The Child Care & Development team has compiled this list of workshops, trainings, and resources to support individuals who care for children, covering all areas of development from birth through elementary age. Unless otherwise noted, these events are hosted by third-party organizations and are not managed by the City of Irvine.
Explore the resources below to support your professional development and parent education journey.
Resources
Parenting Resources
The Child Care Coordination Office has compiled a list of resources to support you on your parenting journey from birth through the elementary years. Whether you’re wondering how to support your child’s learning, address a specific challenge, or just figuring out your child-raising approach, time invested in developing your parenting skills will help you achieve all of the above.
California Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECHMC)
Delivers support, resources, and training activities for early learning and care center-based program staff, family child care providers, and family, friend, and neighbor caregivers. Services include a toll-free help line, monthly open-door sessions held virtually and virtual communities of support. To learn more, click here. Please note: consultation services for child care providers in Orange County, California are provided by StartWell OC.
Start Well Mental Health Consultation for Early Care and Education
Are you or your staff overwhelmed by children’s challenging behaviors? Do you or your staff often call parents to pick up their children due to their challenging behaviors? Is behavior a ‘hot topic’ amongst your teachers and parents? Start Well can help and is available to work with YOUR program! Start Well is the local Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation provider. Start Well provides in person consultation for early learning and care center-based program staff, family child care providers, and family, friend, and neighbor caregivers located in Orange County, California. To learn more, click here.
Help Me Grow Orange County
Help Me Grow connects children and their families to developmental services to enhance the development, behavior and learning of children birth through eight years. By calling the toll free number 1.866.GROW.025, (1.866.476.9025) or using the online link, parents, caregivers, child care providers, early educators, and health care providers have a point of access to developmental services for all young children who live in Orange County.
Inclusion Pathway
This free online self-paced, self-study tool is a one stop shop for early childhood classroom teachers and caregivers and administrators. Whether you are new to the concept of “Inclusion”, want to learn about the newest resources and information to refine your inclusive practices or are looking for resources specific to supporting children with challenging behaviors, this is the place for you! Start by completing the self-assessment to help you determine which area of the self-study tool to begin with. No matter where you are now, each step you take in this educational journey will improve the experience of all children in your program and will help ensure that your program is open to, and truly accessible for all children, no matter their individual needs.
February Calendar
Foster and Kinship Care Education (FKCE)
A variety of online classes are available in January for families, caregivers, parents, and the community.
Organization: Saddleback College FKCE
Audience: Orange County resource parents and kinship caregivers.
Location: Virtual via Zoom/In Person
Dates: Click here (aqui para español) to view flyer with class schedule
Fee: Free
Information: Click above to view flier and click on registration links to register. After registering, participants receive a confirmation email about joining the class. Call 949-582-4884 or contact scfkce@saddleback.edu or for more information.
FREE Developmental Screening
Family Support Network provides free developmental screenings for children 0-5 years of age. The screening addresses a child’s cognitive, developmental, physical, and social progress. This is a one-on-one collaboration between therapists and caregivers to screen the child in the following areas:
- Speech and Language
- Behavior & Emotional
- Fine & Gross Motor
- Health
- Dental
- Vision
- Hearing
Organization: Family Support Network
Audience: Orange County families
Location: Downtown Anaheim Family Resource Center 250 East Center Street, Anaheim, CA 92805
Date: Friday, February 6, 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Fee: Free - *Pre-Registration required, click here to register
Information: To view the flyer, please click here. For questions, please contact Katya Aguilar at 714-447-3301 Ext. 205 or by email at kaguilar@fsn-oc.org
TASK: AAC: Parents and Professionals Working Together WEBINAR
Task will present ideas, practical examples, tips and pointers for implementing augmentative and alternative communication across multiple settings. They will emphasize the importance of collaboration in order to best help each AAC user by working together for the common goal of individualized, person-centered AAC.
Organization: TASK
Audience: Orange County families, kids, caregivers, and therapists.
Location: Virtual via Zoom
Dates: Friday, February 6, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Tuesday, February 10, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Spanish)
*Please click on date above to view flyer and register Fee: Free - *Registration is required
Information: Click the above dates to register. For questions, please contact TASK at task@taskca.org
Neurodivergent Family Night
Join us for a free evening where children and caretakers are invited to play in a sensory friendly neuro-affirming environment! We encourage the whole family to attend, and therapists can join as well. Neurodivergent Family Nights are held on the second Tuesday and fourth Thursday of each month from 5-7 pm (after we close to general admission). On these nights, we dim lights in the museum, turn off sounds, and offer a limited capacity of 250 guests. Staff are happy and ready to assist with providing various materials including noise-cancelling headphones, fidget toys, sunglasses and weighted materials for your convenience.
