History

Our copyrighted Mentor training program is an outgrowth of the MLFCCA's mission statement. Our focus is to provide a program encouraging retention in the family child care profession by offering realistic support.

The pilot family child care Mentorship Program project was funded by a 1995 Minnesota Department of Human Services grant awarded to the Carver County Family Child Care Association. The Minnesota Licensed Family Child Care Association and the Wilder Family Child Care Network, having similar visions for family child care, worked together researching mentor curriculums across the nation. The Wilder Family Child Care Network (under contract) wrote the original curriculum, using as their guide the Early Childhood Mentoring Curriculum developed by the National Center for Early Childhood Workforce, a variety of Extension Service resources, other region's mentor program resources, and input from family child care provider-mentors.

To meet the needs of family child care mentors the curriculum has evolved and expanded. 1997 legislation funded the Mentorship Program via the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning. MLFCCA received $200,000 to implement the Mentorship Program statewide.

The program provides 12 hours of training for the mentors, and mentees receive the expertise of trained mentors to help them down the path of a successful child care experience.

The MLFCCA Mentorship Program has gained attention not only in Minnesota but across the nation. The program has been presented in several other states; many more express interest.  If you are interested in the Minnesota Mentorship Program please contact MLFCCA Executive Director Katy Chase at 651-636-1989 extension #12, call toll-free at 1-800-652-9704, or email katy.chase@mlfcca.org

Definitions

By Webster’s definition:

• A Mentor is a trusted counselor or guide. Others define a mentor as a caring friend, a trusted colleague, an advocate, someone who believes in you, a knowledgeable person, a more experienced colleague and someone you admire.

• A Mentee is a person sponsored, encouraged, supported, or guided by the mentor.

• A Master Trainer is person certified by MLFCCA to teach the mentoring process.

• A Certified Mentor has successfully completed:

-          the 12 hour mentorship course,

-          the approval process developed by mentors in the program, and

-          a mentoring experience.

Mentoring is a learning process as well as a teaching process. "Mutual empowerment" describes the mentor-mentee relationship; "Mentor" is synonymous with leadership.

    Our Mentor Program- Benefits & Rewards

Preliminary Contact and Letter of Understanding

The mentor outlines realities and boundaries of the Mentor Program. The mentor and mentee determine their plan and make a commitment in the form of a "Letter of Understanding".

Process of Mentoring

• Identify the issue/concern/problem--the mentor and mentee talk about the nature of the issue, concern, or problem through the eyes of each affected party.

• Identify what the mentee wants to happen-- the mentee learns to narrow concerns and issues, set short and long term goals, plan strategies to get to desired outcomes, act on the concern, and evaluate the process and choices made.

• Explore, investigate, and look at options --  the mentor draws on experience, training and resources to suggest options that address identified issue/concern/problem. The mentor assists in identifying the most crucial factors and suggests specific resources. Ethical behavior and a solid knowledge-base of the child care profession exemplifies the trained mentor.

• Adopt a plan of action--the mentee chooses a plan of action to meet his or her set goals by choosing from identified options. The mentor guides the mentee in setting up a realistic timeline to accomplish the plan of action; outside forces which may help or hinder the plan are considered.

• The mentee carries out the plan--the mentor's role has been to guide and encourage the student through the process of carrying out this or her plan of action.

• Evaluation and assessment: goals and process--Was the action plan accomplished? If not, the mentee chooses another option from the "exploring, investigating, and looking at choices" the mentor and mentee have identified.

  The Family Child Care Mentorship Program is a Collaborative Effort  

The MLFCCA Family Child Care Mentor Program is a joint effort of the following groups collaborating together:

New Provider (Mentee)--The focus of the program, the key underlying concept of quality care for children.

Local Association, Neighborhood Group, or Support Group--Instrumental in recruiting mentors, offering local services to mentors and mentees. A key to the entire process, the delivery of mentor training and working with the mentee is at the local level.

MLFCCA, the State's Family Child Care Association--Coordinates and updates the training, tracks mentors and mentees for funding accountability, keeps resources current for mentors, communicates professional changes or potential changes to mentors.

Licensors--Assists in recruiting mentor and mentees; key source of information on any issues relating to Rule II.

Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies --Communicates with mentors and mentees on a regular basis. Instrumental in knowing names of mentees and in some cases linking mentees with mentors. In some areas of the state, CCR&Rs may host mentor support group meetings and trainings.

