Educators & Observers

Educators & Observers

Supporting Educators

At Thrive Birth to Five, we believe that every child in Virginia deserves the opportunity to succeed from the very beginning. Our mission is to ensure that all children arrive at school ready to learn—regardless of their race, place or income.

We are dedicated to supporting high-quality early childhood care and education experiences that lay a strong foundation for lifelong success. We know that high quality interactions are happening all across the central region, in all types of early care and education settings including family child care, center-based programs, religiously exempt programs and public-schools. The Virginia Department of Education recognizes your commitment to quality early care and education through the Quality Rating Profiles.

Steps to Successful Early Care Programs

Early care programs depend on various resources to ensure their success. These resources may include funding, training for educators, curriculum materials, and community partnerships, all aimed at creating effective learning environments for children.

VQB5 – Virginia’s Quality Measurement and Improvement System

Virginia is focused on preparing all children for kindergarten by ensuring they have quality teaching and learning experiences tailored to their unique needs. In response to state law, the Unified Virginia Quality Birth to Five System (VQB5) has been developed to assess and enhance the quality of publicly funded birth-to-five classrooms. VQB5 measures the quality of infant, toddler and preschool teaching and learning based on two nationally recognized quality indicators: interactions and curriculum.

  • Measuring Quality Interactions
    The quality of teacher-child interactions is measured in a developmentally-appropriate way with the use of the CLASS tool. VQB5 sites are required to complete two types of CLASS observations: local and external observations.
  • Measuring Use of Quality Curriculum
    Quality is measured through the optional use of a comprehensive curriculum that aligns with Virginia’s early learning and development standards.
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Licensing

Licensing is an important step for ensuring quality child care, which significantly affects children’s learning, development, and behavior. Becoming a licensed care provider in Virginia demonstrates a commitment to providing a safe and healthy environment for children.

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Virginia’s Early Learning & Development Standards (ELDS)

At the core of the ELDS is the belief that all children in Virginia deserve to build on their capabilities, and deserve to start school ready to learn. Related to that conviction is the belief that early childhood caregivers and educators need access to clear, actionable guidance that supports their understanding of how children develop and the associated skills that emerge as they actively engage with their environment.

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Early Childhood Curriculum

Research shows that stimulating and supportive interactions between teachers and children, and effective use of quality curriculum promotes children’s holistic learning and development, resulting in improved school readiness.

Curriculum is a key ingredient to helping teachers improve their interactions, providing ways to create nurturing and responsive practices and environments that foster trust and emotional security.

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Additional Resources

Mixed Delivery

Virginia Early Childhood Foundation’s Mixed Delivery program provides publicly funded ECCE services in licensed (non-faith based), private ECCE settings for eligible children. This state-funded program helps eligible families with the cost of child care in a private early child care setting. Families apply through the provider for full day/full year care.

Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) Grant

The Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. The grant supports low-income parents who are pursuing postsecondary education. This grant will provide student-parents with funds to pay for childcare so they may focus their energy on graduating. In addition, student-parents will receive a litany of services to ensure their educational success. Check with your college for availability.

Become a Subsidy Vendor

The Child Care Subsidy Program helps eligible families pay for child care.

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

This federal program provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children enrolled in participating child care programs.

MCCYN Fee Assistance Program

Child Care Aware® of America administers a Fee Assistance Program for families on behalf of the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps. If you have a valid state license, an approved national accreditation, and annual licensing inspection, you may be eligible to participate in the program.

Child Care Business guides and videos

A valuable directory of resources to support child care businesses including attracting staff, finances and operations, taxes, growth and sustainability using state and federal funding.

Child Care Financing Program

The Child Care Financing Program offers low-cost loans to eligible child care programs through the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA).

Child Care Aware of Virginia Support and Services Guide

Community Supports for the early care field in Virginia.

Virginia Child Care and ECE Job Hub

Post and search for job openings near you.

Opening a Child Care Business in Virginia

Child Care Aware's step-by-step guide to opening a child care business in Virginia.

Hiring and Onboarding Guide

Child Care Aware's step-by-step guide to staffing your child care business.

Virginia Shared Services Network

Virginia Shared Services Network is a web-based platform open to all centers and family child care providers committed to affordable, quality early learning settings. It offers resources to help child care programs save time, save money, and increase quality.

ECE Resource Hub

Explore strategies, recommendations, and professional development resources to help you promote children’s development.

Virginia’s Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS)

The Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) are a reference to help caregivers and educators understand what most children are able to know and do, across different areas of development, by a given age.

Virginia Department of Education Provider Resources

Access resources for providers from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).

The Pyramid Model for Promoting Social/Emotional Competence in Young Children

The Pyramid Model is a framework of evidence-based practices for promoting young children’s healthy social and emotional development.

Teachstone

Products and resources related to the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS®).

Educator Resources for Learn the Signs. Act Early.

