Connect with partners already engaged with child care providers in your community. 

  • Resource and referral agencies 
  • Extension offices 
  • SNAP-Ed partners 
  • State and local departments of health 
  • State department of education/early childhood 
  • Early childhood councils 
  • Head Start associations 
  • Early childhood advisory councils 
  • Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sponsors 
  • Local family child care provider networks  
  • Friends, Family, and Neighbor (FFN) networks 


Offer CMCCP sessions specific to the needs of the groups above and/or ask partners to promote sessions through their networks. For example, organize meal service trainings (Safe Cooking with Confidence, Menu Management on a Budget) for a cohort of Head Start food service staff.   


Consider offering CMCCP in one of two ways:  

  • Open sessions for any center-based or family child care provider. 
  • These sessions can utilize wider recruitment efforts through multiple partnerships.  
  • Recruit through all partnerships above, in addition to your own communication outlets in the community. 
  • Clearly communicate the objectives and intended audience for each training.  
  • Closed sessions for child care sites with larger staff or local associations for child care providers.  
  • Recruitment and/or registration conducted by the center or association you are partnering with.  
  • Lessons can be tailored to a known audience, i.e. teachers, meal service staff, or all staff.  


Consider your timing 

Consider the following when deciding the day and time of your training: 

  • Are providers available during weekdays? 
  • Food service staff likely will not be available until mid-afternoon on weekdays after the kitchen has closed for the day. 
  • Providers of younger children may be available to participate in online offerings during weekday naptimes. 
  • Many providers will be busy with children during the weekdays, and may prefer evening and weekend trainings.  
  • For centers: 
  • Are there regularly planned staff professional development days during which CMCCP could be incorporated? 
  • Are there days the center is closed that staff are still working that could accommodate a training? For example, some centers close for weekday holidays, such as President’s Day, but staff are available for professional development training.  
  • Does the center have funding available to pay staff to attend a training outside of normal working hours?


Pursue Continuing Education Credits  

Providers may be incentivized to choose CMCCP if you have received approval for continuing education credits. Clearly state the details about the credit providers will be eligible for through their participation, such as number of hours and/or what competency your training is qualified for. 

    

You may also be able to promote and recruit for your trainings through a state or regional professional development system, if utilized locally.  


See the CM Help Desk article, CMCCP State Accreditation, for more information on how you might gain accreditation in your state.