October 2025 ECEAP Reminders and Links

Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families sent this bulletin at 10/01/2025 11:00 AM PDT

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ECEAP is Washington’s pre-kindergarten program that prepares 3- and 4-year-old children furthest from opportunity for success in school and life.

October 2025 Issue

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ECEAP Updates

ELMS Update

  • SMI update: The SMI charts in ELMS have been updated, effective Oct. 1, for ECEAP.

  • Editing Site Slots: ELMS DCYF has turned off the permissions to change site slot counts and move slots between sites in ELMS for 2025-26. You can still move slots between classes at the same site. If you need to change the slot count at the site, please contact your CQI.

  • Waiting List Update: A new "Most Recent Contact" column has been added to the Waiting List. This shows the last date staff confirmed with a family that they're still actively waiting for a slot. This was added to meet the ECEAP performance PAO-37 Child Recruitment: Contractors must ensure ECEAP providers conduct ongoing recruitment throughout the year and maintain a viable waiting list in ELMS.

    Please see the ELMS News Page for details and the latest information.

DCYF Agency News

Capitol building

A Message from Secretary Senn: Federal Government Shutdown Will Not Impact DCYF Services

In the event that there is a federal government shut down on Oct. 1, I want to be very clear, there will be no impact on DCYF staffing or services and payments will continue to be made to you as scheduled.

Providers and contractors should continue to provide services as expected.

Even if DCYF services aren’t directly impacted, it is likely the federal government shut down still has an impact on you and your employees, not to mention the people we serve. I am very aware of this and want to acknowledge the stress, anxiety, and frustration this could have on you. I hope our continued payments and communication provide a bit of relief.

As this situation progresses, l will continue to keep you updated with any changes or developments.  

Thank you for your partnership,

Tana Senn

Secretary 

Read the full message in Español and Soomaali.

 
Woman sitting at desk looking at computer screen, raising hand.

DCYF 2026 Legislative Session Webinar

DCYF is hosting a webinar from 1 to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, to provide updates on our Agency Request Legislation and Decision Package submissions for the 2026 Legislative Session. You will learn about what’s in the proposals and have an opportunity to ask questions.

To learn more, and how to join, visit the DCYF What's New blog.

 
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ICYF Conference Agenda Now Available

The agenda for the upcoming 2025 Indigenous Children, Youth & Families (ICYF) conference is now available online. Taking place on Oct. 15-16, this virtual event gathers caregivers, tribal partners, caseworkers, early learning providers, and juvenile rehabilitation staff to learn together and improve our shared practice.

To learn more, visit the DCYF What's New blog.

In This Issue:

Important Dates

Oct. 15 - ELMS Child and Family Updates, Monthly Report, A-19, ECLIPSE Service Delivery Report

ECEAP Links

Contractors | Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families

Recruitment Eligibility and Enrollment | Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families

Early Care and Education Newsletter

This monthly newsletter informs, educates, and inspires child care providers, professionals, and advocates. Read previous issues on the Engagement Efforts Newsletters webpage and subscribe at Early Care and Education Newsletter.

Questions?

Email questions about newsletter topics to eceap@dcyf.wa.gov or your Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Specialist.

For additional information about ECEAP or the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), please visit our Contractor webpages.

DCYF Training Opportunities and Support

ECEAP On-Demand Training in the DCYF LMS

Sign up for training by logging into your MERIT account and select “Find Training.”

  • ECEAP No Expulsion: Overview of ECEAP’s no expulsion policy and practice.

  • ECEAP Recruitment, Eligibility and Enrollment: Overview of recruitment and enrollment in ECEAP

ECEAP Coach Check-In 

  • 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., first Friday of the month 
  • Next meeting is Oct. 3, 2025
  • Join at ECEAP Coach Check-In

Recruitment, Eligibility, and Enrollment (REE) Staff Check-In

Check-ins are hosted by the DCYF REE team and involve informal conversations, questions, and celebrations related to recruitment, eligibility, and enrollment.

  • 9 to 10 a.m., first Thursday of each month, August through June
  • Next meeting is Oct. 2, 2025
  • Join at REE Staff Check-Ins

Mobility Mentoring® Monthly Webinar

Family Support Staff Check-In

Las Pláticas De El Puente

This monthly check-in is offered in Spanish only.

Mobility Mentoring® Online Foundations Course

This course is available for all family support staff to access at no charge. It is designed for learners to see Mobility Mentoring® in action, learn about intentional practice, and prepare them to use the coaching approach. The course is broken into four modules that take between 8-10 hours to complete. If you are new to the platform, you must first click the button that says, “sign up.”

Mobility Mentoring® Foundations Monthly Reflection Session

Completion of this session is mandatory to receive STARS credit and to be eligible for Trauma-Informed Care incentives. After successful completion of the Mobility Mentoring® Foundations Course, you will need to attend one reflection session to receive STARS credit.

Health Coordinator Check-In

Join us for the Health Coordinator check-ins as we discuss trends, share resources, and plan for the coming year.

Teaching Strategies ECEAP Office Hours

Register to attend Teaching Strategies ECEAP Office Hours. Register in advance and attend to get answers to your specific questions about any of your Teaching Strategies digital resources. 

ReadyRosie for ECEAP - How to Get Started

Join us to learn how to get started with ReadyRosie! This session is for administrators and educators new to ReadyRosie or those needing a refresher. In these sessions, we'll cover: What is ReadyRosie? How to invite families to join, share customized content, communicate with families, and read data.

Trainings, Seminars, and Resources Offered by External Partners

FREE - Black Grief: All Grief is Not Created the Same

  • 9 - 10:30 a.m. 
  • Oct. 22, 2025
  • Zoom

This presentation sheds light on the unique challenges faced by Black individuals and communities when it comes to perinatal mental health and grief. It will delve into the 5 stages of grief for Black people and highlight the systemic barriers and disparities Black people face in accessing mental health support.

To register, visit programs at the Barnard Center.

Need STARS Hours?

Snohomish County Health Department offers child care health and safety classes available at this time to everyone regardless of county residence. Classes are currently being offered at no cost. Find and register for classes on the department website.

Equity, Child Development, Education, and Health

Protecting Young Children From the Impacts of Wildfires

Wildfire smoke is becoming an increasingly common part of childhood in many parts of the US. Over the last two decades, the frequency and intensity of “extreme” wildfires have more than doubled, and the smoke can travel thousands of miles, remaining highly toxic. Watch this webinar from the Center on the Developing Child to learn how wildfire smoke affects young children.

Free SEL Downloads

Breathe for change has created several SEL resources to help you and children start the year with intention, connection and calm. Each resource is ready to print and designed to support both you and children.

Why Sleep Matters in Early Childhood Development

From the importance of naps to nighttime routines, listen to this conversation from Brain Architects podcast to understand how promoting good sleep supports children’s learning, health and resilience.

Nibbles for Health: Nutrition Newsletters for Parents of Young Children

These colorful and engaging newsletters for parents of young children can be shared by Child and Adult Care Food Program providers to communicate information about popular nutrition topics. Download the newsletters from the USDA. All are welcome to download these materials and make copies.