Over 100 child care providers recently attended a three-hour long orientation for the CNMI Child Care and Development Fund’s Quality Rating and Improvement System in the MHS cafeteria. DCCA-CCDF photo
According to CCDF administrator Maribel Loste, the program regularly trains daycare center staff members as well as teachers.
“We expect our daycare centers to give quality care and the only way to do that is to give their staff training,” she added.
Among the important issues discussed in the training on Saturday included children’s health. The discussion was led by Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. pediatrician Dr. Elizabeth Triche.
Another guest speaker, Elsie Tilipao of the Northern Marianas Protection and Advocacy Systems Inc., discussed bullying — how to identify and stop it.
One of the training participants was Mila Merjilla, Green Meadow School president, who expressed appreciation for CCDF for constantly providing them with training sessions. “It is important to us because we are in the business of providing care for children. We want to make sure that the children under our care are healthy and safe.”
She said they always learn something new from the CCDF training sessions.
Whatever they learn is then shared with the parents who, she said, are their partners in ensuring the safety and welfare of the children.
“We want to make sure that they get all the information, too,” Merjilla said. “For example, we promote a healthy diet in school, but if parents lack the information about it then they won’t practice it at home.”
