During our time of remote working due to COVID - 19, this Extension Agent participated in the 4/14/20 Learn the Signs Act Early, CDC Child Development Milestone tracking ZOOM training, offered by the Senior Extension Specialist for Parenting and Child Adolescence Education and the Content Coordinator for Professional Development, for UK Child Care Aware.  

I had just started a "go program bag", summer resource learning kit project with the enrolled Metcalfe Co. Head Start Families and reached out to Christine Hausman of Child Care Aware to obtain some of CDC Milestone tracking and child development materials she indicated she had on hand, to include in my resource kits. In April/May 2020, three separate child developmental play activity and family summer resource kits customized to the number of children in each family, were created by this FCS Extension Agent and provided to all 28 Metcalfe Co. Head Start Families.

When in communication with the local Head Start Center Manager about the resource kits, we discussed the CDC Learn the Signs Act Early (LTSAE) milestone tracking app, she connected me with Head Start Administration at Community Action of Southern Kentucky (CASOKYHSEHS) in our 10 county area; who wanted all of their Early HS and HS, staff to be trained.  Christine Hausman of Child Care Aware and I partnered, to create a ECE-TRIS registered, 3 CEU credited ZOOM training, utilizing the CDC LTSAE Watch Me, online training with enhancement exercises and break out groups that we co-facilitated on ZOOM, with 106 (CASOKYHSEHS staff) participants.

Post program evaluation shows as a result of participating in the LTSAE ZOOM training and completion of the Milestone Tracking APP pre - assignment, all survey respondents indicated: they are completely to somewhat better prepared (majority answering completely), to communicate with families of enrolled children about their child's development, they know where and how to access the FREE LTSAE parent and teacher resource materials on the CDC website, including the Milestone tracking app and that they can show Families of enrolled children with internet enabled devices, how to access and use it.

Evaluation results further indicated that respondent's, as a result of participating in the LTSAE training, are completely to somewhat (majority answering completely) better prepared to assist a family with concerns about their child's development, to prepare to communicate with their child's health care provider about those issues, respondent's completely (majority responding completely) to somewhat agree that their knowledge of this topic, increased and the majority of respondents indicated that they are very likely or likely to use the CDC Milestone Tracking and Communication tools with families of enrolled children, when their Head Start/Child Care programs reopen.

This Extension Agent completed the Fundamentals of Effective Training series through UK HDI Learning; and will be applying in mid - June 2020, for the level 5 Kentucky Child Care Trainer's Credential as a result of the connection formed, with University of Kentucky, Child Care Aware program.