Friday, November 6, 2026
Table of Contents
- November Child Care Licensing Regional Office Hours
- Reminder for Child Care Home Providers - Training on the New Home Rules Due December 31, 2026
- New Child Care Home Rule Book Acknowledgement Reminder
- Register Now for 2026 Michigan AEYC Infant-Toddler Conference
- Michigan Selected for Child Care Aware of America Pilot
- Nurturing Note: Your Calm Matters - Self-Regulation in Early Childhood Settings
- An Update from Great Start to Quality: Improvements Coming to GSQ
- $135 Million Awarded to Expand Out-of-School Time Learning Opportunities Across Michigan
- 300 High School Students Explore College and Career Pathways at WCCCD's Regional MI Kickoff Event in Detroit
- CPSC Recalls and Safety Warnings
Have Questions? Need Answers? Don't Miss Our Office Hours!
Please join us for the CCLB Regional Office Hours hosted by the CCLB area managers! This is an opportunity to stay informed, connected, and engaged within your child care licensing region. Whether you're a seasoned provider or just starting out, these sessions are a great opportunity for conversation and connection.
Please see the coverage map below to ensure you attend the correct office hours for your county.
Child Care Coverage Map
Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect, learn, and thrive within your child care community. We look forward to seeing you there!
 Upcoming Office Hours:
Southwest Region with Charnell Lennox
Thursday, November 12th, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Zoom Registration Link - Southwest Region
Grand Rapids Region with Katrice Sweet
Thursday, November 12th, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Zoom Registration Link - Grand Rapids Region
Pontiac Region with Jackie Sharkey
Tuesday, November 17th, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Zoom Registration Link - Pontiac Region
Wayne Region with Paris Howard
Thursday, November 19th, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Zoom Registration Link - Wayne Region
Northwest & Northeast and UP Regions with Candice Case-French & Erin Kidd
Thursday, November 19th, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Zoom Registration Link - Northwest and Northeast Regions
Flint-Macomb Region with Crecendra Boone
Tuesday, November 24th, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Zoom Registration Link - Flint-Macomb Region
Southcentral Region with Darlese McConnell
Wednesday, November 25th, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Zoom Registration Link - Southcentral Region
*Please note that due to holidays, the Northwest, Northeast, and UP Regional office hours have a new date and time for November and December, and Grand Rapids office hours have been moved for November.
The due date for all child care home providers to complete a training on the updated licensing rules is coming up on December 31, 2026. Currently, the Child Care Licensing Bureau is offering a self-paced training course for you to complete training on the new child care home rule set. With this self-paced option, you can complete the course, along with a quiz in order to achieve credit for the training.
This course is accessible through the Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children's (MiAEYC) Knowledge Center. To register for this training and access it, please log in to your existing MiAEYC account, or create a user account in the MiAEYC Knowledge Center. This is a free account that allows you to access training and resources from the MiAEYC Knowledge Center.
This link will take you directly to the registration page for the self-paced training: MIAEYC Knowledge Center: 2026 New Home Rules Training
If you've previously attended a Michigan AEYC event through the Knowledge Center, you likely already have an account. If not, click create account. When registering, make sure to enter your MiRegistry ID in your user account to receive credit hours in MiRegistry. For additional support, please utilize the live chat feature or call 866.648.3224.
If you have any further questions, please reach out to us at MiLEAP-CCLB-Help@michigan.gov
All child care home providers should have received a copy of the new rulebook for child care group and family homes in the mail. Please be sure to complete the acknowledgement that you have received it if you have not already done so.
At the front of the new rulebook you will find a page with QR codes. One QR code is a link to bring you to the rules online. The other QR code is to acknowledge that you have received and reviewed your new rulebook. Each licensee for a child care home must acknowledge that they have received and reviewed the Licensing Rules for Family and Group Child Care Homes. Please be sure to scan the QR code to complete a short online form for this acknowledgement.
You can access an online version of the rule set for child care homes here: New-Child-Care-Home-rules-2026-5262026.pdf
You can access the updated version of the Technical Assistance Manual for Child Care Homes here: Child-Care-Licensing-Family-and-Group-Home-TA-Manual-05-21-26.pdf
If you have questions or have not received a copy of the updated rulebook, you can reach out to our help email for assistance: MiLEAP-CCLB-Help@Michigan.gov
Early childhood professionals are invited to the 2026 Michigan AEYC Infant–Toddler Conference on Dec. 11 in Auburn Hills. The one-day conference will bring together approximately 300 professionals who work with infants, toddlers, and their families to deepen their knowledge, share practical strategies, and strengthen early learning experiences during the critical first years of development. The event is designed for educators, child care providers, directors, coaches, early intervention professionals, and others who support young children and families.
Register and learn more: https://events.resultsathand.com/miaeyc/4421/
 Michigan has been selected as one of five states to participate in CDA: The Best First Step, a two-year national pilot led by Child Care Aware® of America to strengthen the early childhood workforce and expand professional credentialing opportunities. Through the initiative, Michigan will receive $528,555 to help 250 preschool associate teachers earn the nationally recognized Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential, prioritizing educators in Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) classrooms that are currently on compliance plans and whose teachers still need the credential. In partnership with MiLEAP, Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children will provide a structured six-month pathway that includes personalized coaching, scholarships, and credentialing assistance. The effort will support educators' professional growth, strengthen GSRP classrooms, and advance Michigan's PreK for All expansion.
