Strengthen emotional intelligence, manage emotions with empathy, and create supportive environments where youth feel seen, heard, and safe.
Full Course Description
This 90-minute course is designed for line staff in youth programs who want to strengthen their emotional intelligence and lead with empathy. Learn how to recognize and manage emotions—both your own and others’—to build trust, model healthy behavior, and de-escalate challenging situations. Walk away with practical strategies to create emotionally supportive environments where all youth feel seen, heard, and safe. Enroll now to lead with heart and foster stronger connections every day!
Course Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
Describe key components of emotional intelligence.
Explain how adults’ emotional modeling affects youth development and behavior.
Demonstrate strategies for managing emotions and modeling emotional intelligence in interactions with youth and colleagues.
CEU Requirements
To receive CEU credit for taking this course, you must:
Pass the knowledge check-ins and complete the entire course.
Complete the course evaluation form at the end of the course.
Upon successful completion, you will receive a certificate showing the CEUs earned.
Change Up Learning requires disclosure of proprietary interests. No staff, instructors, or course developers have proprietary interests related to this course.
This course will take approximately 1.5 hours to complete.
This course satisfies these child care training requirements:
School's Out Washington Quality Improvement Standards
1. Being welcomed into safe spaces that center their own cultures and communities
2. Having positive, meaningful relationships with program staff and youth
3. Participating in activities that encourage self-expression and inspire them to discover their passions
4. Engaging in learning opportunities that build academic, life, and career skills
5. Having a common language and shared expectations that are aligned with research and best practices for positive youth development and social emotional learning
6. Identifying their own strengths and recognizing areas for growth
8. Implementing strategies and practices that are culturally responsive and attuned to the diverse identities and cultures of the young people, families, and communities served
Department of Children, Youth & Families: Child Care Provider Training Requirements
6. Interactions with children/youth
8. Professional development and leadership
10. Youth empowerment
11. Other training as appropriate
Standards of Early Learning and Development
1. Childhood Development
4. The Child Care Professional and the Family
Afterschool Quality Standards
2. Staff and Youth Relationships
7. Staffing and Professional Development
Career Development
1. Ethics and professionalism in child care
6. Strategic leadership and planning
9. Business practices
Child Growth and Development
2. Interpersonal Relationships
6. Social/emotional development
7. Challenging behaviors
Child Growth and Development
2. Interpersonal Relationships
6. Social/emotional development
7. Challenging behaviors
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services: Child Care Center Professional Development Training Topics
Career Development
Child Growth and Development
Quality Guidelines for Ohio's Afterschool Programs
Child Growth and Development
Afterschool Network Quality Standards
1. Foster positive relationships between program participants and staff
4. Promote high levels of student engagement
5. Provide appropriate levels of structure as well as opportunities for autonomy and choice
Afterschool Network
1. Guidance toward healthy relationships
2. Child and adolescent development
10. Professionalism
Child Care Training & Education
Standard 3: Staff Qualifications and Professional Development
Afterschool Standards
1. Human Relationships
5. Administration
Core Knowledge and Competencies
6. Leadership and Professionalism
NYC DYCD Core Competencies for Youth Work Professionals
1. Knowledge of the principles and practices of child and youth development and ability to use this knowledge to achieve the goals of the program.
