First cohort of child care provider graduates
Child care providers, family members, and friends gathered at Gwen’s Guidance in south King County to celebrate their first cohort of Positive Behavior Support (P.B.S) & Play Program graduates!
Photo collage of the P.B.S & Play Program graduate celebration
The P.B.S & Play Program is a free of cost, three-month training with curriculum that introduces culturally relevant professional skills and theories related to early childhood development. The curriculum and facilitation style was designed for child care providers and Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) caregivers who culturally identify as African-American, Somali, or Latinx.
As a Child Care Health Consultation strategy partner, providers participate in two-hour training modules each month and learn about historical clinical childhood development knowledge, motivational interviewing, developmental milestones and childhood screening, and develop individualized positive behavior support plans. Each provider is matched with a cultural consultant from their respective communities so that trainings, one-on-one consultations, and resources are culturally and linguistically aligned.
Gwendolyn McLemore, founder of Gwen’s Guidance, started her executive function coaching agency in 2020. After developing the P.B.S & Play Program model, Gwendolyn was very intentional about bringing on a team of cultural consultants and trainers who came with lived experience.
“It’s not only about giving and teaching these concepts, but it’s about taking our very own lived experiences and the taboos and social nuances of child care navigation and addressing it face on,” she said.
Gwendolyn and the program team learned a lot and feel grateful to hear that providers appreciate the information.
“With this first cohort what we found was that not only were the intended communities really receptive, but all the information was almost brand new,” Gwendolyn said.
The agency was thrilled to celebrate their first cohort of P.B.S & Play Program graduates in May, which included 10 child care providers.
Visit their website to learn more or complete an interest form to join the next P.B.S & Play Program cohort!
Back to School Block Party
In August, Gwen’s Guidance hosted their second annual Back to School Block Party in Federal Way to build community and foster connection with local child care providers in south King County.
Photo collage of the Back to School Block Party provided by Gwen’s Guidance
Gwen’s Guidance distributed 100 backpacks filled with school supplies and worked alongside community-based volunteers to provide free haircuts, games, nursing and first aid care, and double-dutch performances.
“This event highlights the play portion of the P.B.S & Play Program curriculum,” Gwendolyn says. “We’re modeling and teaching the various physical and psychological benefits of playing and laughter for both children and adults alike.”