Free tools to track developmental milestones and engage families

Family Child Care Tool Kit

This toolkit is designed to assist family child care providers in providing quality care and education to the children they serve. It contains guides and outlines, sample policies and procedures, and forms and checklists to help family child care providers.

Preventing Suspensions and Expulsions

Suspensions and expulsions of young children are not developmentally appropriate practices. Yet, recent data indicate that suspension and expulsion occur regularly in early childhood settings. These exclusionary practices, which disproportionately impact children of color, deprive children of valuable learning experiences and have a negative impact on children’s development that extends into grade school and beyond. Eliminating all forms of exclusion is urgent and vital to preparing all children for success.

Standing Together Against Suspension & Expulsion in Early Childhood

Expulsion in early childhood education is not an intervention. Over a decade of research and data tell us that the policies and practices of suspension and expulsion in early childhood, which disproportionately affect children of color, are causing harm to children and families. Find resources for teachers, administrators, policymakers, states and districts that offer data, toolkits, models and templates to help change our policies and practices.

Suspension/Expulsion - Build Initiative

BUILD works to reduce suspension and expulsion from early care and education settings. It is detrimental to healthy child development and an issue of significant concern to state early childhood leaders and researchers. It is a quality and an equity issue. It is also an issue that allows us to help state leaders recognize the importance and effectiveness of cross-sector work to support young children and their families.

Business Supports from VECF

The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation provides important resources for child care providers.

Child Development Associate (CDA)

Having a CDA credential helps educators bring out the best in children and can advance your career.

Child Development Training from ChildSavers

ChildSavers offers training and technical assistance for early care leaders and educators.

Child Development Training from VDOE

Through professional development, child care providers acquire knowledge and skills needed to plan and implement quality early learning experiences. If you are a child care provider looking for professional development opportunities, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) collaborates with partners to provide training opportunities throughout the state for child care providers in both classroom-based and distance learning formats. VDOE offers a variety of training, education, and resources to help you earn the continuing education and training needed to be successful in the early childhood and school-age care workforce.

College Scholarships | Child Care VA

Learn more about college scholarship programs for early childhood educators to gain additional credentials at select community colleges.

G3 Program

Learn more about college scholarship programs for early childhood educators to gain additional credentials at select community colleges.

Virginia Infant and Toddler Specialist Network (VITSN)

Virginia Infant and Toddler Specialist Network (VITSN) provides coaching, training and technical assistance to programs that serve children birth to three.

Better Kid Care - On Demand distance education system

Better Kid Care's On Demand distance education system provides professional development online anytime you are ready to learn.

Greater Richmond SCAN - Training and Screening Events

Learn more and register for Greater Richmond SCAN's Training and Screening Events.

PD Essentials - Preparing VA’s early childhood PD Providers

PD Essentials prepares Virginia’s professional development providers to support those serving all children birth to age five in home, school, and community settings. Our vision is that Virginia’s early childhood professional development providers are well-prepared to support the early childhood workforce.

Emergency Preparedness for Child Care Providers

This Sample Child Care Emergency Action Plan can assist providers in their emergency planning for their early childhood program.

Sample Emergency Action Plan

FEMA developed a Sample Childcare Emergency Action Plan to use as a resource when preparing your own.

Trauma Toolkit

Recent advances in understanding how early childhood experiences shape the way the brain works over a lifetime, reveal how critically important the caregivers’ job of caring for children is. The trauma toolkit is designed to support caregivers on their journey towards trauma sensitivity.

Safe Sleep

Safe sleep refers to practices that reduce the risk of sleep-related accidents and injuries, especially for infants and young children. It is essential for ensuring proper rest while minimizing the risk of suffocation, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and other sleep-related dangers.

Project Hope - Homelessness Awareness

Virginia’s Program for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. These resources provide an overview of issues related to the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness and resource to support these children and their families.

Project Hope - Supporting Young Children Experiencing Homelessness

Virginia’s Program for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. These resources provide an overview of issues related to the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness and resource to support these children and their families.

Project Hope - What Educators Can Do

Virginia’s Program for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. These resources provide an overview of issues related to the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness and resource to support these children and their families.

Gun Safety in Early Care Environments

Child Care Aware of Virginia encourages all families and caregivers to make firearm safety a top priority. All firearms in your home should be locked and unloaded, with ammunition locked separately and stored out of children’s reach.

Virginia’s Breastfeeding Friendly Early Care Recognition

Early childhood programs serving infants and young children can apply to become a Breastfeeding Friendly Early Care program. Virginia partners recognize the benefits of breastfeeding and providing human milk to infants and young children for as long as a family desires. Since nearly 2/3 of Virginia’s young children have all available parents working, we know that early care settings are crucial supporters of breastfeeding. We are excited to award a Breastfeeding Friendly Early Care Recognition to child care programs that demonstrate best practices in infant nutrition.

Get In Touch

Connect with Thrive Birth to Five to learn more.