Early Childhood Investigations

About Early Childhood Investigations

Early Childhood Investigations is your gateway to inspiring, research-based professional development. Since 2009, our free webinar series has brought together authors, researchers, and leaders in early care and education to share timely insights and spark meaningful conversations across the workforce. We believe high-quality professional development should be accessible, practical, and immediately useful. ECI is a movement that empowers directors, administrators, and teachers to elevate their practice and strengthen outcomes for children and families. https://ecewebinars.com/spotify

Publisher

Playground

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 Jan 2026

Latest episode

29 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

68 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Sept 2026

   The Cost of Starting Over A Financial Framework for Hiring, Developing, and Keeping the Team Your Program Needs by Kate Woodward Young, M.Ed. and Carrie Casey

   RESOURCES Watch the full webinar here (https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/courses/best-in-class-child-care-program-september-2026?utm_campaign=50971476-2026%20%7C%20Admin%20Series%20Q3%20%7C%20The%20Cost%20of%20Starting%20Over&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify) Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week (https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/?utm_campaign=50971476-2026%20%7C%20Admin%20Series%20Q3%20%7C%20The%20Cost%20of%20Starting%20Over&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify) Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software (https://www.tryplayground.com?utm_source=eci&utm_medium=podcast_ad&utm_campaign=admin-series-q3-framework&utm_content=spotify) Every time a staff member leaves, your program starts paying — long before you post the job opening. The obvious costs are easy to see: advertising, background checks, onboarding, training hours, and classroom coverage. The real cost reaches much further. Turnover can mean overtime, leadership time pulled away from enrollment and operations, stressed classrooms, lost family confidence, delayed growth, and months of reduced productivity while a new hire gets up to speed. So the question becomes: do you track it? Join Kate Woodward Young and Carrie Casey for a session that helps child care leaders view staffing decisions through a business lens. Kate and Carrie will break down the financial impact of hiring, training, developing, and retaining staff — including the often-overlooked cost of director turnover and the time it takes a new leader to bring a program back to full strength. Participants will explore how to make smarter decisions about raises, performance bonuses, credentialing, onboarding, and staff development. Rather than asking only, "Can we afford to invest in our team?" this session asks the more important question: "What is it costing us when we do not?" Leaders will leave able to put real numbers to the cost of turnover, weigh a retention investment against the cost of replacing an employee, and build a clearer financial case for keeping the right people. Learning Objectives By the end of this 90-minute webinar, participants will be able to: Calculate the total cost of replacing one staff member, including direct hiring expenses and indirect costs such as overtime, classroom coverage, and lost productivity. Identify the hidden costs of director and leadership turnover, including the time required for a new leader to return a program to full strength. Compare the cost of a retention investment — such as a raise, performance bonus, or credentialing support — against the cost of replacing that employee. Formulate a financial case for a specific staff investment decision using program-level turnover and time-to-productivity data.

2. 

   23 Sept 2026

   Advancing SEL—Fostering Character, Creativity, and Culture in Early Learning Spaces by Brian Puerling MS, NBCT

   RESOURCES Watch the full webinar here (https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/webinar/advancing-sel-fostering-character-creativity-culture-early-learning-spaces-brian-puerling?utm_campaign=20465666-2026%2F09%2F16%20%7C%20Advancing%20SEL%E2%80%94Fostering%20Character%2C%20Creativity%2C%20and%20Culture%20in%20Early%20Learning%20Spaces&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify) Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week (https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/?utm_campaign=20465666-2026%2F09%2F16%20%7C%20Advancing%20SEL%E2%80%94Fostering%20Character%2C%20Creativity%2C%20and%20Culture%20in%20Early%20Learning%20Spaces&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify) Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software (https://www.tryplayground.com?utm_source=eci&utm_medium=podcast_ad&utm_campaign=advancing&utm_content=spotify) Ready to go beyond the basics? In this second session of the series, we’ll explore advanced strategies to support children’s social-emotional development through character education, creative expression, and culturally responsive practices. Join Brian J. Puerling, MS, NBCT, nationally recognized author, PBS Innovative Educator Award recipient, and early childhood leader, as he shares practical tools to deepen your SEL approach. Drawing from decades of work with diverse learners, including roles with Sesame Workshop and Chicago Public Schools, Brian will guide you in designing inclusive environments and crafting sustainable classroom practices. This session builds on the foundation of Webinar 1. If you missed the live event, we encourage you to watch the recording of Part 1. Together, these two sessions offer a comprehensive framework for fostering SEL in the digital age. Key Takeaways: Apply practical strategies to teach character and guide conflict resolution. Nurture creativity as a critical element of SEL. Design inclusive, culturally responsive environments for all children. Create your own action plan to bring SEL practices to life in your classroom.

3. 

   22 Sept 2026

   Cited. Now What Understanding Licensing Decisions and Your Next Steps by Ronnae Williams

   RESOURCES Watch the full webinar here (https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/courses/best-in-class-child-care-program-september-2026?utm_campaign=50962595-2026%20%7C%20Admin%20Series%20Q3%20%7C%20Cited.%20Now%20What%3F&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify) Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week (https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/?utm_campaign=50962595-2026%20%7C%20Admin%20Series%20Q3%20%7C%20Cited.%20Now%20What%3F&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify) Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software (https://www.tryplayground.com?utm_source=eci&utm_medium=podcast_ad&utm_campaign=admin-series-q3-licensing&utm_content=spotify) Receiving a citation can leave even experienced child care leaders with a lot of emotion — and even more questions. What exactly was cited? When did that become a rule? Was the regulation interpreted correctly? Should the finding be accepted as written, clarified, or discussed further based on additional information? Join Ronnae Williams, The State Lady®, for an inside look at how licensing decisions are made, what consultants are evaluating during inspections, and how to respond professionally when findings are documented. Drawing on her experience as a former licensing consultant, Ronnae will help participants better understand licensing reports, identify common areas of misunderstanding, and determine appropriate next steps when concerns arise. Participants will leave with practical strategies for addressing citations, strengthening compliance systems, and communicating effectively throughout the process. Learning objectives: by the end of this 90-minute webinar, participants will be able to: Interpret a licensing report to identify the specific regulation, practice, or observation being cited. Describe what licensing consultants evaluate during inspections, investigations, and follow-up visits. Determine whether clarification, corrective action, or additional documentation is appropriate following a citation. Apply professional communication strategies to respond to licensing findings and strengthen compliance systems.

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Apple Podcasts (US)

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1 ratings

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