The Rutgers Southern Regional Child Care Resource & Referral Agency  will coordinate the early childhood training calendar for the five southern counties with the assistance of our staff and  state professional development partners.  The coordination of a seamless and consistent training platform will ensure greater access for family child care (FCC), family, friends and neighbors (FFN), center-based, families, and leadership staff in the southern New Jersey region.   All trainings are aligned to Grow NJ Kids, NJ Birth to Three,  the  NJ Preschool Teaching and Learning Standards,   as well as NAEYC, CDA, Caring for Our Children, Strengthening Families, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Rutgers Southern Regional CCR&R facilitates and supports EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PRACTITIONERS:

• To expand their knowledge of the early care and education field; and 

•  To pursue professional advancement as early care and education professionals.

Our services include:
Educational Advisement:

• Information for enrolling in college level Early Childhood Education or Teacher Certification programs; and
• The schedule and availability of Professional Development and Trainings provided by the CCR&R and various state partners.​

Early Care and Education Trainings and Professional Development

• Rutgers Southern Regional CCR&R provides a series of trainings for Early Care and Education Practitioners designed to improve their practice and the early care and educational environment in which they work.​  Interested ECE practitioners can enroll for the Child Development Associate (CDA) in either Family Child Care, Preschool, or Infant/Toddler certification as recognized by the Council for Professional Recognition http://www.cdacouncil.org/.  Contact Dr. Ingrid Campbell at ingridc@camden.rutgers.edu for more information.
• Professional development and family engagement are offered across the five counties that the Rutgers Southern Regional CCR&R serves.  The Agency collaborates  with our Grow NJ Kids professional development partners to provide access and awareness of numerous professional development opportunities to improve healthy outcomes and provide safe environments for children from birth to age 8 in our diverse southern regional child care settings.
  
  • ​As a result of COVID-19, the Agency is following all recommended state and CDC recommendations that promote safety for participants and trainers alike. The training team (Lead/Assistant Trainers (LAT), the Infant/Toddler Specialists (ITSN), the Family Engagement Specialists (FES), and Quality Improvement Specialists (QIS) are conducting virtual training to still provide essential DFD/DHS/OOL  professional development and family engagement across our five counties. 
• The Training Calendar:  Our year round Training Calendar provides a comprehensive range of professional development opportunities for Early Care and Education Practitioners.   Access the NJ Workforce Registry to view training selections and register as needed. 
• Training Locations: To facilitate access to our professional development opportunities, the Rutgers Southern Regional CCR&R provides educational advisement and training at convenient locations listed above in each southern New Jersey county that we serve.

---

CDA initial and renewal tutorials
Child Development Associate (CDA) initial and renewal tutorials are now available. Please click and visit the Council's site to review the  process.

Also, do you or someone you know have an expired CDA credential. The Council is launching its CDA Renewal Amnesty Program starting January 2020. The same site provides more information. Please share the great news and opportunity.

Clarification:  CPR / First Aid Training/Certification 
Choosing a trainer/vendor:
Child Care Centers:  Child Care Center Staff have the option to attend a CPR/First Aid training course offered through the local CCR&R or attend/hire a certified trainer/vendor.  The trainer/ vendor must be certified by a recognized health organization. The CPR training course must offer a hands-on-skills practice. 
Examples of a few of the recognized health organizations are:   American Safety and Health Institute, American Red Cross, and the American Heart Association. 
Family Child Care (FCC) Providers:  FCC/FFN providers must be certified through one of the following recognized health organizations: American Heart Association; American Red Cross; National Safety Council or the Medic Pediatric Course.  FCC providers may take this course through the local CCR&R or attend a course through a certified trainer/vendor.   

---