Tennessee Child Care Resource and Referral Network

Talkers build readers. 💬📚

Every conversation is an opportunity to support a child's language development and future literacy success.

Join an upcoming Introduction to LENA Grow session to learn how this research-based program helps child care professionals create meaningful language opportunities throughout the day, strengthen adult-child interactions, and build language-rich learning environments.

This introductory session will provide an overview of LENA Grow and explore how the program can support your program, your staff, and the children you serve.

Multiple online sessions are available June–September 2026!

Visit tnccrr.org/training-calendar to register!

✨ Upcoming Super Trainings – June 13 & June 26

Join us for engaging, in-person training opportunities designed to equip and support child care professionals across Tennessee!

📍 Central Region – June 13
📍 Shelby County – June 26

This month's trainings feature dedicated learning tracks focused on Early Language & Literacy and Family & Group Child Care! Participants will explore practical strategies, gain valuable resources, and discover new ways to support children's learning, development, and well-being in their programs!

Whether you're looking to strengthen literacy-rich environments or enhance your family and group child care practices, these sessions are designed to provide ideas you can put into action right away!

👉 tnccr.org/training-calendar

Select your region to view full details and secure your spot.

☀️ Summer is just around the corner!

As the seasons change, so do opportunities for learning. Family & Group Child Care programs are uniquely positioned to support children of different ages as they transition into summer through outdoor exploration, hands-on discovery, and meaningful mixed-age interactions.

Throughout the month, we'll be sharing resources and ideas that support children and families through the many changes summer can bring. In this month's CCR&R Connection, our Family & Group Child Care article shares strategies for helping children learn, grow, and explore together while making the most of the season.

Learn more by following the link below, or reach out to your Family & Group Child Care Coach for additional tips and support!

➡️https://simplebooklet.com/theccrrconnectionjune2026

❤️ Every second counts in an emergency.

This CPR Week, we’re sharing important reminders about how CPR can help save lives and why staying prepared matters in child care settings.

Want to build your emergency preparedness skills even further? Join our upcoming online training, Learning the Difference Between Shelter in Place and Lockdown Procedures, on June 16.

The training meets DHS Emergency Health and Safety requirements and is open to child care professionals across Tennessee.

Register by signing up here! https://reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0042-0021-66d280b7841f4071b969c7f4d0143eef

💚 Meet the Tennessee CCR&R CDA & Accreditation (CDAA) Team!

The CDAA Team provides guidance, coaching, and support to child care professionals pursuing CDA credentials or exploring accreditation opportunities. Through individualized assistance and professional development support, CDAA coaches help child care professionals navigate the process and connect with available resources.

Visit our website to learn more about the team and connect with a coach serving your region!

☀️ The June 2026 issue of The CCR&R Connection is here!🎉

This month’s statewide newsletter is packed with seasonal resources and practical strategies to support child care professionals throughout the summer. Explore creative ways to encourage learning through mud kitchens, discover how to weave literacy into everyday routines, and even more tools and resources you can put into action right away!

➡️ Read this month's issue or sign up here: https://simplebooklet.com/junenewslettereblast =1

Every day, early child care professionals help shape confident learners, caring communities, and brighter futures. Your impact reaches far beyond the classroom walls. Thank you for the encouragement, patience, and dedication you bring to children and families each day. 💙

Child abuse and neglect prevention doesn’t begin and end in April. 💙

Prevention happens every day through safe relationships, supportive communities, and showing up for children and families in big and small ways.

We asked TN CCR&R staff to finish this sentence:
“Child abuse and neglect prevention starts with ______.”

Their answers are a reminder that prevention can start with listening, supporting, educating, advocating, and caring for one another.

Together, we all play a role in helping children and families thrive.

Take a storybook adventure across Tennessee 📚🌿

Storybook Trails are interactive outdoor reading experiences designed to help families walk, read, and explore together. As you move along the trail, each page of the story encourages conversation, movement, imagination, and a love for literacy in the great outdoors.

From East Tennessee to West Tennessee, there are Storybook Trails waiting to be discovered near you!

Interested in bringing more language-rich interactions into your classroom or community? Connect with your local TN CCR&R Early Language & Literacy Coach to learn more about Storybook Trails and other resources designed to support young children and families across Tennessee. 💙📚

To explore Storybook Trails across Tennessee visit: https://governorsfoundation.org/community/storybook-trails

Which trail are you exploring first? 👣✨

We love seeing the strong relationships built between child care programs and the coaches who support them every day. 💙

Congratulations to Jenni Hensley Bates, and thank you to Champion Christian Learning Academy for sharing this recognition and highlighting the impact of collaboration and support in early childhood education.🌱

For the month of May, CCLA proudly spotlights Jennifer Edge-Bates, our incredible Developmental Support Coach at both the Brainerd and South Terrace locations Jennifer has been such a valuable resource to our school community, helping assess students when parents or educators have concerns related to speech, developmental delays, behavioral challenges, or possible diagnoses.

She has graciously come to our school several times, offering guidance, support, and practical resources to both teachers and families. Her compassion, knowledge, and willingness to help ensure that our students receive the support they need to thrive.

Thank you, Jennifer, for partnering with us, advocating for children, and helping us create a stronger support system for every child at CCLA. We appreciate you more than words can express! 💙