JOB/ROLES IN THE ECE COMMUNITY:

NATIONAL & FEDERAL LEVEL  

In review of several organizations for this week’s Blog Assignment, I researched and have come across several that I have found to be of interest.  Their work has provided millions with support and educational resources that has benefited children, families and communities. The first organization is the Administration for Children & Families (ACF). The organization is part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Its vision is geared towards children, youth, families, individuals and communities who are resilient, safe, healthy, and economically secure.  Their mission is to foster the health and well-being by providing federal leadership, partnership and resources for the compassionate and effective delivery of human services.  As a large agency, they are responsible for federal stewardship of a set of programs that provide essential services and support for millions of Americans (Administration for Children & Families, 2016).

 The second organization that appealed to me is the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC). Within my professional career, I am employed as a family child care program director.  My program encourages our FCC providers to obtain their credential as a NAFCC provider.  The organization is the only professional association dedicated solely to promoting high-quality early childhood experiences for children in the unique environment of family child care programs. Currently, there are approximately one million in-home family child care providers operating nationwide. The program is a 501(c3) non-profit association. The organization also seeks to accomplish important goals that are necessary to continue to become an elite organization. One of their goals is to ensure that family child care is the early childhood workforce.  And training and professional development offered to our providers has to make sense for the family child care environment, and be made accessible to work-life of family child care providers (NAFCC, 2016).   

The third organization that appealed to me is the International Child Resource Institute (ICRI) which is located in California. This is an organization that I was not aware of until now. I stumbled across their site as I was seeking to learn more about federal and national organizations. Their mission is “to envision a world in which all children and families are able to fulfill their greatest potential” (ICRI, 2016).  As I searched their site, I noticed that they offer a community of practice that is geared towards Early Childhood Care and Education, Children’s Rights, Maternal and Child Health, Empowerment of Women and Girls, and Grassroots Community Development. Their work is centered on the well-being of children on a national and international level. Their organization was birthed out of California but has expanded. 

 In addition to the various programs the ICRI focuses on, they have developed an advocacy program titled, I-CAN. Their motto is “if I-CAN, you can”.  Their motive is to assist any stakeholder involved in the lives of children (including parents) to become skilled advocates. I-CAN supports advocates through any array of services to ensure that advocacy for children will become year round and will lead to potentially stunning future results for children and families all over the world (ICRI, 2016).  

In review of employment, none of the organizations listed had any official job openings available. However, I did review ICRI’s team member’s positions they currently hold. One that was of interest is that of the Family Daycare Support Network Director.  This position provides nutrition education and financial support to family daycare providers within various communities. Since I already have some background knowledge in the family child care capacity, branching out into the educational resource and training capacity in the nutrition area would be an asset.   The position also requires knowledge of financial services in which skills in the administration area is needed.  This would fit into my undergrad degree in Business Administration as well as my degree in M.S. in Early Childhood Studies with the specialization in Administration, Management and Leadership. Branching out in this capacity would be a great experience and professional development experience and booster (ICRI, 2016).  

References:

Administration  for Children & Families. (2016) Retrieved from,

          http://www.acf.hhs.gov/

National Association for Family Child Care. (2016). Retrieved from

http://www.nafcc.org

International Child Resource Institute. (2016). Retrieved from,

          http://www.icrichild.org