CHILD CARE CREDENTIALS
Child Care Credentials: Child Development
Associate Program
Child Care Credentials
By Vanessa Rasmussen, © 2006-2008, All rights reserved.
Website
The
Child Development Associate Program is aimed at individuals interested in
studying the process of development of young children and would like to teach
such children at childcare facilities. Participants in this program learn
the basic principles of early childhood education and class discussions are
varied to include topics such as safety, health, learning environments, discipline,
family involvement, child development, professionalism, and so on.
People holding a CDA can apply for jobs as
child care providers at day care centers or start their own child care service.
In order for an applicant to be eligible for this program, he / she must:
- Have at least a High School Degree
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Have a minimum of 480 hours of prior experience
of working with young children
Information brochures and application packages
for the CDA program are generally available at all local preschools, and day
care centers. Once you apply for the CDA program, you should complete 120
hours of formal training of working with young children within 5 years. This
training can be completed at any institution for childcare such as childcare
colleges, referral agencies, workshops, childcare centers, and so forth.
The Childcare training comprises of 8 major
areas. In order to complete the CDA program successfully, you must obtain
a minimum of 10 hours training in each of these areas, listed below.
- Planning a safe, healthy, learning environment.
- Steps to advance children's physical and
intellectual development.
- Positive ways to support children's social
and emotional development.
- Strategies to establish productive relationships
with families.
- Strategies to manage an effective program
operation.
- Maintaining a commitment to professionalism.
- Observing and recording children's behavior.
- Principles of child growth and development.
The next step is to apply for Assessment. The
application form for this will be provided in the CDA package. To be eligible
for assessment you must have an advisor supervise you. The advisor needs to
study your behavior with kids for 2 hours and submit his / her report. The
application package would contain an assessment booklet that the advisor needs
to complete and sign within 6 months of applying for assessment. Also, ask
parents of children who are under you to fill up the Parent Questionnaires.
Finally, you need to complete the Professional
Resource File also provided with the application. Once you have 120 hours
of training, completed and signed assessment report, and the professional
resource file, you may apply for CDA to a National Representative. Details
would be included in the CDA package.
You will soon hear from the National Representative,
who will then administer a written test and oral interview. The National Representative
would also collect all documents mentioned above along with a copy of competency
goal statements. All these will then be sent to the Council for Professional
Recognition that will review your application and decide whether you would
be issued a CDA credential.
Copyright 2001, 2006-2008. All rights reserved. Any reproduction of this article in
whole or in part without written or verbal permission is strictly prohibited.
For information about reprinting this article, contact the copyright owner:
Vanessa Rasmussen, Ph.D,
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