This guide outlines the many important skills, tools, and strategies needed by Tribal CCDF Lead Agency staff to implement a monitoring program and meet the variety of challenges they will encounter in their work. This training guide includes monitoring and enforcement policy guidelines, effective communication skills, how to conduct a monitoring visit, and tips on handling commonly found situations in the monitoring process. This guide is designed to assist Tribes in ensuring that Tribal child care family home and in-home care providers, including relative caregivers, are providing safe and healthy learning environments utilizing the flexibility that Tribes have in a way that is most effective for their community. Monitoring staff, inspectors and partners can use this guide to enhance their understanding of effective communication skills, how to conduct a monitoring visit, and tips on handling common situations in the monitoring process. This training guide will help prepare monitors and inspectors to:

Better understand the anxiety that a provider may feel when the monitor or inspector is coming in to inspect the home and how to make the provider feel comfortable. Be prepared to conduct these inspections and use them as an opportunity to support your providers, Monitor child care home providers. (author abstract)