Our workforce is the heartbeat of the Kansas Early Childhood Ecosystem

Highly qualified and valued professionals are key to creating the consistent, safe, and high-quality experiences we want for our young children.

Current and future early childhood professionals can find support here–whether you are new to the field and wondering whether a career in early childhood is right for you, or a seasoned professional moving along your career path and asking yourself, “what’s next?” The resources here will help you:

  • Get started as a new child care provider
  • Gain skills and advance your career
  • Recruit and retain early childhood professionals
  • Build and strengthen relationships with families
  • Help children thrive
Professional Growth

Learn about resources to grow in your early childhood career, such as competencies, career paths, and the workforce registry—a centralized platform to search for and track professional growth opportunities.

Recruitment and Retention

Find ideas for addressing challenges with recruiting and retaining early childhood workers.

Helping Children Thrive

Learn about child development, find resources to support well-being, and build strong family partnerships.

Child Care

Start here if you are new to the field of early childhood, or if you are considering opening a facility or family child care home.

Strategic Plan

Strategic plan example

Early Childhood Workforce & Environments

The early childhood workforce encompasses a range of professional fields including child care workers, early educators and administrators, early intervention specialists, and home visitors. We also recognize the importance of ensuring families have access to services traditionally provided by public health and behavioral health professionals. Goals and actions in the Early Childhood Workforce and Environments pillar aim to recruit, retain, and elevate high-quality professionals while also enhancing the learning environment of the children they work with.

Read about the Strategic Plan

1-800-Children

Call 1-800-CHILDREN
(1-800-332-6378)

Text or email
1800CHILDREN@kcsl.org

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Find helpful 24/7 support and resources on all things parent and child related. Connect with a real person for your free and confidential call today. We offer support in English and Spanish as well as other languages.