Child Care Aware of Virginia

Child Care Aware is a resource of child care information for parents and child care providers. The focus is to share information with parents on the types of child care available, paying for child care and how to look for quality care. The site also has information for child care providers on starting a child care program, budgeting, marketing, staffing, insurance needs, obtaining a business license, and background checks. The website also has various printable brochures on choosing care for children with special needs, choosing quality care, paying for care, and other parent information.

Child Savers

ChildSavers is the only nonprofit in Virginia using a coordinated prevention and intervention model to prepare children for school, address mental health, and recover from trauma. Advocacy efforts take place to support the mission of preventing risks associated with abuse, exposure to trauma, and negative environments.

George Mason University

George Mason University offers a variety of teaching programs that lead to licensure. Programs are offered in the following areas: Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Fine Arts, Foreign Language, ESOL, Special Education, and Physical/Health Education. The George Mason Child Development Center sponsors a professional development conference for educators annually. Different topics are presented in the daylong training event.

Northern Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children

Northern Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children (NVAEYC) is an affiliate of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NVAEYC is committed to supporting and promoting the healthy development and quality care of all young children and their families in Northern Virginia. NVAEYC has over 700 members including teachers, directors, family home care providers, parents and other professionals who share our passion and goals for the field of early childhood education. NVAEYC offers regional workshop series. Topics include: nurturing and intentional positive interactions (presented in Spanish), behavioral challenges, building developmentally appropriate preschool programs, key issues, leadership, and professionalism (for directors), and evidence-based teacher practices for providing an environment and materials which encourage play. Professional development is offered in classroom settings and online.

Square One

Square One serves as a regional public-private partnership on school readiness in the southeastern region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The organization's mission is to help all children enter school healthy and ready to succeed. Square One provides free professional development to early childhood providers who work with children birth through 8 years of age. Online training is funded through the National Business Coalition on Health, GlaxoSmithKline, and the Community Leadership Partners Grant by the Hampton Roads Community Foundation in South Hampton Roads, VA. Courses can be downloaded in PDF format. After studying course material, participants return to take a test. In addition, Square One offers face-to-face training and can even customize training for organizations that work with children.

The Virginia Infant & Toddler Specialist Network

The Virginia Infant & Toddler Specialist Network works toward increasing the knowledge level and skills of those who care for infants and toddlers. The four goals of the Virginia Infant & Toddler Specialist Network include:

1. Improve the quality of care and education that infants and toddlers receive while away from their primary caregiver.
2. Increase the knowledge level and competencies of infant and toddler caregivers/teachers and directors.
3. Promote community connections to increase awareness and use of available resources and services that support healthy, safe, and nurturing care for infants and toddlers.
4. Implement an effective, efficient, and accountable infant and toddler specialist system and increase its capacity to offer services.

The website offers many resources including a description of activities to do with young, mobile, and older infants. There is a webpage for families and infant and toddler professionals to go to ask questions and receive free professional feedback. Monthly achieved "Baby Talk "newsletters can be accessed. Short videos about brain development and the first five years of life are available for viewing.

The Virginia Infant & Toddler Specialist Network also offers professional development. The cost for onsite professional development varies. However, webinars are free. In addition, the Virginia Infant & Toddler Specialist Network provides on-site services that include individualized consultation, targeted training, classroom-focused mentoring, and feedback as well as resources and materials related to increasing the quality of care provided to infants and toddlers.

Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children

Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children (VAAEYC) an affiliate of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). It is committed to supporting and promoting the healthy development and quality care of all young children and their families in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The organization is membership-based and made up of teachers, directors, family home care providers, parents and other professionals who share our passion and goals for the field of early childhood education. VAAEYC organizes a regional workshop series offered as well as an annual conference to provide professional development opportunities.

Virginia Child Care Association

The Virginia Child Care Association (VCCA) is a professional association, focusing on the needs of the licensed, private, Early Childhood Education and School Age Services community. VCCA is an alliance of care and education professionals and owners. The goals of VCCA are to promote the child care industry and provide the public with information concerning the benefits of licensed, center-based early education services, assist legislative, regulatory, standard-setting, and other government or private bodies in the development of laws, regulations and policies affecting this industry, and offer support and collaboration to Virginia's licensed, center-based providers of early childhood education and school-age services. Aside from collaboration and advocacy, VCCA offers free webinars.

Virginia Early Childhood Foundation

Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF) works to advance school readiness by analyzing the direct link between a quality early start for children and a productive future workforce. VECF and its partners seek out additional funds for school readiness, while communicating the importance of VECF’s systems-building work and collaboration with the community. The focuses of VECF are to build systems, educate the public on quality, and to collect data that can be strategically used to support new and existing policies.

Virginia Partnership for Out-of-School Time

Virgina Partnership for Out-of-School Time (VPOST) is a group of stakeholders in Virginia that have collaborated together to foster a statewide system of exemplary out-of-school programs and resources to support the academic, social, emotional, and physical development of Virginia’s children and youth. VPOST has many downloadable templates and other resources on the organization's website. The organization also posts training resources for other professional organizations, hosts an annual conference and provides resource information on program quality and best practice.