On Saturday, October 11, the Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood (DIEEC) welcomed family child care professionals from across Delaware to the fourth annual 1st State Family Child Care Conference. The conference was held on the University of Delaware’s Newark campus at the Clayton Hall Conference Center.
This year’s conference theme was “Simple Steps, Big Impact,” celebrating the power of small, intentional steps that lead to lasting change for family child care educators and the children, families, and communities they serve.
Simple Steps
The day kicked off with keynote speaker Nadin Benrey, a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach, who reminded participants that change starts with small, consistent, intentional daily actions. She highlighted core areas of focus, including physical movement, nutrition, the mind, lifestyle, environment, relationships, and finances — and encouraged attendees to start by choosing one small change.
“Small actions are like planting seeds. With time and consistency, they grow into lasting results.”
– Nadin Benrey
Building Big Impact
Attendees then dove into the three expert-led workshops they’d chosen from a list of 12 sessions, many of which were offered in Spanish. Some of the topics included:
- “Basics of Autism,” participants learned how to recognize early signs and build inclusive environments for children on the spectrum.
- “Rooted Rhythms” invited educators to explore nature-based play and seasonal routines that nurture children’s self-regulation and creativity.
- “Emergent Literacy in Family Child Care” participants gained practical strategies for weaving literacy into everyday routines.
- “The Roots of Every Classroom Community” offered ways to build deeper partnerships with families.
“The conversations we shared around the invitations to play were so encouraging and inspiring — exactly what I’d hoped for! Knowing others left with ideas to take back to their own programs makes it all worth it,” said Stacy Morgan, who co-presented “Learning Simply in Nature” with Jessica Bellemare.
During lunch, Stacy Morgan was recognized as the home-based winner of the Delaware Excellence in Early Childhood Awards and delivered an inspiring speech about the importance of nurturing children through nature-based play.
“The simple, everyday choices we make can shape a child’s future — instilling curiosity, resilience, and a lifelong love of learning. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by incorporating nature into our environments and allowing for more unstructured learning through play.”
– Stacy Morgan
Between sessions, participants took advantage of opportunities to network, take professional headshots, and connect with local vendors and organizations. These community partners shared valuable resources for educators to explore, including research insights, scholarship opportunities, development programs, and safety trainings, turning brief conversations into connections that can spark a significant impact beyond the conference.
Inspiration in Action
As the conference came to a close, Shakira Waples, home-based runner-up for the Delaware Excellence in Early Childhood Awards, shared a message that resonated deeply with FCC educators in the room:
“Running a family childcare means we juggle a lot, but it also means we impact a lot. We’re not just teaching ABCs, we’re shaping character, building confidence, and giving children their first sense of belonging. That’s something powerful.”
– Shakira Waples
The event concluded with raffle basket drawings, laughter, and a renewed sense of community, leaving participants inspired to continue strengthening the quality of care they provide to their programs.
Thank you!
DIEEC would like to thank all of the participants, presenters, sponsors, and vendors who made this year’s conference possible. Together, we are taking meaningful yet simple steps that have a huge impact on Delaware’s children and families.
Article by Courtney Foster (DIEEC) and photos provided by Maria Errico (University of Delaware).
