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State University of New York, Minerva logo State University of New York, Minerva logo Professional Development Program Rockefeller College University at Albany State University of New York

Early Childhood Education and Training Program

e-Learning trainings are a convenient way for all child care providers in New York State to meet their required training hours at no cost.

Funding is available to help child care providers obtain professional development and education, to help facilities offset the cost of MAT training.

Virtual Classes offer interactive online training on early childhood education topics. Classes are instructor-led and feature video, interactive discussion, activities and resources. Classes can be taken on a desktop computer, smart phone, tablet or other device.

Latest News

Jun 23, 2025

As temperatures soar and we experience excessive heat across the state, it is critically important to be mindful of the impact the weather can have on our children. 

Please take this opportunity to remind parents and staff to provide summer clothing daily and to avoid prolonged exposure to the outdoors. It is important to be especially mindful about hydration, offering water and opportunities for rest often.

Also, the weather does not have to be hot for equipment to heat up and cause burns. Even in mild weather, if the equipment or surfacing is in direct sunlight there is a risk of sustaining a thermal burn injury. Please remind staff to test the temperature of playground equipment, strollers, buggies, slides, swings, etc. prior to children encountering them. A child of any age can be burned by a hot surface; however, children two years old and younger are most at risk because a young child’s skin is more susceptible to burning and because young children have not yet learned to react by removing themselves from the hot surface.

When transporting children, remind parents and staff to check the vehicle prior to exiting to ensure no child is left unattended. As you know, children often fall asleep during transportation. In addition to face-to-name attendance, a thorough sweep to the back of the vehicle is required. In a matter of minutes, excessive heat can be life threatening to children.

Lastly, if a child you were expecting does not arrive to program in the morning, make an immediate call to the parent or transportation department to check on the child's whereabouts. If the child was accidentally left in a vehicle, your outreach may be the alarm that leads to the child's safe recovery.

Thank you for your continued commitment to the wellness of children.


Jun 23, 2025

A medida que aumentan las temperaturas y experimentamos calor excesivo en todo el estado, es sumamente importante tener presente el impacto que el clima puede tener en nuestros niños. 

Le pedimos que aproveche esta oportunidad para recordarles a los padres y al personal que visitan a los niños con ropa adecuada para el verano y que eviten la exposición prolongada al aire libre. Es importante también recordarles que mantengan una hidratación adecuada, ofrezcan agua y proporcionen oportunidades para descansar.

Además, el clima no tiene que ser extremadamente caluroso para que el equipo se caliente y cause quemaduras. Incluso en temperaturas moderadas, si el equipo o las superficies están expuestos directamente al sol, existe el riesgo de sufrir quemaduras térmicas. Recuerde al personal que verifique la temperatura de los equipos del patio de juegos, cochecitos, resbaladillas, columpios, asientos, etc., antes de permitir que los niños los usen. Un niño de cualquier edad puede quemarse con una superficie caliente; sin embargo, los niños menores de dos años corren mayo riesgo, ya que su piel es más sensible a las quemaduras y todavía no han aprendido a reaccionar alejándose de una superficie caliente.

Al transportar niños, recuerde a los padres y al personal que revisen el vehículo por completo antes de salir, para asegurarse de que ningún niño haya quedado dentro sin supervisión. Como usted sabe, los niños a menudo se duermen durante el transporte. Además de tomar asistencia al aborda y al bajar del vehículo, es fundamental revisar bien la parte trasera del vehículo. En cuestión de minutos, el calor excesivo puede ser mortal para un niño.

Por último, si un niño que usted estaba esperando no llega al programa en la mañana, llame inmediatamente a los padres o con el departamento de transporte para verificar adonde está el niño. Si el niño fue dejado accidentalmente dentro de un vehículo, su llamada puede ser la alarma que conduzca a la recuperación segura del niño.

Gracias por su continuo compromiso con el bienestar de los niños.


Jun 23, 2025

As we celebrate National Great Outdoors Month, we're reminded of the wonder and excitement outdoor play brings to young learners. 

From backyard adventures to nature walks, these experiences spark curiosity and growth—but they also require thoughtful supervision to keep children safe while they explore.

The Supervision of Children e-learning course offers essential strategies to ensure outdoor play (and all classroom moments) are both enriching and secure. This fully narrated training covers critical topics like injury prevention, staff-to-child ratios, and adaptable supervision techniques for different settings. Through real-world video examples and interactive exercises, you'll learn to navigate challenges like staff absences or dynamic environments while maintaining consistent safety standards.

Designed for busy providers, the course saves your progress between 10-15 minute sections and gives you 30 days to complete it at your own pace.

This June, embrace the outdoors with confidence! Strengthen your supervision skills by enrolling today via the ECETP Training Calendar. Let's create spaces where children can safely discover the joy of the natural world.


Jun 23, 2025

Al celebrar el Mes Nacional del Aire Libre, recordamos la maravilla y la emoción que el juego al aire libre aporta a los jóvenes aprendices. 

Desde aventuras en el patio trasero hasta caminatas por la naturaleza, estas experiencias despiertan la curiosidad y el crecimiento, pero también requieren una supervisión cuidadosa para mantener a los niños seguros mientras exploran.

El curso eLearning "Supervision of Children" (Supervisión de Niños) ofrece estrategias esenciales para garantizar que el juego al aire libre (y todos los momentos en el salón de clases) sean tanto enriquecedores como seguros. Esta capacitación totalmente narrada abarca temas críticos como la prevención de lesiones, las proporciones de personal por niño y técnicas de supervisión adaptables para diferentes entornos. A través de ejemplos de video del mundo real y ejercicios interactivos, aprenderá a navegar desafíos como las ausencias del personal o entornos dinámicos mientras mantiene estándares de seguridad consistentes.

Diseñado para proveedores ocupados, el curso guarda su progreso entre secciones de 10 a 15 minutos y le da 30 días para completarlo a su propio ritmo.

¡Este junio, abrace el aire libre con confianza! Fortalezca sus habilidades de supervisión inscribiéndose hoy a través del Calendario de capacitación de ECETP. Creemos espacios donde los niños puedan descubrir de manera segura la alegría del mundo natural.


Jun 16, 2025

This June, as we recognize LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, we reflect on how vital your role is as child care providers. 

As early childhood educators, you know how valuable it is to create nurturing environments where every child and family feels both seen and celebrated. Building truly inclusive programs begins with understanding how our own unconscious perspectives shape daily interactions.

The Implicit Bias in Early Childhood e-learning course offers meaningful exploration of how unrecognized biases may influence our work with children, families, and colleagues. This engaging, fully narrated training uses compelling video examples and interactive exercises to help you identify subtle biases and develop practical strategies for fostering more equitable classrooms.

Let Pride Month inspire growth! Deepen your commitment to inclusion by enrolling in this timely training through the ECETP Training Calendar. Together, we can ensure our programs honor the beautiful diversity of all children and families we serve.


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For Providers

OCFS Reviewed Distance Learning Courses

Distance Learning Options

Distance Learning (e-Learning) Courses

This video describes how to use the OCFS Reviewed Distance Learning Courses page, clarifies what courses count for training credit and which ones do not, and tells how to determine when a distance learning course can be used by providers to help them fulfill their required training hours.


The New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Bureau of Training offers FREE 24/7 online Mandated Reporter Training in Child Abuse and Neglect/Maltreatment Identification.

Read about the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential

Download: Medication Administration Training (MAT) brochure (PDF format)

Go to our for providers page for more resources!

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IACET Accredited

International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET)

The Professional Development Program is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUS for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard.

IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes the quality of continuing education and training.

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