This training is required for all STAR providers and their staff. It is being offered to all providers because there is quite a lot of information that will help all of you with your Environment and is considered BEST Practice in the State of Montana. A lot of information that is in the ERS Scales is also coming out in the newly revised Child Care Block Grant. The State of Montana Early Childhood Services Bureau (ECSB) and Child Care Licensing are working together to make changes in the licensing regulations and the Montana State Plan to bring Montana up to the level of standards which are now mandated in the Child Care Act Congress has recently passed. Patty Butler, Bureau Chief for the Early Childhood Services Bureau will be presenting the State Plan in a Webinar in early November. We do not have the specific date yet-but we will be offering several locations for this webinar with a’ ask a question’ session following. We will attempt to answers your questions, but our process will be to take the questions back to Helena. This webinar information will be sent out to all when we receive it so everyone can join in from their own home town. We will make sure we take accurate attendance records so everyone will receive their 2 hours of training. This is an exciting time to be working in the child care field and YES the changes will sound dramatic but once you really think about them, it has been needed for some time.