For Educators

Provide quality education in an environment conducive to learning, meet individual learning and developmental needs, and appreciate individual uniqueness and cultural values.

Child Care Training - First Steps assists child care providers with staff development opportunities and consultation to ensure compliance with DSS training requirements, expand the knowledge and skillset of child care educators, and improve the overall quality of curriculums offered in partnered child care programs.

Child Care Quality Enhancement - Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers need quality care to grow healthy and succeed in school. While providers want the best for their children in terms of care, they often lack the same access to resources readily available to publicly funded early childhood programs, including learning materials, training opportunities, technology, and more.

With First Steps’ Quality Enhancement initiative, participating programs are assisted with funding for educational supplies and equipment, skills training and professional development, Technical Assistance (TA), and other support.

Child Care Scholarships - For qualified families, First Steps awards scholarships to increase children’s access to quality child care programs, as well as make valued child care affordable for parents looking to return to school or work.