Duration: 1 hour, 1 minute
Status: Now available on demand
Across the child care industry, many organizations are balancing the urgent need to stay operational with the ongoing responsibility of supporting staff and maintaining quality care. As staffing, enrollment, and funding remain uncertain, helping teachers respond to the growing needs of children—especially those experiencing stress and trauma—has become more critical than ever.
In this recorded webinar, Amy Cubbage (President of Smart Start) and Rhonda Rakow (Director of Provider Services at ChildCareGroup) explore practical strategies for building responsive caregiving environments. The session highlights new data on variability in adult-child interactions, defines what quality looks like today, and emphasizes how supporting teachers also means reducing their stress.
Topics covered:
- Tools and approaches to support responsive care
- Insights into teacher-child interactions across care settings
- What “quality” means in today’s child care environment
- Practical strategies for reducing provider stress
Presenters:
Amy Cubbage
President, North Carolina Partnership for Children (Smart Start)
Amy leads a statewide system supporting early childhood care and education across all 100 North Carolina counties. She brings deep experience in teacher coaching, professional development, and early learning policy through her work with NAEYC, Teachstone, and UVA.
Rhonda Rakow
Director of Provider Services, ChildCareGroup
Rhonda oversees child care subsidies, quality rating systems, and improvement initiatives across Texas. She helps early learning programs in Dallas achieve Texas Rising Star certification and strengthen outcomes for children and families.