Since 1992, Penn State University Cooperative Exten-sion has partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare to conduct trainings for child care providers. Better Kid Care trainings help providers to better understand children and their needs, and to develop appropriate methods for working with children. Training costs for childcare providers are partially underwritten by Department of Public Welfare, received through Keystone University Research Corporation and given to Penn State’s Better Kid Care program and the local Cooperative Extension offices.

Pike County Cooperative Extension is a local resource that area providers can use to maintain their certification and to update their skills. In the nine, two hour trainings that were offered over the past year, eighty six providers attended and received training hours towards their state licensing requirement.

Topics included: Strategies for Managing Challenging Behaviors, Biting and Sharing, Working with Multi-Age Groups, Integrating Children with Disabilities into Child Care Programs, Backyard Science, and Managing Crisis in Your Daycare.