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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Qualifications To Go From Family Daycare To Child Care Center
SanFrancisco 10:54 AM 11-14-2017
Hi all,

I am looking at my next move and I would like to open a child care center outside of home. I have previously been running a small family daycare and would like to move to a commercial space for two reasons: I would like to separate work from family and I would like a bit of a bigger space so I could hire one or two employees.

So far, I am quite confused about the credentials / qualification I would need. Is it any different that what is needed for a family daycare? i.e. I only had to get licensed and did not need any ECE credits.

I am in California if that makes a difference and I would like to work with 8-12 children.

Thanks!
Reply
Blackcat31 12:33 PM 11-14-2017
Originally Posted by SanFrancisco:
Hi all,

I am looking at my next move and I would like to open a child care center outside of home. I have previously been running a small family daycare and would like to move to a commercial space for two reasons: I would like to separate work from family and I would like a bit of a bigger space so I could hire one or two employees.

So far, I am quite confused about the credentials / qualification I would need. Is it any different that what is needed for a family daycare? i.e. I only had to get licensed and did not need any ECE credits.

I am in California if that makes a difference and I would like to work with 8-12 children.

Thanks!
The licensing requirements from the Daycare.com site says:

Center Based Teacher: Must be 18 years of age. A teacher shall have completed with passing grades a least six postsecondary semester units of specified early childhood education classes, or have a valid Child Development Assistant permit issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. A teacher hired with six units must complete at least two additional units each semester until fully qualified. A fully qualified teacher shall have 12 postsecondary semester units in early childhood education from an accredited college and six months of work experience in a licensed Child Care Center or similar program. The units specified shall include courses covering child growth and development; child, family and community; and program/curriculum. A teacher shall complete 15 hours of health and safety training, if necessary.

Teacher Aide Qualifications: An aide in a Child Care Center must be 18 years of age, a high school graduate, or be currently participating in an occupational program at high school. An aide shall work only under the direct supervision of a teacher. An aide may escort or assist children in going to the bathroom and may supervise napping children without being under the direct supervision of a teacher.

Large Family Operator: When applying for a license as a large family child care home, substantiation that the provider has at least one year of experience as a regulated small family child care home operator; or one year of experience as an administrator or director of, or as a teacher at, a licensed child care center.

Family Childcare Operator: You must live in the home where you want to do child care. You may have to make some modifications to your home, particularly if you have a pool or hot tub. You and any adult living or working in your home must submit your fingerprints for a criminal record check and a Child Abuse Index check and must have a TB test. You will have to take 15 hours of preventive health and safety training.

https://www.daycare.com/california/
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SanFrancisco 04:49 PM 11-14-2017
Thanks! I find it surprising that there's such a big difference in qualifications between at home vs outside of home when it involves the same capacity :/
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hwichlaz 05:39 PM 11-17-2017
That's correct, except you wouldn't be a teacher, you'd be a director. So you need even more education than a teacher.
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CityGarden 11:41 AM 11-20-2017
Originally Posted by hwichlaz:
That's correct, except you wouldn't be a teacher, you'd be a director. So you need even more education than a teacher.
101215.1 CHILD CARE CENTER DIRECTOR QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES

(a) In addition to Section 101215, the following shall apply:
(b) All child care centers shall have a director.

Child care center directors shall have completed one of the following prior to employment:
(1) High school graduation or GED; completion, with passing grades, of 15 semester or equivalent
quarter units as specified in (h)(1)(A) and (h)(1)(B) below at an accredited or approved college or university; and at least four years of teaching experience in a licensed child care center or comparable group child care program.
(A) Three of the 15 units required in (h)(1) above shall be in administration or staff relations.
(B) Twelve of the 15 units required in (h)(1) above shall include courses that cover the general areas of child growth and development, or human growth and development; child, family and community, or child and family; and program/curriculum.

(2) An associate of arts degree from an accredited or approved college or university with a major or emphasis in early childhood education or child development; and at least two years of teaching experience in a licensed child care center or comparable group child care program.
(A) Three semester or equivalent quarter units
shall be in administration or staff relations.

(3) A bachelor's degree from an accredited or approved college or university with a major or emphasis in early childhood education or child development and at least one year of teaching experience in a licensed child care center
or comparable group child care program.
(A) Three semester or equivalent quarter units shall be in administration or staff relations.

(4) A Child Development Site Supervisor Permit or a Child Development Program Director Permit issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
(i) Approved schools, colleges or universities, including correspondence courses offered by the same,
means those approved/authorized by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary
Education, or by the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau for Private Postsecondary and
Vocational Education.
(j) Accredited schools, colleges or universities, including correspondence courses offered by the same, means those accredited by any one of the following recognized accrediting agencies:
(1) Accrediting Commission, Distance Education and Training Council.
(2) Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
(3) Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.
(4) Association of Independent Colleges and Schools.
(5) National Association of Trade and Technical Schools.
(k) Units earned through correspondence courses from approved or accredited schools, colleges or universities shall be accepted for meeting educational requirements as specified in (h) above.
(l) Each year of experience required in (h)(1), (h)(2) or (h)(3) above shall be verified as having been performed satisfactorily, at least three hours per day for a minimum of 100 days in a calendar year, as a teacher under the supervision of a person who would qualify as a director under this chapter.
(m) A child care center director shall complete 15 hour
s of health and safety training if necessary pursuant
to Health and Safety Code Section 1596.866.
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Runjhun 09:43 AM 05-16-2020
Thanks, this is very useful information. I am in the same boat where I am looking to set up my child care center in California after running my family day care for couple of years. During these times, My daycare is completely shut down and I am looking to use this time to earn ECE units online.

Can someone point me to the online courses available that will earn ECE units ? Thank you so much for your inputs!
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Cat Herder 04:05 AM 05-18-2020
Originally Posted by Runjhun:
Thanks, this is very useful information. I am in the same boat where I am looking to set up my child care center in California after running my family day care for couple of years. During these times, My daycare is completely shut down and I am looking to use this time to earn ECE units online.

Can someone point me to the online courses available that will earn ECE units ? Thank you so much for your inputs!
This link takes you to a list of available and approved training in California. https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/cddprofdevtrain.asp
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candygal 10:01 AM 07-24-2020
Thanks Cat for the useful link. While I got lot of interesting information while browsing through the links, am still unable to figure out the courses that needs to be taken for commercial day care set up (that will provide me ECE units)

Any help from the members will be very welcoming
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Cat Herder 11:26 AM 07-24-2020
Originally Posted by candygal:
Thanks Cat for the useful link. While I got lot of interesting information while browsing through the links, am still unable to figure out the courses that needs to be taken for commercial day care set up (that will provide me ECE units)

Any help from the members will be very welcoming
You are very welcome. Maybe give this one a go? https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CC...-30-165154-250

Or

https://www.ctc.ca.gov/docs/default-...rsn=665bc585_0

It looks like you may need a trade school or college. - "12 core semester units in early childhood education/development semester units."
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Meeko 12:43 PM 07-27-2020
Look carefully at the financial side of it.

I was talking to an old friend and he told me they had gone from large home daycare like us (licensed for 16 kids) to a small center with 25 kids.

They thought of it the "next move up". They deeply regretted it. The overhead for building, staff, insurance etc etc. ate up all extra income and they were worse off that before they expanded.

They ended up buying a center with 100 kids and they like that much better. So his advice was go big or go home!
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