Administration & Management for Child Care: Crisis Management

This course is worth 4 Pro-D hours.

Crisis management doesn’t have to be scary. When we’re prepared for a crisis, we’re better able to handle what comes our way. This AMCC course provides program leaders with the skills and competencies and practices to plan for and manage their program during a crisis. This course is ideal for experienced leaders who are looking to improve or expand on their program’s crisis management practices, as well as students looking to become child care leaders in BC.

As part of the course, students also receive a three month subscription to our WCCRC Administration & Management For Child Care Knowledge Base.

Students must use a laptop or desktop computer to take this course; it is not possible to use a smartphone for this work.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this course:

Strong leadership is an essential tool for crisis management. You’ll learn how to develop and improve leadership skills needed during a crisis and build on your strengths. Participants will also learn about developing resilience, and improve the ability to recover from setbacks and difficult life events.

When leaders and staff know what to do during a crisis, they are better able to cope and respond. That’s where policies & procedures come in. You’ll learn some easy ways to develop and improve your program’s policies & procedures for crisis management, including guidance on using the Knowledge Base to maximize this work.

The people and organizations in our community support programs and families during a crisis. They’re our support system. We help you identify the key resources in your community, including simple steps on building your network.

Good recordkeeping practices are critical for helping us respond before, during and after a crisis. We’ll talk about what types of records should be kept, and how they should be safely secured. We’ll also cover the different types of insurance you should consider, and some easy ways to check if you have the best coverage. Finally, we’ll review some basic financial checks and balances you can do to make sure your program’s finances are secure.

What type of emergencies can occur, and how can we best plan for them? We’ll dive into the various types of scenarios you may encounter, and what type of procedures should be in place. Participants will engage in a working exercise to create a sample emergency plan, proving you with a blueprint for this work. 

If a crisis occurs, who do you communicate with, and when? What type of information should you share with them? We’ll provide guidance on how to clearly communicate with families, staff and support services so that everyone is well-informed.

We’ll review health & safety policies & procedures – including why they’re important and what they should achieve. We’ll also provide useful advice for developing relationships with environmental health officers – your primary source of information to help you meet all health requirements, and identify infectious diseases. Finally, we’ll review vaccination policies, and COVID-19 guidance. 

WCCRC Administration & Management for Child Care Knowledge Base

The WCCRC Administration & Management for Child Care Knowledge Base is a comprehensive online information database for ECE leaders, with detailed guidance on all areas of child care leadership, including Governance, Human Resources, Enrollment & Attendance, Health & Safety, Facilities & Equipment, Programming & Curriculum and Community Connections. 

Formerly known as the Westcoast INFORM Guide, the WCCRC Knowledge Base has been completely revised to reflect current practices and learnings in inclusiveness, Truth & Reconciliation, the BC Early Learning Framework, and inquiry-based approaches. A valuable tool for all child care staff, it includes comprehensive lists of online resources, as well as tools and forms you can use in your own practice.

Not Enrolled

Course Includes

  • 2 Modules
  • 1 Lesson
  • 1 Quiz
  • Course Certificate

Scenario-based learning allows learners to view situations from different perspectives, encouraging thoughtful reflection. Applying learning in a more practical way can help to build confidence and gives the learner the ability to transfer knowledge to real-life work. You will see how best practices might look in action, determine alternate strategies you could implement in these situations, and reflect on your own experiences as a care provider.

Your task is to take on the perspective of the provider within the scenario and determine:

  • What worked well?
  • What, if anything, could be done differently?

Remember, it is not the job of providers to diagnose children. Instead, we can do our best to create safe childcare ecosystems that promote social emotional well-being and support children and their diverse range of behaviours. This will be important to keep in mind while navigating the scenarios in Module 4.