COVID-19 Resource Collection

Dear First Up Community,

As our lives are being changed by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), we remain committed to all of you – to ensure you have the information and resources you need to take care of yourselves and your communities. In times of uncertainty, it’s easy for our attention to be fractured – and we don’t know where to go information. We are committed to supporting you as you navigate the changes in the ECE community and as you support your own friends and family. In the midst of it all, please remember to find time to look after your own needs as well.

To that end, we have collected some important resources about ECE Updates, fun activities parents can do with children, free meals for families who need them, unemployment compensation and advocacy updates, as well as resources for stress management.

Use the tabs above to navigate the page and please reach out to us if there is something you need that you can’t find here.

You are a valued part of the First Up family. We are in this together. Take good care.

We will be updating the following collection of links as more information, processes, and policies are released. If you want to suggest an essential link/resource not found on this list, please email Mindi Leiber.

 

PLEASE NOTE: We have streamlined these COVID-19 resource offerings in order to improve navigation and highlight re-opening information. If you are looking for a link found in our previous postings, please visit this archive page. We will not continue to update the archive page, so please be aware that some information on the archive page may be outdated or contradicted by current policy and recommendations.

Re-opening Policies and Recommendations for Child Care Administrators

Take Action Today!

Early Childhood Education doesn’t stop because we may not be in our early childhood programs or school buildings. We need your support to get services and resources for programs and families. Please click on the Advocacy and Civil Engagement tab for ways to take action!

Guidance from PA Governor Wolf’s Office

Guidance from the PA Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and PA KEYS

Local News and Resources

National News and Resources

For more information and resources, please see the other tabs.

Re-opening Operations Resources for Child Care Administrators

Take Action Today!

Early Childhood Education doesn’t stop because we may not be in our early childhood programs or school buildings. We need your support to get services and resources for programs and families. Please click on the Advocacy and Civil Engagement tab for ways to take action!

Business Practices

Electronic Tools and Forms

General Health & Safety

Webinars

For more information and resources, please see the other tabs.

Re-opening Information for Child Care Teachers and Staff

Take Action Today!

Early Childhood Education doesn’t stop because we may not be in our early childhood programs or school buildings. We need your support to get services and resources for programs and families. Please click on the Advocacy and Civil Engagement tab for ways to take action!

Family Engagement

Teaching Practices

General Health & Safety

Webinars

Resources for Families

Take Action Today!

Early Childhood Education doesn’t stop because we may not be in our early childhood programs or school buildings. We need your support to get services and resources for programs and families. Please click on the Advocacy and Civil Engagement tab for ways to take action!

COVID-19 Recovery Assistance

Information on Returning to Child Care

Information on Returning to K-12th Grade

Support for Adults Returning to Work/School

Webinars

First Up invites you to join us for Parenting in a Pandemic: Help in a Time of Need, a three-part series of one-hour informative webinars. Each session, presented by professionals with early childhood expertise and certificates in trauma-informed practices, will:

  • introduce the concepts of how brains develop and the impact that current events might have on children from birth through age 8;
  • introduce new ways to think about self-care, and;
  • offer strategies for supporting children’s mental well-being.

Please refer to this flyer for dates, webinar links, and contact information if you have questions.

Participation enters you into a drawing for special giveaways!

We are grateful to offer Parenting in a Pandemic: Help in a Time of Need with the generous support of ELRC Region 18, a program of Caring People Alliance, and the United Way of Greater Philadlephia and Southern New Jersey!

Advocacy and Civic Engagement

The State of ECE

Southeast Pennsylvania Advocacy

Statewide Advocacy

You did it, we did it, 125 million dollars allocated to save early learning!

National Advocacy

Online ECE Professional Development

Take Action Today!

Early Childhood Education doesn’t stop because we may not be in our early childhood programs or school buildings. We need your support to get services and resources for programs and families. Please click on the Advocacy and Civil Engagement tab for ways to take action!

We Are All in This Together!

