News from DHS: Upcoming “Staying Informed Webinar Series”/Noticias de DHS: Serie de Seminarios Virtuales “Manténgase Informado”

En español abajo This fall DHS invites customers and community partners to join the upcoming “Staying Informed Webinar Series.” The various virtual webinars will cover a variety of topics and are designed to provide an in-depth overview of the Child Care Assistance Program, the SNAP Cost-of-Living Adjustment, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Rhode Island […]

Early Childhood Leadership, Certificate of Graduate Studies (CGS) at Rhode Island College is welcoming applications for the Fall 2026 semester. The Fall application deadline is August 14th, 2026. A limited number of TEACH Scholarships are available for this program through RIAEYC. Center directors, administrators, education coordinators, and family child care providers may apply for TEACH […]

The Learning Management System formerly known as the Individualized Professional Development (iPD) Portfolio, is now known as Early Education Pathways (EEP). Created and jointly funded by the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Office of Child Care (OCC) at the U.S, Department of Health and Human Services, EEP launched in July 2026. These courses […]

Dear Community Members and Partners, Over the past year, the Rhode Island Children’s Cabinet worked closely with families, community partners, providers, and state agencies to develop a five‑year Strategic Plan (2026–2030) focused on improving outcomes for children and youth across the state. We are now moving into the implementation phase, and one of the first […]

Progreso Latino, con apoyo de DHS y CELP, esta ofreciendo clases de inglés gratis para maestros, proveedores y asistentes. Estos cursos otorgan horas de desarrollo profesional. Las clases empiezan en agosto. Haz clic aquí para aprender mas. Para preguntas, comunícate al 401-585-3454. Para registrarte, haz clic aquí. Progreso Latino, with funding from DHS and CELP […]

Dear providers,   We hope you’re all having a great week and gearing up for a smooth start to summer!   Summer Flip reminder:   Any school‑age children who will be attending your program during school hours this summer must have their enrollments updated before or during their first week of their new summer schedule. […]

Under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the Local Educational Agency (LEA) homeless liaisons’ legal duties extend fully to young children from birth to age five. The liaison must ensure that these young children are identified, connected to early childhood . The specific responsibilities for this age group include Identification and tracking, referrals to Early Childhood […]

En español abajo  In response to an increase in measles cases nationally and 2 recent cases in Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Department of Health has developed resources for use by schools, child care settings, summer camps, colleges, and universities. Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 9 out of […]

Dear Valued Providers, We hope you are enjoying the spring weather! Thank you for your continued commitment to providing child care to the families of Rhode Island.  DHS would like to share important reminders regarding background check requirements. Please review the information below carefully. Comprehensive fingerprint-based background checks are required for all child care staff who […]

Early childhood educators can apply to earn free college credit from CCRI through the RI Early Childhood Education & Training Certificate Program. The application deadline is July 15th! Click here to learn more or contact Lori Ryan, CCRI RIECETP: lryan2@ccri.edu. You can also find out more information on the CCRI website. Educadores de cuidado infantil […]