The Project CHILD Quality Consultant Team offers child care programs free services to assist with the quality of care.
The Quality Consultant Team consists of:
Jamie Nichols
Infant Toddler Child Care Specialist
- Offers consultation and technical assistance services
- Assists with developing and implementing continuous quality improvement plans
- Provides guidance in understanding and using assessment tools, including the Environment Rating Scales (ITERS-R and FCCERS-R)
- Provides training on the ITERS-R and FCCERS-R
- Offers training on topics such as, but not limited to, biting, toilet teaching, Sudden Unexplained Infant Death, curriculum, meaningful interactions, infant/toddler environments, etc.
Mental Health Consultant
Offers consultation and technical assistance services
- Offers training on topics such as, but not limited to, behavioral issues, trauma, interactions, working with families, etc.
- Conducts site visits to child care programs
- Provides referrals to outside agencies in the social and mental health areas based on individual needs
Courtney Hatcher
Quality Specialist
- Offers consultation and technical assistance to child care programs in the Quality Recognition and Improvement process, including developing and implementing continuous quality improvement plans
- Provides guidance in understanding and using assessment tools, including the Environment Rating Scales (FCCERS-R, ITERS-R, ECERS-3, SACERS-U) and the Business Administration Scale and Program Administration Scale
- Provides training for ExceleRate Illinois, as well as for the assessment tools
- Offers training on topics such as, but not limited to, family child care record-keeping, family child care environments, family child care curriculum, multi-age groupings, planning for multi-age groupings, etc.
- Provides training, support and technical assistance to programs during licensing and start-up
Paula Schnicker-Johnson
Quality Specialist
- Offers consultation and technical assistance to child care programs in the Quality Recognition and Improvement process, including developing and implementing continuous quality improvement plans
- Provides guidance in understanding and using assessment tools, including the Environment Rating Scales (ITERS-R, ECERS-3, SACERS-U, FCCERS-R) and the Program Administration Scale and Business Administration Scale
- Provides training for ExceleRate Illinois, as well as for the assessment tools
- Offers training on topics such as, but not limited to, preschool curriculum, early childhood environments, meaningful interactions, outdoor curriculum, eco-healthy environments, Shaken Baby Syndrome, healthy children, physical activity, etc.
- Coordinates and provides training throughout the service delivery area on a variety of early childhood topics