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

Communities of Practice - Recorded Meetings

• CCR&R of SE Iowa (Region 5) hosted CoPs Peer to Peer meetings:
  • Online meeting was held on 10/14/20 with guest Heidi Hotvedt from Iowa Department of Public Health and Healthy Child Care Iowa.
• CCR&R of Central Iowa (Region 4) hosted CoPs Peer to Peer meetings:
  • Online meeting was held 7/28/20 with guest Ryan Page, Child Care Regulatory Program Manager from the Iowa Department of Human Services. Ryan answers questions from providers regarding health and safety, ratios, virtual learning, etc.
  • Online meeting was held 8/17/20 with guest Heidi Hotvedt, Child Care Nurse Consultant, from Healthy Child Care Iowa (HCCI). Heidi shared current recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH).
• CCR&R of NE Iowa (Region 2) hosted CoPs Peer to Peer meetings:
  • 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.
  • Online meeting was held 6/25/20 with guest Heidi Hotvedt from Iowa Department of Public Health and Healthy Child Care Iowa. Heidi reviews the new document Case Reporting and Outbreak Responsibilities for Child Care Centers & Homes dated 6/23/20. Additionally, Heidi was able to address some questions on this Q&A document.
  • Online meeting was held 6/30/20 with guest Heidi Hotvedt from Iowa Department of Public Health and Healthy Child Care Iowa. Discussion with Child Care Home Providers was on the most current information about the pandemic and how it impacts their child care business.
  • Online meeting was held 8/3/20 for child care centers and this one for child care homes with guest Heidi Hotvedt, Child Care Nurse Consultant, from Healthy Child Care Iowa (HCCI). Heidi shared current recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH).
  • Online meeting was held 9/16/20 for child care centers/preschools and this one for child care homes across in Region 2 with guest Heidi Hotvedt, Child Care Nurse Consultant, Healthy Child Care Iowa Coordinator. Discussion, questions and comments during the session focused on the current pandemic: i.e. testing, positive cases, outbreaks and procedures for closing/reopening, etc.
  • Online meeting was held 10/6/20 for child care centers/preschools and this one for child care homes across in Region 2 with guest Heidi Hotvedt, Child Care Nurse Consultant, Healthy Child Care Iowa Coordinator. Discussion, questions and comments during the session focused on the current pandemic: i.e. child care guidance updated 9/30/20, testing, positive cases, outbreaks and procedures for closing/reopening, etc.
  • Online meeting was held 11/11/20 for child care programs in Region 2 regarding fingerprinting options. This informal discussion with child care providers is not a training, just information and resources to help understand the process.
  • Online meeting was held 11/17/20 for child care programs in Region 2 with guest Heidi Hotvedt, Child Care Nurse Consultant, Healthy Child Care Iowa Coordinator. Discussion, questions and comments during the session focused on the current pandemic: i.e. child care guidance updated, testing, positive cases, outbreaks, masks, etc.
• CCR&R of NW Iowa (Region 1) hosted CoPs Peer to Peer meetings:
  • Online meeting 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.