TRAINING & EVENTS

LICCI offers training and technical assistance (TA) for child care centers and providers throughout the state on appropriate child development, financial sustainability, and community and parent engagement. We also provide workshops for low-income child centers on how to meet the ECERS and ITERS requirements for entering the state's quality rating system (MCCQSS).

In addition, MLICCI hosts events that bring together the public, providers, and policymakers to discuss reforms to the child care system. We publicize new research and reports through press conferences and engage policymakers in discussions on best practices in child care. Please contact us for more information or if you would like to be involved in any of our activities.

On-site Training and Technical Assistance

Curriculum Enhancement Kits

MLICCI is offering training and special curriculum enhancement kits with books, puppets, and other materials to interested low-income child care centers. The kits will focus on cultural diversity, parent engagement, and gender equity. These kits will be made available at training events where MLICCI will help providers understand how to use the materials to enhance early childhood experiences for in their centers. Contact us for more information.    TOP  »

Prepare for ECERS & ITERS Assessment

Mississippi’s new Quality Rating Scale utilized the ECERS (Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale) and the ITERS (Infant Toddler Environmental Rating Scale) as one measure to assign which step&emdash;and therefore&emdash;which reimbursement rate, a center can achieve on the new five-step scale. MLICCI offers resources to help child care centers understand and prepare to be assessed by the ECERS and ITERS rating scales. MLICCI is offering a limited supply of books and DVDs designed to help child care providers understand these rating scales and how to prepare to be assessed. Contact us to find out more.    TOP  »

SPARK Improves Early Childhood Settings

MLICCI participated as a state partner in the Kellogg Foundation funded Mississippi SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids) project spearheaded by the Southern Regional Office of the Children’s Defense Fund. SPARK is a project to align and improve the early childhood education experiences of children ages three through first grade in five public school districts in Mississippi. SPARK involves parents, child care centers, Head Start programs, public school districts, and other partners locally and state-wide. MLICCI provided training and technical assistance to child care centers located in these five school districts and contributes policy analysis related to child care issues on the SPARK State-wide Committee.         TOP  »

Technical Assistance for Child Care Centers Throughout Mississippi

MLICCI has conducted regional training and provided on-site technical assistance.    TOP  »

Achieving Financial Stability

Business training for child care providers

There is little training or technical assistance (TA) available to low-income providers who need help with the "business" side of child care to achieve long-term sustainability. MLICCI is developing a specially designed training & TA to help low-income child care centers across the state acquire the business skills needed to attain financial stability.

MLICCI and Mississippi Building Blocks (MBB) are working together to provide financial viability training and technical assistance to centers participating in the MBB program. Contact us for more information.        TOP  »

Delta Food Program Alliance

MLICCI is launching a pilot project in the Delta to encourage participation in The Child Care and Adult Food Program (CACFP). It offers child care centers revenue for nutritious meals and snacks, as well as kitchen staff salaries and equipment. Despite these benefits, Mississippi has the lowest child care center participation rate in CACFP of any state, largely because centers fear the burdensome paperwork and potential sanctions. MLICCI is partnering with Mother Goose Learning Center in Leland, MS to recruit and support child care centers participation in CACFP by offering training and assistance with paperwork and administrative tasks. The project is being designed to replicate in other areas of the state. CACFP is a program of the US Dept. of Agriculture, operated by the MS Dept. of Education Child Nutrition Office.    TOP  »