7. Ability to develop leadership, team-building and self-advocacy skills among participants.
8. Ability to behave professionally.
Network for Youth Success Quality Self-Assessment (QSA) Tool
2. Administration & Organization
3. Relationships
4. Staffing & Professional Development
7. Youth Participation & Engagement to Care
9. Program Sustainability & Growth
School Age Child Care
10. Adverse Childhood Experiences, Focused on Understanding Trauma and on Nurturing Resiliency
Core Knowledge and Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals
1. Management
2. Child and youth development
West Virginia Afterschool Program Quality Standards
2. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
6. Intentional Relationships
7. Leadership and Professionalism
Afterschool Network Best Practices
1. Prepared Staff
Core Competencies for Early Childhood Practitioners
6. Interactions with children
Afterschool Alliance Best Practices
1. Prepared Staff
All Staff Annual Training
2. Social and Emotional Development
6. Professional Development
Director Annual Training
4. Child Guidance
5. Professional Development
Early Learning Staff Professional Development Areas
All Staff Annual Training
Director Annual Training
Department of Human Services Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education Child Care Licensing Unit
1. Proper supervision of children
12. Prevention and control of infectious diseases
Standards for Quality Afterschool Programs
2. Ongoing Training and Staff Development
4. Positive Youth Development
Workforce Knowledge and Competencies
4. Family Engagement (FE)
Guidelines for Afterschool, Summer, and Youth Development Programs
1. Relationships
8. Staff and Professional Development
Child Care Training Regulations
4. Positive behavior management
23. Guidelines for volunteers, (partner staff, auxiliary staff, business managers)
After School Network
1. Relationships — Interactions and Engagement
6. Staffing/Professional Development
Guiding Principles for Quality OST Programs
1. Safe & Supportive Environment
3. Skill Building
4. Positive & Empowering Relationships
6. Healthy Choices & Behaviors
9. Quality Staff
Early Care and Education Knowledge Base
6. Professionalism
Quality Standards for Expanded Learning
1. Safe and Supportive Environment
3. Skill Building
7. Quality Staff
ECE Competencies
3. Relationships, Interactions, and Guidance
10. Leadership in Early Childhood Education
11. Professionalism
Goals for Program Management and Delivery
1. Safe, Healthy, and Orderly Environment
2. Qualified and Diverse Staff
Goals for Program Connections
4. Positive Participant and Staff Interactions
Goals for Program Participants
7. Greater Personal Responsibility
9. Greater Creativity and Well-Being
Child Care Facilities: Staff Development Topics
a. Planning a safe, healthy learning environment
b. Steps to advance children's physical and intellectual development
c. Positive ways to support children's social and emotional development
e. Strategies to manage an effective program operation
North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs (NCCAP)
Goals for Program Connections
Goals for Program Management and Delivery
Goals for Program Participants
Hawaii OST Quality Guidelines
1b. Pilina (Relationships) between Youth and their Peers
1f. Pilina (Relationships) between Program and Community
2b. Staff Professional Development and Leadership
3a. Program Administration for Staff
Early Childhood - Continuing Education
2. Child Guidance
11. Management/Administrative Education
Afterschool Program Quality Institute
2. Relationships and Connections
MOST (Michigan Out-of-School Time) Standards of Quality
2. Human Relationships
3. Program Staffing
Core Knowledge Areas from the Michigan Core Knowledge and Core Competencies for the Early Care and Education Workforce
4. Program management
5. Teaching and learning
7. Interactions and guidance
Program Content
2. Interpersonal Relations
Early Care & Education Professional Development Content Areas
6. Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator
8. Professional Development and Leadership
Afterschool Program Standards
Program Content
Academic Standards: Essential Skills
2. Personal Skills
3. Civic/Interpersonal Skills
4. Professional Skills
OST Quality Guidelines
3. Human Relationships
5. Staff Qualifications and Training
Competencies for Early Childhood Educators and Administrators
6. Professional development and leadership
8. Teaching practices
Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) Statement of Quality in Afterschool
2. Positive Connections
Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators (PA PSCECE)
Standard 6: Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator
Standards for Quality Afterschool Programs
2. Program Management and Staff
3. Communication and Interaction
Department of Children and Families (Annual In-Service Training)
7. Behavior management
16. Guidance and discipline
