2012 4-Star Accreditation Essay Contest Runner-up Winner – Laura Stadtfeld

Laura Stadtfeld from Casper, Wyoming took second place in the 4-Star Essay Contest this year. Laura was recognized at the Accreditation Celebration and at the luncheon on Saturday of the NAFCC Conference in Atlanta, GA. She also received $100 for NAFCC training through a gift from the Boulder County Family Child Care Association of Colorado.

 Laura's Essay

I started on my NAFCC Accreditation journey in 2008; I was awarded my accreditation October of 2011. The accreditation process for me was life altering, I know that sounds ‘cheeky’, but in all sincerity, I mean it. I have been a Family Child Care provider since 1999; and I am still amazed at the volume of information and knowledge that I learned and am still applying to my program. Before seeking my accreditation, I can honestly say that, while I had great plans, activities and families; I never looked at them with the intentionality that I do now. Now, the majority of activities that I plan for the children and their families have a reason… an intention, attached. We do purposeful activities; I intentionally involve the families in every aspect. I offer a wide variety of family involvement activities, like the family weekend outings and garden planting parties for example. By observing and working with those observations, I am a better lesson planner, daily coordinator, and quality child care provider. Knowing that I have achieved, and continue to maintain achievement, of the benchmark and standards required of family providers seeking accreditation makes me feel proud and certainly accomplished and I know that my parents stay with my program because they trust that their child is in a safe, loving and intentional environment.

I think the best part of being accredited is that I see myself as a professional business owner, as well as a partner with the families in caring for their children. I am more involved in the advocacy of children, and seek out opportunities to be involved in the process of making improvements for the family child care providers and the families that they serve. In 2009 I became a member of the STARS (Statewide Training and Resource System) Board of Review, was a member of the Department of Family Services Rules and Revision board and became involved as a regional coordinator for Providers Empowering Providers here in Wyoming. Through PEP (Providers Empowering Providers) I am directly involved in networking, supporting and providing training for family child care providers in my community. I absolutely love that I am able to work with so many like-minded, awesome hearted people~ this, alongside the children, makes me one of the most thankful early childcare specialists that I know.

Other changes that I made to ensure the accreditation process? I suppose one of the biggest changes would have to be that I am more open to feedback. Instead of taking it personally, I now look at feedback as ‘feedback’, as opposed to criticism. I am more able to follow through and be taken seriously as a professional with my families, as well as peers. Now that I have achieved my accreditation, and continue to learn from it, I am more confident in my abilities, as well as what I have to offer my community. It is with this new found confidence, and knowledge, that I would like to help and encourage other family child care providers to get started on their paths to accreditation.

As you can see, there have been many chnges that led to my professional growth and achievement, as well as many that are a direct result of my accreditation journey. The benefits are numerous, they have not only enhanced and improved my program, myself, and the families that I work with, but has extended beyond my front door and into my community as well. I have enjoyed walking this path of professional growth that has inspired so many great activities and partnerships in my program; I look forward to many more such journeys!