*Details about this new project coming soon!
The NC Birth-to-Three Quality Initiative (B-3QI) team serves all 100 N.C. counties through Birth-to-Three Specialists housed in regional lead child care resource and referral agencies.
For technical assistance in Durham, Orange and Wake counties of children older than 3, visit our Technical Assistance page.
How Can We Help?
Find Specialized Training
Specialists provide training specific to infant and toddler care for teachers and administrators, including ITS-SIDS, Language and Development, Recruiting and Hiring and much more.
For questions about training, please email the Infant Toddler Education Manager.
Contact a Specialist
Specialized training is provided and required for each specialist. To contact a Birth-to-Three Specialist in your area, please see the CCR&R Council Contact List.
New Infant Toddler Teacher Orientation
The New Infant Toddler Teacher Orientation (NITTO) is a self-paced online course offered through DCDEE’s Moodle site designed to support teachers and administrators who are new to infant and toddler classrooms. Though the course was created for new educators, experienced infant/toddler teachers and administrators can benefit from the training content as well.
ITERS-R Assistance Package
Getting ready for Rated License (ITERS-R) Assessment? Click here to request a comprehensive package of resources to support you in the process. We have included information about sanitation, interactions, signage and worksheets to help you prepare.
A Teacher Activity Pages Book
If you are looking for fun and developmentally appropriate activities for your infant toddler classroom, look no further! The activities included here align with all five developmental domains of the North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development (NC FELD).
The NC ITQEP Annual Report
The NC ITQEP is pleased to report another successful year providing a variety of support services to North Carolina’s infant/toddler workforce. This report will include both quantitative and qualitative data to support and document the project’s work during fiscal year 2019-2020 (FY20).
Program Overview
The Specialists provide hands-on individualized and tailored support (coaching) for providers and administrators that includes:
- Building positive relationships with children, families and co-workers
- Creating environments to support social-emotional development and the developing capacity of infants and young children to:
- Form close and secure adult and peer relationships
- Experience, regulate and express emotions in socially and culturally appropriate ways
- Explore the environment and learn social skills
- Implementing best practices for infant and toddler group care every day that creates the quality of care that provides solid foundations for infant and toddler development
- Providing support for developmental monitoring and screening through the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Learn the Signs Act Early materials
We use a Practice-Based Coaching framework that involves building partnerships and shared goals with infant and toddler teachers and administrators to help them plan for and achieve best practices.
FAQs
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What is a Birth-to-Three Specialist and is there a charge?
Birth-to-Three Specialists have extensive knowledge, certifications and specialized training in infant and toddler care and development. They offer support and training in your area through the NC Birth-to-Three Quality Initiative (B-3QI), a special project of the NC Child Care Resource and Referral Council, at no cost through funding from the NC Division of Child Development and Early Education. Each N.C. county has a Birth-to-Three Specialist dedicated to supporting its child care centers. To contact your regional Birth-to-Three Specialist, click here.
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How do we get started?
What are people saying about NC B-3QI?
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[My teacher’s] enthusiasm for the toddler age group seemed to improve.
— Administrator of NITTO participant
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My teachers were very excited about this program. I appreciate you all letting administrators be a part of it too. It was fun getting to see my teacher’s face light up as they explained when I asked them what they learned this week or that week. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity for early childhood educators, especially in infant and toddler care. This age is my heart!
— Administrator of NITTO participant
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It helped me understand the steps in achieving positive social-emotional health for each child.
— NITTO participant
Infant/Toddler News
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ITITA Helps Toddler Teacher Involve Children Leading Their Own Day
ITITA Specialist Scarlet Welborn sits down with Erin Hayes, the lead toddler teacher for Randleman Enrichment Center in Randolph County, N.C. -
Building Teacher Collaboration through ITITA Pilot Project
ITITA Specialist Lori Anderson interviews Mashunda Vaughters, once lead teacher in the two-year-old classroom, now assistant director for New Horizons Preschool. Mashunda speaks about the biggest impact she’s experienced being a part of ITITA, how technology and COVID-19 affected the project and what she’ll take forward from the project as an administrator with her staff now. -
ITITA Helps New Toddler Teacher Focus on Intentional Interactions
ITITA Specialist Lorrie Looper interviews Chris Wells, the Lead Toddler Teacher at Sugar Grove Developmental Day School. In a mostly female-dominated industry, Chris speaks about his experience with ITITA, what it’s meant to be part of this program as a new toddler teacher and how participating in ITITA has impacted his classroom overall.
“Who’s Caring for Our Babies?”
A statewide report on county, regional and statewide status of infant/toddler care, called “Who’s Caring for Our Babies?” was completed in 2016. This study examines care in 2016 and shows how it has changed since 2008.
B-3QI Quarterly Newsletter
Stay in the know with B-3QI. We provide relevant information to birth-to-three teachers and administrators committed to high-quality care and education. We will highlight project updates and offerings, offer tips and scenarios based on NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development and ZERO TO THREE Critical Competencies, and include profiles of our Birth-to-Three Specialists who are ready to support you.