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Technical Assistance and Training for Child Care Providers

The Early Learning Center serves the community as a model of best practices in child care and as a professional development site for other providers statewide. 

In an average week in Delaware, more than 65% of children under age five and more than 45% of children under age three are in child care.  State studies have found that the overall quality of care for children from birth to five years is of generally mediocre to poor quality.  The quality of early care that children receive is a significant factor in later academic, behavioral and social success.  A University of Delaware study found that children living in poverty who received high quality early education were twice as likely to pass the Delaware 3rd grade standards test and five times less likely to be retained a grade during their first four years of school.  Other studies have established that children who receive high quality child care have significantly higher rates of graduation, college attendance and graduation, higher quality employment histories, and significantly lower rates of incarceration.

The Early Learning Center’s technical assistance and training programs for care providers throughout Delaware’s three counties include telephone consultation, mentoring and training.  The ELC focus first on providers that serve primarily families living in poverty and those in danger of losing their license or having difficulty meeting state standards.