Elevate Provider Support Index

The Elevate Provider Support Index lists the OEC tools and resources available to providers within each focus area.  

Build your team

  • Charter Oak Prior Learning Assessment: Information on how providers can save time and money by getting credit for their experience
  • Core Knowledge Competency and Framework (CKCs): Self-reflection tools to develop professional development plans
  • ECTC Individual Review Route: One pathway for providers at programs that receive state funding for School Readiness or Child Day Care
  • ECE Jobs CT: Templates and guidance for effective job listings 
  • Program Leadership Initiative (PLI): College-credit coursework and other professional development for administrators
  • Qualified Staff Member (QSM) requirements: Requirements for educator training in state-funded programs
  • Registry: Access training and scholarship opportunities
  • Standards, Curriculum and Assessment workshops: Practical guidance on how children learn 
  • Scholarship-At-A-Glance: Information on scholarship eligibility and access to funds

Connect with families

  • Communicating with Families Checklist: A tool to reflect on how well programs engage with families
  • Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards (CT ELDS) Family Resources: OEC offers many resources for providers to partner with families to support children’s learning and development
  • Full, Equal and Equitable Partnerships with Families: Connecticut’s Definition and Framework for Family Engagement: Strategies for increasing the impact of family engagement practices. 
  • GEER Online Learning Hub: Professional learning opportunities and videos for providers to use technology to communicate and connect with families. 
  • National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Family Engagement in Action: Information for providers related to family engagement, as well as resources for families. 
  • National Center on Pyramid Model Innovations’ website for Family Engagement: Valuable resources designed to help families with transitions and routines at home  
  • Sparkler: Sparkler supports families through the developmental screening process

Enhance your environment

  • CACFP program for Child Care Centers: A federal program for healthy snacks and meals for children
  • Facility Checklist: A tool to evaluate the program’s setting
  • Nurse Consultation: Free phone support health consultation to licensed family child care providers 
  • OEC COVID-19 Resources
  • OEC Emergency Planning and Response Resources webpage: Plans for protecting children and staff during emergencies and as the community recovers afterwards
  • Women’s Business Development Council: WBDC offers a variety of grants to eligible programs through its Child Care Business Opportunity Fund 

Find resources for children and families

  • 2-1-1: For providers to connect families to a wide range of resources such as support for transportation, utility assistance, or mental health services. Search by region or by category to connect families with what they need. 
  • 2-1-1 Child Development: Free, confidential support for children’s healthy growth and development, starting from pregnancy
  • Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3) developmental screening: Help families understand their child’s development
  • Early Childhood Consultation Partnership (ECCP): Free early childhood mental health consultation services for family child care and center-based programs working with children (from birth through preschool)
  • Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center: Information about engaging community partners to enhance your partnerships with families.   

Get accredited

  • Accreditation Quality Improvement Supports (AQIS): AQIS offers free professional development to providers including study groups on selected NAEYC accreditation standards and best practices in early care and education.
  • NAFCC Benchmarks of Quality: Indicators of high quality for family child care environments
  • NAFCC Self-Study Resources: Supports for providers to compare their family child care homes to accreditation standards
  • NAEYC Accreditation Portal: Access to resources that support accreditation
  • NAEYC Early Learning Program Accreditation Standards and Assessment Items: Guidance to center-based programs about making improvements regardless of whether they intend to seek accreditation.
  • NAEYC Self-Study Resources: Supports for providers to compare their center-based programs to accreditation standards
  • Staffed Family Child Care Networks (SFCCNs): Regional family child care support including training, group purchasing, and access to nurse consultants.  

Manage your business

  •  ctSHARES: Online access to resources like policies, forms, handbooks, purchasing discounts and access to ECE Jobs CT
  • GEER Online Learning Hub: Professional learning opportunities and videos for providers to use technology to communicate and connect with families. 
  • Program Leadership Initiative (PLI): College-credit coursework and other professional development for administrators
  • Women’s Business Development Council: WBDC offers a variety of grants to eligible programs through its Child Care Business Opportunity Fund  

Support child development

  • Connecticut Association for Infant Mental Health (CT AIMH): Trainings through support from OEC
  • CT Early Learning and Development Standards (CT ELDS) Essential Dispositions Video: A video of the six essential dispositions of competent learners, including suggestions for how to promote these dispositions in young children.   
  • CT Early Learning and Development Standards (CT ELDS) Webpage: Connecticut’s standards for children’s learning from birth to age five. 
  • CT Early Learning and Development Standards (CT ELDS) Dual Language Learner Webpage: Resources related to working with young dual language learners.  
  • Curriculum Planning Checklist: A checklist to evaluate resources for planning children’s learning and connect with families. 
  • Pyramid Model Transition Cards: Tips to help children transition between activities
  • Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children: A resource to promote social and emotional development and prevent challenging behavior. 
  • Standards, Curriculum and Assessment workshops: Practical guidance on how children learn 
Last updated November 23, 2022