These in-person groups in local communities across the country provide unique peer-to-peer learning opportunities focused on developing and deepening members’ professional nanny practice. Each meeting focuses on a specific childcare-related topic (e.g. creating a play-based home environment, creating outings based on forest education, sleep tricks for infants and toddlers) and is member-led using a QNCC guide. Guides are created by people (including lots of nannies!) with content experience and expertise and includes an in-depth introduction to the topic, discussion questions that encourage the sharing of stories and strategies, and additional resources for those who want to continue exploring the topic.
Any member of QNCC can start or participate in a practice group; nanny group leaders, individual nannies, agencies, parents, whoever is committed to quality nanny care!
CURRENTLY FORMING GROUPS
Currently we have practice groups forming for January in the following areas:
CA: Los Angeles with Stacey Wodin of the LA Nanny Network
CA: San Francisco Bay area with Jennifer Rebecca
MD: Baltimore with Lindsey Faire of the Professional Nannies of Baltimore
MI: Ann Arbor
MI: Detroit with Tara Lindsey of the Michigan Professional Nanny Association
OR: Portland with Kim Dahlen of PDX Nanny Circle
SC, Charleston with Laura Rideout Schroeder of the Charleston Area Nanny Network
TX, Austin with Carol Marley of RISE
TX: San Antonio
Washington, DC: with Karen Holland
Because practice groups are locally based, there can be several in each area. If you’d like to join a group forming or get on a list for one in your area, please contact the contact person above or email me at info@nannycarehub.com. Make sure to include your area and the best way to contact you.
QUICK FACTS
Scheduling The groups will start in winter, spring, and fall. The winder session will run from January to March. The spring session will run from April to June. The fall session will run from September to November. The length of the session (e.g. 4 weeks, 6 weeks), meeting frequency (e.g. every week, every other week), day of week, and time of day will be determined by Group Coordinator along with interested members. Each meeting lasts 1.5 to 2 hours and includes a member check-in, topic introduction, discussion, and member closing. Practice sessions are designed to be flexible to meet the needs of each group’s needs.
Cost To ensure that cost is not a barrier to participating, all practice groups are free and will not be held in a location that requires a purchase.
Size Each group generally will have 4 to 12 members.
Location Groups can be held at a member’s home, rotated between member’s home, or a public location (e.g. library, coffee shop).
Commitment Members are asked to commit to attend 75% of the scheduled practice groups. Drop-ins may be welcome based on the preferences of the group members.
Topics To encourage a consistent presentation of information, topics must be picked from the QNCC practice group guide library. If a group wants to feature a topic not included in the library, we encourage them to create a guide and add it to the library for all groups to access.
Our current topics include:
- sleep conditioning for infants
- working with a child on the autism spectrum
- raising great communicators
- putting positive guidance into action
- understanding schemas and sensory challenges
- creating child-led learning environment
- sibling conflicts
- managing tantrums
- early literacy, beyond reading a story
Volunteer Opportunities
Each practice group needs:
Group Coordinator or Group Coordinating Team: liaison between group and QNCC, responsible for providing general information to nannies interested in the group, maintaining membership contact list, sending out meeting reminders, working with meeting leaders. The work of coordinating the group can be done by a small team, however one person does have to be assigned as the liaison.
Meeting Leaders or Meeting Leader Team (ideally different person or team for each meeting): responsible for downloading topic guide and distributing it to members before meeting, leading meeting, and completing short topic evaluation with QNCC.
Each group could also need (depending on the preferences of the group members):
Meeting Host: responsible for proving home or other meeting space for one or more meetings
Munchies Manager: responsible for providing or coordinating snacks and beverages.