23. Other course areas relating to child care or child care management
After School Program Quality Standards and Indicators
2. Relationships
Early Learning and Development Standards
2. Social and Emotional Development
Virginia Partnership for Out-of-School Time Quality Standards
2. Staffing, Volunteers & Professional Development
3. Leadership & Management
4. Continuous Improvement
Building Blocks for Out-of-School Time Quality
2. Supportive Relationships & Environments
6. Organizational and Leadership Management
7. Ongoing Staff Support and Volunteer Development
Ignite Afterschool
2. Supportive Relationships and Environments
6. Organizational Management, Staff Support and Youth Safety
Teachers of Early Childhood Education Subject Matter Standards
6. Professionalism
Quality Standards for OST Programs
2: Relationships and Interactions
Statewide Afterschool Quality Standards
3. Administration
4. Professional Development and Qualifications
B-3 Continuum
5. Joint Professional Development
Department of Social Services, Child Care Services (CCS): Pathway to Professional Development
3. Guidance and behavior management
6. Program health and safety
9. Communication and relations with staff
Afterschool & Out-of-School Time Professional Network
3. Human Relationships
Afterschool Alliance's Quality Standards
3. Positive ways to support children’s social and emotional development
6. Maintaining a commitment to professionalism
Child Care Centers Professional Growth and Development Training Requirements
3. Positive ways to support children’s social and emotional development (includes guidance and discipline)
6. Maintaining a commitment to professionalism
Out-of-School Time (NMOST) Guiding Principles
3. Relationships
8. Staffing and Professional Development
Early Childhood Education and Care Department
7. Professionalism
Afterschool Program Quality Guidelines
3. Relationships
5. Professional Development
Program Quality Practices
3. Relationships
4. Child and Youth Engagement
7. Leadership and Administration
8. Professional Development
Department of Early Education & Care Standards
4. Child and Classroom Management
10. Supervision or Staff Development in Early Childhood Education
National Afterschool Association Competencies
4. Interactions with Children and Youth
5. Youth Engagement
10. Professional Development and Leadership
Early Childhood Educator Requirements: Birth to Second Grade
4. Positive behavior management/social-emotional development
Afterschool & Youth Development Standards
4. Relationships
6. Staffing & Professional Development
Early Care and Education Professional Competency Goals for Directors
b. Business management
c. Communication
e. Professional and leadership development
Child Care Core of Knowledge
5. Professionalism
Out-of-School Time Program Quality Standards
Administrative Quality Standards
Program Quality Standards
Program Quality Standards
I. Youth Program Climate
Administrative Quality Standards
II. Youth Program Leadership and Sustainability
IV. Youth Program Staffing and Professional Development
Core Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals
6. Communication
9. Social Development
12. Program Management
Texas Partnership for Out-of-School Time (TXPOST) Standards of High Quality
6. Relationships and Interactions
Early Childhood Education: Professional Development Areas
Annual Training (2) Guidance and discipline
Annual Training (4) Teacher-child interaction
Pre-Service 3. Positive guidance and discipline of children
Pre-Service 4. Fostering children’s self-esteem
Pre-Service 6. Positive interaction with children
Childcare Program: Continuing Education
7. Behavior guidance
Department of Early Learning and Care: Training
7. Personal, Professional & Leadership Development
10. Understanding and Guiding Behavior
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Training
10. Professional issues
Core Knowledge Areas, DC Division of Early Learning Training Categories
11. Social-Emotional Development and Mental Health
12. Personal Development and Self-Care
Early Childhood Education Professional Learning Standards
A. Child Growth and Development
Quality Standards for Out-of-School Time Programs
B. Positive Relationships
Quality Standards for Nevada OST Programs
a. Youth Development & Social Emotional Learning
c. Program Management & Professional Development
Department of Education: Standards for Professional Development
g. Classroom management, which must include, without limitation, positive discipline and guidance and social, emotional, and academic development
Division of Early Care and Education: Staff Development
i. Child growth and development
k. Guiding children’s behavior
s. Any other topic that promotes child development or protects children’s health or safety
Early Childhood Professional Development Framework
Standard VII: Engages in Professional Development
Standard X: Provides Leadership Within School/Community/Profession
