April 3, 2024
Early childhood education professionals and care teachers who work with infants and toddlers can now access the highly anticipated program observation and reflection resource from the Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC), the Program Assessment and Reflection System (PITC PARS)—available in English, Spanish, simplified Chinese, and traditional Chinese.
Infant/toddler care educators in family child care programs and centers, administrators, coaches, trainers, and others can use the new tool to support high-quality care for children ages 0 to 3 and for observing, documenting, and reflecting on vital aspects of infant and toddler group care—ranging from caregiving interactions to the physical environment, program policies, and administrative structures.
The Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) is a leading, comprehensive, research-based training system for infant and toddler teachers nationally and internationally. PITC promotes and inspires quality caregiving through early childhood training, professional learning, and materials and strategies that support the healthy development of infants and toddlers.
“PITC PARS is a strengths-based, multimethod assessment, and reflection tool that guides early childhood professionals in observing, documenting, and reflecting on the quality of care they are providing to infants and toddlers,” said Kerry Kriener-Althen, assessment and research director at WestEd. “It’s a vital resource for those committed to providing high-quality care in infant and toddler group settings and helps professionals learn about quality indicators.”
Quality indicators are essential for evaluating early childhood programs effectively, ensuring they meet the standards for promoting children’s learning, development, health, and well-being. PITC PARS includes an instrument booklet and five Subscale guides that address the multifaceted nature of quality for infant/toddler care programs:
- Subscale I. Quality of Adult’s Interactions with Children
- Subscale II. Family Partnerships, Cultural Responsiveness, and Inclusive Care
- Subscale III. Organization of Group Care
- Subscale IV. Physical Environment
- Subscale V. Routines and Record Keeping
For more information about PITC PARS, please contact Grace Westermann at [email protected]. PITC PARS is available for purchase on WestEd.org for $189.
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