Organization: Pretend City
Audience: Orange County families, kids, caregivers, and therapists.
Location: 29 Hubble, Irvine, CA 92618
Dates: Tuesday, February 10, 5 PM – 7 PM
Thursday, February 26, 5 PM – 7 PM
Fee: Free - *Registration is required and opens two weeks prior to each event.
Information: Click the above dates to register. For questions, please contact Pretend City at 949-428-3900 or email them at info@pretendcity.org
Coaching for Change: Working Through Resistance by Susan Lewis M.Ed.
In this insightful and compassionate session, Susan Lewis, M.Ed., Founder and CEO of Early Childhood Education Professional Development (ECEPD), offers a fresh, reflective lens on resistance in coaching. Drawing from more than two decades of experience across classrooms, programs, and state systems, Susan will guide you in understanding what resistance really is—and how to work with it instead of against it.
Organization: Early Childhood Investigations
Audience: Early childhood educators and professionals
Location: Virtual
Date: Wednesday, February 4, 11 AM – 12:30 PM
Fee: Free
Information: Click here to register. If unable to attend the live webinar, all registrants receive an email with the recording link the next business day after the live presentation.
Born to Tinker: Supporting Infant Learning with Loose Parts by Sophie Rayner-Grignon
Join Infant Mental Health & Early Years Specialist, Sophie Rayner-Grignon to discover how to become an active, responsive partner in play with infants. You’ll dive into the curious minds of babies, unpack common barriers, and reframe your approach to infant play through a developmental and trauma-informed lens. Leave with practical ideas, real-world examples, and a curated collection of next-step resources to help educators, infants, and their communities engage meaningfully with Loose Parts.
Organization: Early Childhood Investigations
Audience: Early childhood educators and professionals
Location: Virtual
Date: Thursday, February 5, 11 AM – 12:30 PM
Fee: Free
Information: Click here to register. If unable to attend the live webinar, all registrants receive an email with the recording link the next business day after the live presentation.
Beyond Behavior: Understanding Attention-Seeking in Young Children by Shelby Secoura, RECE
Ever wonder why some children seem to demand attention in ways that leave you feeling unsure or frustrated? In this workshop, we’ll uncover the hidden stories behind four distinct types of attention-seeking behaviors. You’ll learn to look beyond the surface and understand the why behind each child’s actions, helping you unlock new pathways to connection and care. As educators, it can be challenging when we’re unable to meet the needs of every child at once. In this session, led by Early Childhood Leader and Multi-Site Specialist Shelby Secoura, RECE, you’ll gain the confidence to recognize the subtle differences in attention-seeking behaviors and respond in ways that nurture each child individually.
Organization: Early Childhood Investigations
Audience: Early childhood educators and professionals
Location: Virtual
Date: Wednesday, February 11, 11 AM – 12:30 PM
Fee: Free
Information: Click here to register. If unable to attend the live webinar, all registrants receive an email with the recording link the next business day after the live presentation.
Books, Beats & Bonding: Fostering Connection Through Stories, Songs, and Play by Dr. Anne Meeker Watson, MT-BC
This engaging and interactive workshop will explore practical, joyful ways to nurture early literacy, emotional regulation, and social connection in young children through the powerful combination of carefully selected picture books, songs, rhythm, and rhyme. Join Anne Meeker Watson, Ph.D., MT-BC, Music Therapist and Early Childhood Consultant at SING.PLAY.LOVE., author of Sing & Sign with Young Children: A Guide for Early Childhood Professionals, and recipient of NAPPA and Parents’ Choice Honors awards for her global music programming.
Organization: Early Childhood Investigations
Audience: Early childhood educators and professionals
Location: Virtual
Date: Thursday, February 12, 11 AM – 12:30 PM
Fee: Free
Information: Click here to register. If unable to attend the live webinar, all registrants receive an email with the recording link the next business day after the live presentation.
From “Screech!” to “More Please”: Building Infant and Toddler Communication Skills to Spark Learning, Foster Calm, and Ease Difficult Moments by Raelene Ostberg
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by toddler screams, food-throwing, or frustrated outbursts? You’re not alone—and there are effective ways to turn those challenging moments into opportunities for connection and learning. In this engaging session, led by toddler expert, Raelene Ostberg, you’ll discover practical techniques that foster both verbal and nonverbal language skills, helping children replace ear-shattering screams with meaningful phrases and gestures.
Organization: Early Childhood Investigations
Audience: Early childhood educators and professionals
Location: Virtual
Date: Wednesday, February 18, 11 AM – 12:30 PM
Fee: Free
Information: Click here to register. If unable to attend the live webinar, all registrants receive an email with the recording link the next business day after the live presentation.
