Join facilitated discussions driven by YOU!

Communities of Practice, also known as “CoPs”, are groups of people who share a passion for something they do and want to learn how to do it better as they interact. CoPs allow attendees to learn and collaborate as content is driven by the participants.

There are a number of reasons to participate, including to:

1. Build relationships & support friendship growth with peers
2. Share and exchange knowledge
3. Emotional engagement and support for each other to use evidence-based practices
4. Identify internal and external expertise
5. Problem-solve issues from the field
6. Improve job satisfaction with peer conversations

CCR&R is committed to improving communication with child care providers across Iowa. It is through the sharing of information and experiences that participants can learn from each other and have an opportunity to develop themselves personally and professionally.

CoPs will be facilitated by regional CCR&R staff. If you have a specific topic request, please be sure to share it with us. In the calendar below, the events have been added by city. If you want to see details on the event, just click on it and the event description will appear below the calendar. Join us!

Communities of Practice - Online Events

CCR&R of NE Iowa hosted Events: 

• Online meeting was held on 4/7/20 with guest Heidi Hotvedt from Iowa Department of Public Health and Healthy Child Care Iowa. Heidi reviews the new document for COVID-19 Guidance: Child Care Centers and Homes Health & Safety Concerns along with addressing recent guidance about wearing masks.
• Online meeting was held on 5/19/20 with guests Julie Allison from Iowa Department of Human Services and Heidi Hotvedt from Iowa Department of Public Health. Discussion over a variety of topics including where to refer families in need of child care if you're full, what you might see from children who are returning to care after being home with parents, virtual visits from your child care consultant, Q&A about the CARES Act and review for procedures to reopening your center if you closed temporarily due to COVID-19.
• Online home meeting was held on 5/26/20 with guest Kim Gonzales, Child Care Nurse Consultant with Healthy Child Care Iowa. Discussion over a variety of topics including where to refer families in need of child care if you're full, how to update your vacancies, what you might see from children who are returning to care after being home with parents, virtual visits from your child care consultant, Q&A about the CARES Act and review for procedures to reopening your center if you closed temporarily due to COVID-19.

CCR&R of NW Iowa hosted hosted Events: 

• This online meeting for all providers was held 4/15/20 with guest Deb Gimer from Healthy Child Care Iowa. Deb reviews COVID-19 guidance along with health and safety measures for child care businesses.