Read the full press release from Michigan AEYC and MiLEAP.
 Working with young children means being surrounded by big feelings, unexpected moments, competing needs, and plenty of noise! In the middle of all of that, an educator’s ability to notice and manage their own stress is an important part of supporting children. Young children are still developing the ability to regulate their emotions, bodies, and behavior, which means they often rely on trusted adults to help them return to a regulated state. This process is called co-regulation.
Self-regulation doesn’t mean never feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, impatient, or stressed. Instead, it means noticing what is happening within ourselves and having strategies that help us respond intentionally. Sometimes that might look like taking one slow breath before responding, lowering our voice, relaxing our shoulders, getting a drink of water, or asking a coworker to step in for a moment. When educators can find their own sense of calm, they are better able to offer children the connection, predictability, and support they need.
This matters because children learn regulation through relationships. A calm voice, an adult who stays nearby during a difficult moment, or a teacher who says, “I’m feeling frustrated, so I’m going to take a breath and try again,” provides children with a model for managing their own emotions. Over time, repeated experiences of being supported by regulated, responsive adults help children build the skills they will eventually use more independently.
Consider checking in with yourself throughout the day: What are the moments that make it hardest for me to stay regulated? What do I notice in my body when my stress is rising? What helps me reset? Building awareness of our own regulation isn't just self-care, it is also an important tool in our work with young children.
Want to learn more?
• NAEYC: Sharing Our Calm—The Role of Co-Regulation in the Infant-Toddler Classroom
• NAEYC: The Role of Co-Regulation in Building Self-Regulation Skills
• NAEYC: Strengthening Self-Regulation in Pre-K and Kindergarten
Ashley McCormick, LMSW, IECMH-E®
Social Emotional Consultant
Learn more: https://michiganiecmhc.org/
Transition Plan for Actively Participating Programs
To prepare the improved process in January 2027, programs that are actively participating in the Reflecting on Quality or Enhancing Quality will be supported in the following ways:
- Programs that are maintaining a higher quality level will have the current active case closed on November 13 (with the lower quality level) and continue to be published at the current quality level program is maintaining. Ex. A program published at Demonstrating Quality has started the process again and is currently working through their Self-Reflection. Their Self-Reflection will close, and they will continue to be published at Demonstrating Quality.
- For new programs or programs who have never participated - that are not maintaining a prior quality level - they will have until November 30 to complete any work (ex. uploading info to Self-Reflection or creating goals) and reach Enhancing Quality if they choose. We will complete the program at the level they reached on November 30, and they can start the new process again in January.
Programs that are currently moving through the Validation and On-Site Observation process are not affected by these changes and will continue to move forward.
With these supports, programs will maintain their current quality level with no affect on scholarship.
Questions? Email greatstarttoquality@ecic4kids.org or contact your Great Start to Quality Resource Center.
Friday, November 6, 2026
343 organizations will receive funding to support before-school, after-school and summer programming at 1,171 sites statewide
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) today announced $135 million in Out-of-School Time (OST) Learning Grants Program funding to expand access to high-quality before-school, after-school and summer learning opportunities for children and youth across Michigan. The investment will support programs that provide meaningful enrichment beyond the traditional school day, giving young people opportunities to learn, explore their interests and develop new skills while helping families access safe, dependable care during out-of-school hours.
“Learning does not stop when the school day ends,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, executive director of MiLEAP. “Out-of-School Time programs give children and youth opportunities to discover new interests, build skills and form meaningful connections in safe, supportive environments. This investment helps more communities deliver those experiences and gives families greater access to the reliable support they need to help their children learn, grow and thrive.”
Learn more about the sub-awardees and programs in the full press releas below.
Friday, October 30, 2026
Career & College Experience Day connected students with financial aid resources, academic preparation and in-demand career fields
LANSING, Mich. – Approximately 300 high school students explored college and career opportunities during Career & College Experience Day on Friday, Oct. 30, at Wayne County Community College District’s (WCCCD) Curtis L. Ivery Downtown Campus. Hosted in partnership with the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP), the event connected students with practical information and resources to help them prepare for life after high school.
“A student’s interests can be a starting point for a future career but understanding how to turn those interests into a plan matters just as much,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, executive director of MiLEAP. “By bringing career exploration, academic preparation and financial aid information together, MI Kickoff helps students better understand what it takes to pursue the futures they envision for themselves.”
Learn more about this event as well as upcoming event dates in the full press relase below.
 Please review the following recalls and safety warnings. For a full list of recalls and product safety warnings visit Recalls & Product Safety Warnings | CPSC.gov
You can also watch the CPSC Recall Roundups on YouTube by clicking the button below.
Arlopu Recalls Slide Playsets Due to Risk of Serious Injury and Death from Head and Neck Entrapment Hazards | CPSC.gov
Kikea Store Recalls X-VESOLJE Nursing Pillows Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Suffocation; Violate Mandatory Standards for Nursing Pillows | CPSC.gov
Kikea Store Recalls X-VESOLJE Nursing Pillows Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Suffocation; Violate Mandatory Standards for Nursing Pillows | CPSC.gov
Magnetopia Recalls Magnetic Building Cubes and Blocks Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Magnet Ingestion Hazard | CPSC.gov
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