First Up is providing FREE online Professional Development in support of our partners’ needs, including the following free webinars through Zoom alongside your colleagues for continued virtual learning facilitated by our expert PD Instructors Alix Cozen, Nancy Nicewonger, Kim Farmer, Lissette Rivera, and Wendy Wagner. We will explore topics and ideas to enhance your classroom learning centers and learn more about literacy. Continue your PD goals during this time so you will come back to the classroom with exciting, new ideas and activities for your children.

We are grateful to have these Free Webinars and Free Communities of Practice sponsored by ELRC 18, a program of Caring People Alliance!

Online pre-registration with the PD Registry is required (please use the same steps as above) even though the following sessions are free of cost. Contact Ashley Haneiko with questions about registration.

FREE Curriculum Webinars from First Up

  • Wednesday, June 3rd: STEM for Infants and Toddlers with Nancy Nicewonger
    8:00-10:00am
  • Wednesday, June 3rd: Effective Communication for Infant/Toddler Educators with Alix Cozen
    2:00-4:00pm
  • Thursday, June 4th: Self-Directed Play with Nancy Nicewonger
    8:00-10:00am
  • Thursday, June 4th: Implementing & Supporting Social & Emotional Learning in a Preschool Classroom with Patti Chapman
    10:30am-12:30pm
  • Friday, June 5th: Ideas listas para el Centro de Ciencias con Lissette Rivera y Rosanna Matos
    8:00-10:00am
  • Friday, June 5th: Relationship-driven Learning with Alix Cozen
    12:30-2:30pm

FREE Community of Practice: Community Connected through Crisis

First Up invites you to join a virtual Community of Practice, sponsored by the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, as a place to connect and share experiences around the COVID-19 crisis. We will introduce the concepts of trauma and resilience as they relate to uncertainty due to the pandemic in a series of three interactive and sequential sessions:

  • Community Connected through Crisis, Part 1: Brings ECE professionals together to explore the definitions of trauma and strategies for managing stress
  • Community Connected through Crisis, Part 2: Revisits trauma and its impact on the brain, while exploring strategies for self-regulation and communicating in times of stress with increased empathy
  • Community Connected through Crisis, Part 2B: A deeper dive for Directors and other decision-makers: Takes a closer look at the ways we can share information and connect with staff, families, and children
  • Community Connected through Crisis, Part 3: Anticipates the impact of trauma on staff, families, and children as they return to the child care program
  • Community Connected through Crisis, Part 1
    • Please visit this site later as new sessions are scheduled.
  • Community Connected through Crisis, Part 2
    • Please visit this site later as new sessions are scheduled.
  • Community Connected through Crisis, Part 2B for Directors and other Decision-makers
    • Please visit this site later as new sessions are scheduled.
  • Community Connected through Crisis, Part 3
    • Please visit this site later as new sessions are scheduled.

Additional Webinar Links and Opportunities

Please note: Those offerings listed without dates are pre-recorded and available on-demand.

Recursos en Español

Tome medidas hoy!

  • Comparta su historia de cuidado infantil COVID-19
    ¡La mayoría de los padres no tienen acceso al cuidado de niños debido a los cierres obligatorios COVID-19 y necesitamos saber de usted! ¿Trabaja desde casa con niños presentes? ¿Está trabajando trabajos esenciales sin cuidado de niños? ¿Ha llegado a una nueva apreciación de su programa de cuidado infantil? ¿Sus hijos están perdiendo a sus maestros o amigos? Para ayudar a los responsables políticos a entender la importancia del cuidado de niños, ¡necesitamos saber de usted! Para compartir su historia, escríbale a: clic aquí.
  • Census 2020 está abierto!
    Esto es aún más importante en este momento, ya que los recursos gubernamentales se asignarán en función del censo. Completa esto en línea desde casa.

Información General – COVID-19

Asistencia Financiera y Mas para proveedores de ECE

Recursos para la familia

Para información sobre unas actividades a hacer con su niño en casa, va al tabulador “Recursos para familias.” Muchos sitios web referenciados tienen opciones para hispanohablantes.

Archive

PLEASE NOTE: We have streamlined these COVID-19 resource offerings in order to improve navigation and highlight re-opening information. If you are looking for a link found in our previous postings, please visit this archive page. We will not continue to update the archive page, so please be aware that some information on the archive page may be outdated or contradicted by current policy and recommendations.