2026 Early Education Empowerment Conference from the Child Care Directors Chair Podcast

Join the Early Education Empowerment Conference on May 7–9, 2026, at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick, Rhode Island, for a dynamic professional development experience. Day One (Thursday, May 7) is designed for program owners and directors, focusing on the business side of early childhood education, including strategic planning, marketing, bookkeeping and tax management, staffing, and […]

Seeing the Spectrum: Understanding and Supporting Learners on the Autism Spectrum in Schools (3-part Series). Participants will leave this training with a clearer understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder and the many ways it can present in school settings across academic, behavioral, social-emotional, sensory, and communication domains. Staff will deepen their awareness of both the strengths and […]

Español está abajo February 16, 2026 Valued Providers, The Office of Child Care has some important overall updates for you. Please read carefully and let a member of the team know if you have ANY questions, comments or concerns. There is no more child care mailbox here at 25 Howard Ave. We do not accept […]

From mealtime, to playtime, to story time, children have lots of opportunities each day to learn and practice healthy habits. Go NAPSACC is a trusted online tool that helps child care programs go the extra mile to support children’s healthy eating and physical activity. Child care programs nationwide have used Go NAPSACC to make meaningful […]

Español Está Abajo Hello CCAP provider community! The Office of Child Care is preparing for the shift to enrollment based CCAP payments at the end of March 2026. This change brings us into compliance with the 2024 CCDF rule requiring enrollment-based payments, but more importantly provides greater stability and consistency of payments for providers and […]

Learning Collaborative in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health for Early Childhood Education Professionals Early care and education providers have unique opportunities to promote infant/early childhood mental health by building and nurturing relationships that support social and emotional development, healthy attachments, and family engagement. This work impacts early brain development and is critical for the […]

En español abajo DHS is partnering with Education Development Center (EDC) on a research study examining supports for child care providers and the factors families consider when choosing child care. As part of the study, the research team created a short online survey to understand what parents and caregivers prioritize when choosing child care. EDC […]

Thank you to the many school and child care representatives who attended our November 5 training on the Rhode Island Department of Health’s new Noro-like Illness Outbreak Reporting System. The training slides and recording are now available online (in English only): Norovirus & Respiratory Outbreak Management System Training for Schools Slides Norovirus & Respiratory Outbreak […]

Free Testing for Lead in Drinking Water at Group Child Cares and Child Care Centers The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is encouraging licensed child care facilities to sign up to have their drinking water tested for lead for free. This is part of an ongoing effort to identify and address sources of possible […]

Español Está Abajo New Noro-Like Outbreak Reporting System Coming Soon Starting November 6, Rhode Island schools and childcare facilities will report all norovirus-like outbreaks in a new outbreak reporting system called REDCap. The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) will host a Zoom training on how to use the system on November 5 from 11 […]