Maine does not have regional or county Child Care Resource & Referral agencies (CCR&Rs) to help families find child care and assist child care providers with resources for their business. Instead Maine has:
- Child Care Choices website for finding child care; and
- Maine Roads to Quality Professional Development Network (MRTQ PDN). MRTQ supports both early childhood education and care professionals and out-of-school-time professionals in developing their knowledge around quality, inclusive, and culturally responsive care.
MRTQ PDN is not a part of DHHS/OCFS/Licensing.
MRTQ PDN provides:
- Technical Assistance (TA) – on-site support to programs working to improve program quality. Trained technical assistance consultants are available in all regions of the state and can work with programs on a variety of issues.
- Training options – Core Knowledge Training, online courses for continuing education, Maine’s ECE professional credentials, and Community of Practices.
- Registry – The Registry is Maine’s professional recognition system. It uses members’ work, education, Early Childhood credentials, and training histories to assign a level on the appropriate career lattice. All early childhood education and care professionals are required to join the Registry. Your Registry provides a convenient way of tracking your ongoing training and educational accomplishments.
- SHORTcuts – e-weekly publication (usually received inbox on Wed.)Currently comes as an email from: phoebe.harris@maine.edu. SHORTcuts should be your weekly go to for current information on upcoming training opportunities, awards/grant opportunities, helpful resources, and other eaerly childhood education and care program updates.
- Lending library of books and videos to support professional development
- MRTQ PDN (website home page)
- Registry (log in)
- MRTQ Training (Online / On Demand)
- Maine Credentials
- MRTQ Technical Assistance (TA)
- MRTQ Communities of Practice
- Career Lattice information
- For those wondering about what is needed to achieve a higher level on the MRTQ PDN Career Lattice here’s FCCAM’s Moving Up the Career Lattice Table that shows a comparison of the levels and requirements.
- Enrolling in MRTQ On Demand Training (How to)
- How to Access MRTQ PDN Moodle Online Training
- Director of Record Access (DoRA) – found in drop down menu under “My Employment” on MRTQ Registry Reminder this is not immediate as needs verification by MRTQ staff. – DoRA needs to be renewed annually.
- MRTQ Online training calendar. You are encouraged to add your name to the waiting list for full training. If there is enough interest to run another training MRTQ will do their best to facilitate additional training and will inform individuals on the waiting lists about those opportunities.
- Child Care Choices ME
- to update Provider Information and child care openings access through Rising Stars Log in Portal
- MRTQ PDN Facebook page
NAFCC Accreditation
If you are a family child care provider you have probably heard mention of NAFCC Accreditation. MRTQ PDN supports accreditation work.
- What is accreditation?
- How is it earned?
- How long is it good for?
- Cost? and links to resources.
Current NAFCC Quality Standards.
fccamaine.com 