The Who’s Who at Your CDC

Wyoming’s Child Development Centers are dedicated to helping your children and your family thrive. Many people in varying roles make up the teams of early childhood professionals who care for your children through screenings, developmental services, and personalized relationships.

Child Care Provider/Preschool Teacher

The people in your child’s classroom are licensed child care providers. They are educated, trained, and certified to care for young children. Providers are your child’s teacher, but they’re also so much more!

Having licensed child care providers in your center means your children are in the care of early childhood professionals who are also trained in nutrition and multiple safety measures, and they continue their training throughout their careers to continue providing the best care.

While some home based child care providers and preschool teachers may not be licensed, they still are the primary caretakers for your children at their facilities. When you are considering the right child care option for your family, we encourage you to ask about licensing and any other factors that are important to you.

Early Interventionists & Early Childhood Special Education Instructors

Early Interventionists and ECSE instructors work closely with providers and with each other to help children and families meet physical, social-emotional, cognitive, and other goals in every Stage of Development, promoting meaningful participation in everyday activities, including play, education, social participation, daily living routines, and more. They engage with children and their families to work on everyday living skills using a variety of activities and exercises that can be practiced at the center and at home. Here are some of their focuses:

Occupational therapy develops motor and sensory skills, encouraging children to become as independent as possible.

Speech therapy focuses on communication by addressing the mechanics of producing words as well as using and understanding language, and reading.

Physical therapy improves motor skills and the use of different muscle groups.

Early Interventionists are a part of Part C – focusing on intervention services for babies and toddlers. Here, they help children meet their milestones, generally working with children in their homes and other natural environments. This strengthens the carry-over from home to their child care setting, from parents to child care providers, and encourages better results. ECSEs are a part of Part B; they help children access their educational environment in age-appropriate ways through specially designed instruction and accommodations.

Counselor/Social Worker

Early childhood counselors and social workers monitor the progress children are making through therapy and in their classrooms. Based on observation and collaboration with therapists and providers, counselors and social workers track progress for the services they provide and build individual schedules and learning plans for the children at their center, focusing on social-emotional development and relationship building with peers and adults.

Everyone at Wyoming’s Child Development Centers has a job to do, and everyone works together to provide the best care for all the children there. Are you looking for a center in your area? Look here!