Develop Your Team
A strong childcare program depends on the strength of its team. While learning environments and materials play an important role, it is the people in your program who shape the daily experiences of children and families. Investing in team members both at the beginning of their careers and throughout their professional journey is essential to building a high-quality, sustainable and purposeful program.
Supporting and providing access to professional development for team members requires a thoughtful approach that includes onboarding preparation, ongoing training, continuing education and opportunities for connection. There are a range of resources available to support providers in each of these areas.
Start With Strong Pre-Service Opportunities
Pre-service training sets the foundation for new staff members entering the field. Before working with children, your team should have a clear understanding of health and safety requirements, child development and program expectations.
Pre-service requirements are supported through Indiana Learning Paths via I-LEAD, which provides access to required trainings and tracks progress and completion. Providers use this system to ensure new and current team members meet licensing requirements and are prepared to enter the classroom.
Taking the time to build a structured onboarding process helps reduce turnover and sets clear expectations from the start.
Ongoing Professional Development
To stay current and responsive to the evolving interests and needs of the children and families, professional development is embraced as a core part of ongoing learning. Through learning opportunities, staff build on their strengths, reflect on their practice and collaborate with one another to enhance the quality of care and education.
Indiana offers a variety of accessible professional development opportunities, including those offered through:
- Indiana Learning Paths (I-LEAD): Online trainings aligned with licensing and Paths to QUALITY™ standards.
- Ivy Tech, Butler University and other colleges
- Nonprofit organizations such as Early Learning Indiana and INfancy Onward
Many of these opportunities include online asynchronous options, allowing the team to complete training on their own schedule. This flexibility is especially important for programs balancing staffing needs and daily operations.
As a leader, supporting your team’s professional development includes intentionally scheduling time for learning, communicating relevant opportunities and following up to ensure new skills are effectively applied in the classroom.
Encourage Continuing Education and Career Pathways
For many early childhood professionals, continuing education is key to long-term growth. Indiana supports career advancement through initiatives such as TEACH Early Childhood® Indiana, which provides scholarships for coursework in early childhood education. In addition to TEACH, options are available through several colleges and universities.
Encouraging team members to pursue credentials, certifications or degrees not only strengthens their skills but also contributes to program quality. It can also support retention, as individuals are more likely to stay in programs that invest in their growth.
Leaders can support continuing education by:
- Asking individuals about their interest in advancing their career and encouraging them to pursue their goals.
- Sharing information about available programming, scholarships and funding opportunities.
- Offering flexible scheduling to allow for coursework completion when possible.
- Recognizing and celebrating educational milestones.
Building a culture that values learning helps position the program as a place where individuals can grow professionally.
Build Connections Through Provider Networks
Working in childcare can feel isolating, especially in smaller programs. Developing the team is about connection. Connecting with other providers creates opportunities to share ideas and build a sense of community.
Across Indiana, providers can engage in learning groups through:
- Family Child Care Networks
- Regional early childhood coalitions and partnerships
- Statewide learning opportunities led by organizations
These networks provide a space for collaboration and support, helping providers learn from one another and stay connected to broader trends in the field.
Creating a Culture of Growth
Developing the team requires creating systems that support learning, making time for professional development and fostering an environment where team members feel valued and supported.
When staff have access to continuing education and meaningful connections, they are better equipped to provide high-quality care. Strong teams are the foundation of strong programs. By investing in team members and connecting them to the resources available across Indiana, you are building a program that is prepared to grow, adapt and thrive.
Ms. Ramirez, the preschool director at a local preschool, saw that her teachers were feeling stressed and nervous about trying new teaching strategies and wanted to create a supportive environment where teachers could grow and learn together.
Every Monday morning, Ms. Ramirez began holding short “growth huddles” with her teachers. During these meetings, teachers shared one thing that went well the week before and one challenge they were still working on. Ms. Ramirez also shared her own struggles from when she was a teacher and talked about what she learned from those experiences. This helped teachers feel more comfortable asking for help when they needed support.