Latest UpdatesPosted on July 24, 2026
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS), in partnership with WestEd, is proud to announce the reimagined California Preschool Program Guidelines, now titled California Preschool Guidelines for All Settings. This publication offers comprehensive guidance for early learning leaders, educators, and staff in family child care homes, …
Posted on July 13, 2026
The California Department of Social Services, in partnership with WestEd, is delighted to announce the launch of a 4-hour online professional development module series on the recently revised second edition of the California Infant–Toddler Learning and Development Foundations. This series was designed for early learning and care professionals …
Posted on July 13, 2026
The California Department of Social Services, in partnership with WestEd, is excited to share the launch of a new free interactive resource: the California Early Learning and Development website. This online resource was created to support these groups: early learning and care educators who work with young children (birth to 36 months) in …
Posted on March 20, 2026
First 5 California is excited to invite our partners, colleagues, and champions for children and families to join us August 31 – September 2, 2026, in Anaheim, for our biennial Summit.
Posted on March 3, 2026
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is pleased to announce the release of the new California Framework for Infant-Toddler Learning and Development (IT Framework). The IT Framework, replaces the California Infant-Toddler Curriculum Framework, represents part of the CDSS comprehensive effort to strengthen young children’s …
Posted on February 3, 2026
The California Department of Social Services is pleased to announce that a new module series, Creating Brave Spaces: Working with Adults to Disrupt Implicit Bias in Early Care and Education, is now available! This new module series expands upon the 3.5-hour series Disrupting Implicit Bias: The Power of Awareness, Understanding, and Love and …
Posted on January 27, 2026
These virtual sessions are designed for professional development providers, facilitators, teachers, administrators, and coaches who support or assist with the DRDP assessment. DRDP (2025) for Teachers Implementation Trainings Registration Link DRDP (2025) for Administrators Implementation Webinars – These 1-hour sessions are for …
Posted on January 27, 2026
The California Department of Social Services is pleased to announce that a new module series, Trauma-Informed Practice: Culturally Responsive Strategies for Working with Adults, is now available! This new module series expands upon the 2-hour module Safe Spaces: Foundations of Trauma-Informed Practice for Educational and Care Settings (0–5), …
Posted on January 27, 2026
The ASPIRE program builds upon over a decade of investments in early care and education quality improvement, from state, federal and local sources, under Quality Counts California (QCC), California’s existing Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS). This work has included many years of investment to support CLASS observations in early care …
Posted on October 27, 2025
The Strong Start Index standardizes and summarizes the conditions into which children are born. Comprising twelve indicators that are universally measured, the California Strong Start Index can be used to better, more holistically characterize children across (and within) California communities, providing a tool that can help First 5s and …
Posted on October 27, 2025
This page on the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) website provides an index of child care and development quality initiatives, projects, programs and resources to support the early learning and care workforce and the early learning community.
Posted on October 27, 2025
This policy brief published in April 2025 uses data from the 2019–2023 California Health Interview Surveys to describe the child care experiences of households with young children ages 0–5.
Posted on August 14, 2025
The California Department of Social Services is pleased to announce the seventh convening of the Equity-Centered QRIS Advisory Panel. The seventh Panel meeting will be September 25, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. All meetings are open to the public so that community members can participate […]
Posted on July 4, 2023
Please spread the word and share these series of learning experiences with your colleagues. In January 2023, California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) and California Department of Social Services (CDSS), in partnership with WestEd, announced the launch of a comprehensive suite of 12 new series of online professional development …
Posted on August 18, 2021
The California Department of Education, in partnership with WestEd, is proud to announce the launch of a new and innovative online health and safety course for family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) providers. The online course, available in English and Spanish, titled Health and Safety for Family, Friend, and Neighbor Providers …
Posted on December 27, 2019
QRIS assessors and anchors on the Environment Rating Scales (ERS) may access training and support documents via Google Drive. The documents available there include: ● Guidance Inappropriate and Damaged Books 2019 ● ERS Assessor Toolkit 2019 ● Diapering-handwashing 2019 ● Observer Guidelines 2019 ● California ERS Anchor Certification Process ● …