Coaching, training, and advising for programs and business owners

Whether you’re starting a child care program, thinking of growing your current one, or wanting to strengthen your business skills, First Children’s Finance makes the business side of child care easier. With personalized coaching, Develop-approved trainings, and a Business Leadership Credential that builds knowledge and counts towards a Parent Aware 3 or 4 Star Rating, you’ll have the tools and support to succeed. 

Navigating child care licensing can be tricky. Child Care Wayfinder provides personalized support and encouragement for navigating the child care licensing process and offers resources to help expand and sustain currently licensed child care programs. 

As a participating program, you will work with a Quality Coach to discuss your program’s strengths and needs, set goals, create plans for improvement, and reflect on your progress. The focus of the coaching relationship is to support participants in building the quality of their program through research-based practices for early learners’ success and agreed-upon activities and strategies. As you choose your Star-Level goal, you and your Quality Coach will discuss additional coaching opportunities, such as CLASS® coaching. Learn more about becoming Parent Aware Rated. 

Centers and family child care programs can access free coaching support. Coaching is provided by Center for Inclusive Child Care where coaches work collaboratively with your team to determine needs and identify strategies, tools and techniques to strengthen daily practices. 

Child care centers across Minnesota looking to build stronger leadership can enroll their directors in an Early Childhood Leadership Development cohort through the Center for Inclusive Child Care. These cohorts help directors gain confidence, develop leadership skills, and foster a collaborative community with other leaders across Minnesota.

Programs serving young children can access Mental Health Consultation. This service supports programs in promoting the social-emotional health of children, families, and staff through training, reflection, and skill-building. 

Looking for support in creating programming, building knowledge and skills of your staff, and managing challenging behaviors? Coaches from the Center for Inclusive Child Care can partner with you to identify policies and programming practices that fit your program and supports children with disabilities.

Looking for ways to make your early childhood program more inclusive for children with disabilities?  This guide helps educators think more inclusively about children with disabilities and provides steps and free resources to improve care for children with disabilities. 

Educators working in centers and family child care programs, as well as nonlicensed Family Friend and Neighbor (FFN) providers, can receive Mental Health Consultation support. This service combines training, skill-building and reflective practice to promote the social-emotional health and wellbeing of young children, their families, and you.