5 Chairs project, Behavioral Coach, Corporate Trainer and Facilitator, Speaker, and Author
- A video message featuring Diane Gozemba, Director of Early Childhood Initiatives at EASTCONN
- An engaging panel discussion
There’s No Place Like Home: Supporting families experiencing housing insecurity and its impact on young children. (October 31, 2024)
Watch a video of OEC’s There’s No Place Like Home webinar on YouTube.
In this webinar, we explored the reality of insecure housing and homelessness and how its existence does not discriminate by age, race, creed or zip code. We shared information about available resources and supports serving Connecticut’s children and families.
This session included:
- Opening Keynote from Sarah Fox, CEO of Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness
- An important message from Anne Giordano, Early Care Specialist at EdAdvance.
- An engaging panel discussion
A Path Forward: Creating a Climate that Promotes Success for All (September 26, 2024)
Watch a video of OEC’s A Path Forward webinar on YouTube.
In this webinar, we focused on creating environments where all children and adults can reach their full potential. All children have the right to learn and be supported by a village believing in their potential to learn. This webinar included strategies for promoting positive, enriching, and culturally aware environments. We shared information about services that are available when providers and families face challenges and need support. Topics included how to:
- Create a climate for continuous learning and growth for adults and children
- Promote social and emotional wellbeing
- Encourage all children to succeed
This session included:
- Opening Keynote from Donzaleigh Abernathy, actress, author, and civil rights activist
- Special Message from the State Department of Education
- Engaging Panel Discussion
Balancing Fun with Fund$: Creating enjoyable experiences on a budget (June 27, 2024)
Watch a video of OEC’s Balancing Fun with Fund$ webinar on YouTube.
This webinar highlighted the importance of quality over quantity when creating fun activities for children. Speakers and panel members talked about how to create long-lasting, fun-filled experiences that come at no cost at all!
This session included:
- Welcome remarks from the commissioners of OEC and the Department of Social Services
- Opening keynote speaker Judy Casperson (from Casperson Consulting)
- Engaging panel discussion
- Closing message from the Commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Katie Dykes
| Related resources |
| Free Summer Activities in CT |
The Air We All Breathe: The Essence of Mental Health and How We All Have a Connection to It (May 30, 2024)
Watch a video of OEC’s Air We All Breathe webinar on YouTube.
In this webinar, we brought attention to the importance of mental health, as it relates to everyone — regardless of race, ethnicity, identity, socio-economic status, religion, ability, or educational background. We also focused on:
- The importance of self-care
- Modeling healthy behaviors for the children we care for
- Destigmatizing mental health and illness
This session included:
- Opening Keynote Speaker Representative Kai Belton
- Engaging panel discussion
- Closing message from Commissioner Jodi Hill-Lilly from the CT Department of Children and Families
| Related resources |
| Healthy Children Need Healthy Parents presentation |
Do You Hear Me? Do You See Me? Do You Care? Giving Voice to Black Women’s Health and Maternal Health Care (April 23, 2024)
Watch a video of OEC’s most recent webinar on YouTube.
This webinar focused on the importance of equitable health care for women — and especially on improving access for Black and Brown women. They face greater health challenges and worse outcomes during childbirth. We wanted to highlight this issue during April, which is Minority Health Month. The session included:
- Opening Keynote Speaker: Ayesha Clarke, Executive Director of Health Equity Solutions
- Engaging panel discussion
- Closing Message Speaker: SciHonor Devotion from Earth’s Natural Touch: Birth Care and Beyond
| Related resources |
| Bridging the Equity Gap: Black Maternal Health presentation |
Women in Business: A Reflection of the Past and a Look Ahead (March 19, 2024)
Watch a video of the Women in Business webinar on YouTube
This webinar hosted by OEC focused on how legislation has helped shape the women’s entrepreneurial movement. Women, and particularly women of color, are the backbone of the childcare industry and are key drivers of economic growth. In this webinar, childcare providers shared their journey as entrepreneurs and small business owners, including the lessons they learned and the resources they used along the way. Regardless of your path, this webinar will get you thinking about the ways you can be a force in your community — and remind you that you’re not alone.
The session included:
- Opening message Fran Pastore, Founder & CEO, Women’s Business Development Council
- Engaging panel discussion to discuss their journey as entrepreneurs and small business owners
- Closing message from Louise Lisboa, Women’s Business Development Council
| Related resources |
| Join the Women’s Business Development Council, our legislative hosts, and CT-based entrepreneurs for our 10th year connecting in our state’s capital to celebrate the real impact women-owned businesses have had on Connecticut’s economy, our communities, and our families. |
| Third Annual Women’s Business Summit: Join us on March 26th to empower and inspire women entrepreneurs from all walks of life! Speakers Fran Pastore and Louise Lisboa will be presenting. |
Nurturing the Nurturer: A Guide to Parental Self-Care (February 27, 2024)
This webinar hosted by OEC focused on personal development for parents and caregivers. The session included:
- Opening remarks from Jo Modeste and Iola Adekale from Align & Elevate Co.
- Engaging panel discussions from parents and caregivers from OEC Parent Cabinet and 2Gen Parent Engagement Workgroup
- Closing remarks from Abdul-Rahmaan I. Muhammad from My People Clinical Services
| Related resources |
| Recognizing and Preventing Burnout: Stop, Feel, and Be slide deck |
| 10 Quick Thoughts About Self-Care slide deck |
Professional Learning: YES! It’s for You (January 23, 2024)
This webinar hosted by OEC focused on how professional learning experiences can benefit your personal well-being and growth — and help you become the early childhood professional you wish to be, no matter what role you play. This session included:
- Opening remarks from Deborah Adams PhD, Education Consultant, OEC
- Engaging panel discussion to share strategies for finding professional learning opportunities
- Closing remarks from Janet Humphyres, MA, Dynamic Coaching Systems
| Related resources |
| Professional learning experiences webinar flyer (English) (Spanish) |
| Professional learning presentation slide deck |
A Place to Call Home: Addressing Housing Instability — Supporting Young Children and Families in Connecticut (October 31, 2023)
This webinar hosted by OEC focused on the impact housing instability has at both a national and state level. Participants were connected to resources and supports that help families experiencing housing instability.
The session included:
- Opening remarks from Barbara Duffield, Executive Director at SchoolHouse Connection
- Panel discussion
- Special message from Elena Trueworthy, Deputy Commissioner of OEC
Taking a Different Path: Supporting Positive Approaches to Addressing Challenging Behaviors in Early Childhood Programs (September 21, 2023).
OEC’s Behavioral Health Initiative hosted a webinar about reducing the use of suspension and expulsion in early childhood programs in Connecticut. The webinar addressed:
- OEC’s new policy statement on exclusionary discipline
- Disparities in populations most impacted
- Resources to help programs adopt a positive approach to supporting social and emotional development