Coronavirus Resources for Professionals
We are living in unprecedented times with unprecedented challenges. As early learning professionals, we carry the responsibility to make well-informed decisions for ourselves, the children and families we serve, the colleagues with whom we serve and the many people in our personal lives for whom we hold special places in our hearts.
Thankfully, there are many wonderful resources available to educate, inspire, support and equip us for these challenges. We’ll be collecting and sharing those that we think might be helpful to you, professionally. We’re also doing the same for families here. We hope you find something to make your day a little brighter and your load a little lighter. If there is a specific question you have that can’t be answered through any of these links, please contact us, and we’ll work to get an answer to you as soon as we are able.
General
| Site | Resources Available |
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Coronavirus Page | News, prevention tips, symptoms, and more specifically for child care programs. |
| Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning Coronavirus Page | Guidance from DECAL; webinars; provider resources; and more! |
| Georgia Department of Public Health | A great starting point for daily updates, state services, administrative orders, helpful links, and more! |
Supporting Families
| Site | Resources Available |
| National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagement | Tips for Staff Working Remotely with Fathers E-Resource Flash |
| Pro Solutions Training | Free Training: Staying Connected in Crisis: Using Technology to Communicate with Families |
| Strengthening Families Georgia | Tips and tools to promote the Five Protective Factors |
| Zero to Three Tips for Families | A great catch-all resource site for parents! |
| Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Resources for Families | Another resource-rich site covering creative activities, behavior management, health, self-care and much more! |
| NAEYC | Articles on family engagement |
| Virtual Lab School | Five-part self-guided study on family engagement |
| McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership | Great article on family partnerships |
Getting Back to (Quality) Business
| Site | Resources |
| Keys to Rebuilding Enrollment Post COVID-19 | This simple article covers nine actions program leaders can take to strengthen customer connections and care. |
| Community Playthings Reopening Child Care | A 21-Page guide based on CDC Guidelines. |
| Exchange From Surviving to Thriving | 8-Part Video Series: Creating a Way Forward in Challenging Times |
| Zero to Three | Article: What Comes Next: Back to Child Care Following Shelter-in-Place |
| Yale School of Medicine COVID-19 Child Care Impact Study | National provider survey to help understanding impact and provide guidance for future plans. Allow about 11-20 minutes to complete. |
| NAEYC Young Children | Article: Supporting Young Children After Crisis Events |
| Early Childhood Training and Technical Assistance System COVID-19 Resources for Child Care Providers | A catch-all for early learning professionals! Resources on health and safety, business practices and supporting families. |
| NAEYC | DAP resources and articles |
| Resources for Early Learning | DAP articles, videos, and ideas |
| Partnerships for Early Learners | Article on the basics of infant-toddler care |
| NAEYC | Play resources and articles |
| Harvard University Center on the Developing Child | Learning Through Play |
| U.S. Food & Drug Administration | Q&A for Consumers: Hand Sanitizers and COVID-19 |
| U.S. Food & Drug Administration | Updates on Hand Sanitizers with Methanol |
Talking With Children And Supporting Social-Emotional Health
| Site | Resources Available |
| Free Your Feels | Mental health awareness campaign encouraging Georgia’s children, teens, and young adults to explore their real feelings and share them fearlessly. |
| Spokane Regional Health District 1-2-3 CARE A Trauma-Sensitive Toolkit for Caregivers of Children | Topics include brain development, stress, resilience, attachment, emotional regulation and more! Many practical ideas included! |
| University of Rochester Medical Center A Toolkit for Helping Your Child Wear a Mask During COVID-19 | Tips including choosing masks, preparing children for wearing masks, and supporting children throughout the process. |
| Learning with Millie and Suzie by Samantha Harris and Devon Scott | Free downloadable picture book for children |
| Talking with Your Children About COVID-19 | Talking points from Georgia SEEDS for Success |
| NPR Just For Kids | A comic exploring the new coronavirus |
| PBS How to Talk with Your Kids About Coronavirus | English and Spanish versions of the article available |
| Sesame Street | Talking to children about coronavirus |
| UCSF Trauma Center, Mary Wise Helper Hero Guide | Guidance for Parents who are Essential Workers; Discussion Guide; Activities for Children |
| Tallahassee Democrat | Article about responding to child stress about coronavirus |
| Piplo Productions | Stories; feelings chart; parent guide; also in Spanish |
| Child Mind Institute, Dr. Jamie Howard | Video covering how to talk with your child about coronavirus. |
| BrainPop | Video; lessons; activities for school-age children |
Networking, Forums & Idea-Sharing Avenues
| Site | Resources Available |
| hello by NAEYC | HELLO is the platform for NAEYC’s Interest Forums and online communities. Members can use this space to have conversations and create connections with peers around important early learning issues. |
| GAEYC (Georgia Association for the Education of Young Children) | Membership details; blog posts; news updates; and more! |
| Quality Care for Children Provider Resource Hub | Membership details; job board; administrative supports; discounts; and more! |
| GCCA (Georgia Child Care Association) | Membership details; news; and more! |
| PFCCAG (Professional Family Child Care Alliance of Georgia) | Membership details; advocacy; updates; and more! |
Training & Professional Development
| Site | Resources Available |
| DECAL Scholars | Educational counseling; incentives; scholarships; coronavirus-specific professional development supports |
| Leap Early Learning Partners PLC Page | Overview of Professional Learning Communities; why they’re perfect for times like these; how you can learn more and get involved. |
| Cox Campus | Home of the amazing (and free!) Read Right from the Start courses. Also featuring new family courses that you can share with families to support each child wherever they are! |
| NAEYC Recorded Webinars | More than two dozen sessions covering COVID, play, stress and more. |
Financial Resources
| Site | Resources Available |
| Statewide Emergency Feeding Locations | Sites – by county, days of the week and end date |
| Golden Harvest Food Bank | Site that allows you to enter a zip code or address to find food assistance sites near you. |
| Georgia Child and Parent Services (CAPS) | Eligibility requirements; applications; FAQ’s; and more! |
| Georgia Department of Labor COVID-19 Information | Details on Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program and how to apply |
| Consumer Reports Car Insurance Rebates | Find out what coronavirus-related rebates might be available from your car insurance provider. |
| Consumer Reports Help for Paying Bills | Article (with links) that covers information about rent, mortgages, student loans, utilities, credit counseling and more! |
| Greater Atlanta Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund | Details the United Way of Greater Atlanta and the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta’s partnership to create a COVID-19 Fund providing resources to organizations working with communities heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| 2-1-1 United Way of Greater Atlanta | Available COVID-19 (coronavirus) resources, information, announcements and more. |
| Committee for Economic Development (CED) | A clearinghouse of resources to help child care providers access federal sources of support. |
| IRS Tax Relief and Economic Impact Payments | Details and updates on coronavirus Tax Relief and Economic Impact Payments for taxpayers, businesses, tax-exempt organizations and others affected by coronavirus (COVID-19). |
| CNBC Make It Black | Article on financial resources for black-owned businesses. |