  Benefits of the Family Child Care Mentorship Program               

For the New Provider:

• The mentor-mentee program is a one-on-one program, customized to the needs of the new provider. The mentoring process respects the knowledge base and experiences the new provider brings to the profession and builds upon the positives in the new provider's past experiences.

• To foster the planning/problem solving approach to care and education of young children and the child care business.

• To increase the provider's awareness of her/his own attitudes and practices related to  child development and child care - competencies - including how these attitudes and practices impact the children in care.

• To introduce the new provider to resources available to the child care professional.

For the Experienced Provider/Mentor:

• To support the newly licensed family child care provider and reinforce the child care operation of preferred practices in child care and business practices for operating a small business.

• To foster the planning/problem solving approach to the care and education of young children and the child care business.

• To increase the experienced provider's awareness of her/his own attitudes and practices related to child development and child care including how these attitudes and practices impact the children in care.

• To keep the experienced provider aware of industry changes in Minnesota and nationally.

• To keep the experienced provider aware of resources available to the child care professional.

For the Neighborhood Group, Association, or Support Group:

• To offer the mentor program as a benefit to new providers in your area.

• One of the most important benefits of this program is its ability to go to the provider or provider community. Consequently, each group can tailor the program to best suit the needs of their individual community. This unique training vehicle empowers providers and groups to have direct involvement in shaping the program to meet local needs including cultural sensitivity to mentoring as well as incorporating current programs implemented by local groups for their providers.

• The goals of the program are to train Master Trainers in all communities of color to enhance the ability to tailor this tool to each individual community. This tool will serve providers at all socio-economic levels, urban to suburban to rural to small towns, being inclusive of all communities of color.

   Do I Have the Characteristics for Mentoring?

1. Interest in sharing my profession with someone new to the profession.

2. Time to devote to working one-on-one with a new provider.

3. Model professionalism by compliance to licensing requirements and respecting confidentiality.

4. Commitment to participate in the mentor training.

5. Commitment to mentor by the process outlined in the training.

6. Receptive to new ideas and changes in the profession.

7. Model and practice child development and child centered best practices.

8. Culturally competent.

9. Respect for the abilities of others.

10. Flexible.

11. Self Confident--able to affirm others.

12. Positive attitude.

13. Dedication to lifelong learning.

MLFCCA Family Child Care Mentorship Program© Requirements

Completion of the following 16 hours of curriculum courses is required for Certified Mentors in the MLFCCA Family Child Care Mentorship Program©. Each course is taught by Master Trainers who have been trained in the curriculum.

1.  Skills of Being a Mentor--2 hours

2.  Communications as a Mentorship Tool, Part I and II--Skills for Listening and Communicating, Adult Learning Styles, and Mentoring Using Competencies as Goal Setting--4 hours

3.  Resources for Mentoring--Develop Mentor Resource Manual--2 hours

4.  The Process of Mentoring and the Mechanics of Mentoring--Problem Solving Skills and Program/Operation/Reimbursement/Reporting--1 hours

5.  A Mentorship Training Guide for Women Entrepreneurs--1 hour

6.  Diversity & Mentoring--Diversity is in many facets within mentoring experiences--2 hours

7.  Special Needs Mentoring--Working with Special Needs Providers and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA law)--2 hours

8.  Rights & Responsibilities of Providers--Insurance, Allegations, Appeals, and Proactive steps to document--2 hours 

o        Meet state guidelines for experience in the field or obtain a waiver.

o        A minimum of three years successful experience as a family child care provider.

o        Current active family child care provider

o        No negative licensing action in process, probation, or suspension/revocation of license. (Adherence to Rule II--State Licensing Law)

o        Ability to work with local association or group.

o        Ability to work with local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R).

Suggested Qualifications:

Membership in your state, local, and national association

Optional Qualifications:

NAFCC Accreditation, Child Development Associate's credential, (CDA). Competency-Based Training Assessment (CBTA), Technical College Certificate, Associate of Arts or Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood

  I Completed the Mentor Training Requirements
What's Next?

1. Linking of the mentor with the mentee is a process agreed upon by the local family child care provider group, the CCR&R, the licensors, and the State Association.

2. Mentor one person at a time.

3. Once linked, the mentor is responsible for the mentoring experience: Setting up times, Implementing the planning/problem solving process, guiding the new provider and reporting requirements.

Reimbursement for Mentoring (when available)

Government grants and funds are not currently available.