Ongoing professional development and education along with learning practical knowledge about the facility where you are now employed is essential to becoming successful in your new career as an early educator. In addition to the topics required in the first 2 weeks of employment, newly hired early educators are also required to be trained on additional topics within the first 6 weeks of employment.

Participants attending this learning event will review the facility's purpose and goals, describe the role of both State and local government agencies in regulation of child care, the impact on the operation of a center along with the availability as a resource, and state the early educator's obligation to cooperate with representatives of State and local government agencies during visits and investigations. Participants will describe how to maintain a safe and healthy environment, properly administer medication, read and review the NC Child Care Laws, list prevention and response procedures due to food and allergic responses, summarize information on enhanced standards, and state the importance of criminal history mandated reporting.

Participants will read handouts, view videos, complete online assignments, attend time required, and pass a post knowledge assessment with a score of 90% or higher in order to earn the course certificate. The post knowledge assessment may be taken multiple times to ensure success.

Registration always open!

Click on Registration button

If you've registered in the past, log in to your account, and add the course you wish to attend. Click on 'click here to checkout'.

If it's your first time, you'll need to click 'create new account'-then complete the registration form and click on 'click here to checkout'.

After the system processes your payment (just a few short minutes), you'll receive an email with a link assigned to your unique email address. (email addresses can not be shared by participants).

Please keep this link/email so that you can return to the course as often as you need.

A bit about Karen Darby

Karen is originally from a small town in northern West Virginia, she has 1 sister who currently lives in Orlando, Florida.  Karen lives in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, which is in Cleveland County.   Karen had a very small, private wedding ceremony on 2-22-2022, it was a Tuesday! She kept the name Karen Darby, for professional purposes. Karen has no children of her own but enjoys spending time with her husband's grown children and grandchildren.

Karen's hobbies include anything outdoors, but at the top of her list are: swimming, walking hiking, biking, flower gardening, painting, and she is willing to try anything outdoors at least once.  She is however, afraid of heights.

In her spare time, Karen teaches an adult swimming class for the City of Shelby, she is a certified Aqua Fitness Instructor and certified Lifeguard and certified as a CPR/First Aid/AED instructor.  Karen finds that she volunteers in the community and senior center on a frequent basis, but she loves to spend time with her dog!

An on-going goal of Karen's is to become published author (of more than just an article or blogpost) and to continue to offer the continuing education courses at SWCDC at the highest level of standard possible.

Contact Karen at darby.karen@swcdcinc.org