Welcome the Children Project

Based on U.S. Census data, the number of Latinos living in Arkansas is projected to double in the next 20 years. Child care providers have been greatly affected by this influx of families and children to the state, but providers have received little training to assist them in adapting their services for the children and their families who speak Spanish. To better serve Latino children, additional training must be provided on cultural differences, assessing children for possible developmental delays, and second language acquisition. UAMS Partners for Inclusive Communities is addressing these needs through the Welcome the Children project, funded by the Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education.

Don't miss the 2009 Welcome the Children Celebrating Cultural Harmony Institute, November 18 - 20 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Little Rock, AR.  Check our conference pages for updates on sessions and presenters.  You will also have the opportunity to participate in a special tour of Heifer Village, and the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau has arranged free transportation to the River Market on Thursday evening. Click on the link at the top of the left-side navigation bar for more information.

COMMUNITY TRAINING TEAMS SECTIONS UPDATE:
Team training sections now require a logon to access the content.  This section of the website is designed to provide updated training materials and access is limited to approved Welcome the Children Community Trainers.  If you would like information on becoming a Welcome the Children Community Trainer, contact Tanya Miller at 501-682-9900 (V); 800-342-2923 (V/TDD); or millertanyas@uams.edu.

Current Welcome the Children Community Trainers: All content in the Training Team and Training Materials section is now password protected. But, it is a simple matter to apply for a logon. Click here to Register and enter your information. Once your membership is approved, you will receive an email stating that your account is now active. Please contact us with any questions.  Click here to log in and access the Training Teams sections.

To become a Welcome the Children Community Trainer, you must:

• Attend both full-day core modules (1) Cultural Diversity and (2) Second Language Development and Working with Families presented by Welcome the Children staff training specialists;

• Meet certain cultural and language guidelines (preferably paired with a co-trainer);

• Indicate a desire to become trained to present the Welcome the Children training materials in your community;

• Participate in the train-the-trainer sessions held periodically by Welcome the Children staff; and

• Continue an ongoing relationship with Welcome the Children staff through co-training, arranging training sessions and attending training. 

For more information, download a copy of the Welcome the Children Community Trainer Guidelines.

This opportunity is provided at no cost to any Arkansas trainer involved with early childhood programs.  Interested trainers from other states and other professions should contact us to discuss any costs involved.