Discover how the Program for Infant/Toddler Care’s six program policies are designed to promote high-quality relationship-based care that supports healthy development, strengthens families, and advances opportunity for infants and toddlers.
Date: Monday, June 15, 2026
Time: 12–12:30 p.m. PT / 3–3:30 p.m. ET
The Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC), a 40-year partnership of WestEd and the California Department of Social Services, was born from a simple but powerful vision: to ensure that every infant and toddler in group care receives sensitive, high-quality, responsive, relationship-based care.
The implementation of PITC’s six program policies—primary care, continuity of care, small groups, individualized care, inclusive care, and culturally responsive care—reflects Early Head Start expectations for safe, nurturing learning environments and intentional teaching for infants and toddlers. The goal is to promote a coherent, standards-aligned approach that strengthens adult–child relationships, improves program quality, and enhances school readiness.
Join us for an informative webinar to learn about the Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) approach—an approach that places responsive caregiving at the heart of building strong relationships with infants and toddlers and their families.
Who Should Attend
- State and regional Head Start Collaboration Office administrators
- Early Head Start agency administrators, program leaders, education and inclusion managers, and coaches
Session Discussion Topics
- Identify ways PITC strategies and practices can enhance Early Head Start implementation, including relationship-based care, responsive caregiving, and continuity of care.
- Explore the professional learning opportunities, training supports, and implementation resources available through PITC to support ongoing staff development and program quality improvement.
Featured Speakers
Arlene Paxton serves as Senior Director at WestEd’s Center for Early Childhood and leads the Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) Regional Support Network. With over 25 years of experience, she has dedicated her career to designing and advancing systems that support the professional development of early childhood educators working with children from birth to age three and their families.
Elizabeth Crocker joined WestEd in 2019 as the Director of Training and Certification for the Program for Infant/Toddler Care, PITC, at WestEd. PITC provides training for infant/ toddler care educators in diverse child care settings, home visitation programs, and to the those in the systems of support who provide coaching and training to the field. Crocker coordinates the Program Care Trainer’s Institutes, Academies for Family Child Care Providers and Program Directors, Home Visit Seminars, and Webinars with a focus on providing high quality responsive care for young children in partnership with their families.
Dr. Amber Morabito, Program for Infant Toddler Curriculum Manager, co-author of the PITC Curriculum, and a core member of the PITC Leadership team, in the content area of Infant and Toddler Care. Morabito is responsible for four key areas of work: PITC curriculum project leadership, team and project management, communication, and marketing. Morabito leads, mentors, and supervises a team that delivers PITC Curriculum implementation training and coaching nationally.
Kerry Kriener-Althen, Assessment and Research Director for Early Childhood at WestEd, oversees projects related to program quality assessment (including the Program for Infant/Toddler Care Program Assessment and Reflection System [PITC PARS]; formative child assessment (including the Desired Results Developmental Profile); and formative evaluation of services and policies promoting quality early learning and care.
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