group of family child care providers sitting and smiling while talking at a community of practice

A family child care Community of Practice (CoP) allows Delaware family child care providers to join together to share their passion for providing home care and education to young children. Community of Practice members gather regularly to network with one another, share and problem-solve around common ‘dilemmas,’ and reflect and grow in their teaching and business practices.

Our quality improvement specialists, Meghan, Patty, and Erika, offer options each month to join a CoP.

Meghan Pallante

Erika Vidal

Family Child Care Community of Practice (CoP) Schedule:

All CoPs listed below take place at 1:30 p.m. unless noted otherwise.

CoP meetings are open to all licensed family child care providers. To attend a CoP, please use the appropriate link above. If you have any questions, please email Molly Van Sickle: mvan@udel.edu.

Here is what family child care professionals are saying about it:

Being a family childcare provider for many years has often given me a feeling of isolation, but being part of the CoP meetings has helped me to connect with many providers that I would never have had the opportunity to meet.  It is awesome to have a weekly meeting where I can bring my questions and concerns.  I also appreciate finding out important info I may have missed if I wasn’t able to listen to a provider call or webinar.
– Melody Moran

The CoPs are a blessing. They keep me informed. They are uplifting and motivating. They provide a much needed opportunity to collaborate with my cohorts, receive and provide insight. – Cocoa Thompson 

CoP Meetings provide an opportunity for family child care providers to come together in a safe place to share ideas, and information and not be judged. Whether you quietly listen or use your voice, we understand one another. Though we are all very different, quality childcare and the true love of children in a family setting unites us. We respect each other’s individuality and similarities. We learn from one another. Professionally we not only embrace each other, we also trust one another and become united by problem-solving together. We represent the uniqueness of family child care. – Lynne