Do any of you have your credentials? If so, which ones and how hard was it to get them?

I am thinking about looking into it, but nt sure how having them will benefit me????

I have also been thining about accrediation. Any thoughts??

Been in business for 7 years so far!

Reply

I'm not licensed but I guess you can say I regulated. I am working on my CDA through the powers that be although I have a degree in nursing but apparently that wasn't enough so I also getting my CDA as well. I don't have any plans to get my daycare licensed though.

Reply

I am dcfs licensed and have been from the beginning. I wouldn't do it any other way!
I am already running my program with most things in the accreditation guidelines, but not sure if it will benefit me to have it. I am always full!

As for the credentials, I have a degree in ECE, but the credentials are very expensive to apply for. Just wanted some advice and thoughts from others.

Reply

not sure exactly what credential you want to know about... a degree in ECE trumps a CDA Just like a BS trumps a AS

Do you mean to become a director of a center?

If you have an As in ECE I would spend my time and money on getting your BA and add in ECE special ed. That is where the business seems to be going in the future. a CDA is a step to get you going towards a degree.

I do have my CDA and 29 years experience. I was accredited but did not renew due to the cost and really parents did not choose me because I was accredited.

Reply

I see you licensed so I'm assuming that when it comes to accreditations you are talking about programs like NAEYC or NAFCC vs meaning more education right?

I have a degree in ECE but would like to go further or add more eventually, but currently I'm not interested in some of the accreditation programs for FCC because some requirements are not realistic for my small group or set up. Plus I'm not having enrollment issues so I don't feel like I need to do something to make my program stand out above the other programs. If I was struggling to stay full or lived in an oversaturated area I may look into it.

I thought someone here just completed an accreditation (of course I can't remember who or what one )

Reply

I did get a CDA but let it lapse. It seems kind of useless to me because I have over 16 years experience. I only got it because there was a rumor that they were going to require it to do childcare where I live. Well that never came to pass.

We all have to be licensed here. I have never, even once, had a potential client ask me if I had any credentials although one wanted to see my license. I routinely show that to potential clients anyway.

It really doesn't even mean more money here. I figure a parent can only afford so much so I'd have to keep my fees in line with other providers in the area to be competitive.

I suppose if you are new to childcare then it might be attractive but I kind of found it a waste of time personally.

Laurel

Reply

I am licensed and I have a BA degree in Early Childhood Education. To some parents, this mattered greatly. To other parents, this didn't seem to matter at all.

Reply

I am new to childcare and I currently hold my license in the state of illinois. I am currently in the process of trying to obtain my CDA I want to expand my childcare. However I have to complete a profolio and that is ok. I was wondering if anyone who has completed this program would be will to share examples of their Competency statement so I can get a general idea.

Reply

Each of the six Competency Goal Statements should:
– Be written on a separate sheet of paper
– Be typed in 12-point font, using either Arial or Times New Roman
– Be spell-checked, written in full sentences, and grammatically correct
– Be 250-500 words in length
– Include at the top of the page the heading: Competency Goal (and the correct number of the goal) followed by the competency goal statement.

Example:
Competency Goal 1
To establish a safe, healthy, learning environment
– Have your name written on the page
– Staple together if the competency statement is longer than one page
– Include each of the Functional Areas included in that competency goal

• Write clear goals for each Functional Area. In other words, describe WHAT you want to accomplish for the young children in your care. Example: “My goal is to minimize the spread of germs in my child care setting and to keep children healthy.”

• Write a philosophy statement for each Functional Area. In other words, describe WHY you do the things you do for the young children in your care. Example:
“This is an important goal because I know that young children in child care settings are more likely to be exposed to germs and to carry those germs to their families.”

• Write 250-500 words describing how you incorporate these practices and activities into your daily work with children, in each Functional Area. In other words, describe HOW you carry out good practices in your child care setting. Include at least three examples of how you meet your goal. Example: “To meet my goal, I practice safe handwashing by using liquid soap and paper towels, and making sure to wash my hands after changing diapers, before handling food, and after cleaning or coming in from outside. I teach the children to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds to get most germs off their hands.”

Some examples of a complete Competency Goal statement:

Competency Goal 1
To establish and maintain a safe, healthy, learning environment

Functional Area 1: Safe
One of my goals in the functional area of safe is to prevent or reduce injuries while children are in my care. This is an important goal for the age group children in my care because young children are often not aware of hazards in the environment or of behaviors that could cause injury. One of the ways I do this is by supervising children at all times. I always make sure children are where I can see and hear them, even when they are napping. Another way I do this is by checking the child care environment, both inside and outside, every morning before the children arrive to make sure that outlet plugs are in place, that child-safety latches are hooked, and that there are no broken toys or dangerous objects in the child care space. I also use a weekly safety checklist in my classroom, to be sure I have checked the room completely.
Outside, I check to be sure that there are no splinters, rusting equipment, or sharp pieces. I am careful that children not have strings on their clothing that could result in them getting caught or being strangled.

Functional Area 2: Healthy
One of my goals in the functional area of healthy is to prevent the spread of germs in my child care. This is an important goal for the age group children in my care because young children do not have good control over bodily functions and germs can be easily spread when children are in such close contact with each other. One of the ways I do this is by washing my hands before and after changing a diaper or helping a child use the toilet, after wiping noses or cleaning up other bodily fluids, before and after handling food or bottles, after coming in from outside, and any other time my hands are dirty. I also help the children to wash their hands at similar times. Another way I do this is by washing and sanitizing all mouthed toys immediately, and other toys daily. I also make sure each child has his/her own bedding and I wash and sanitize bedding weekly. I have attended classes on SIDS and always place infants to sleep on their backs, with no fluffy bedding or other materials that could suffocate them. I believe that children need a variety of healthy foods, so our program belongs to the USDA Food Program and we serve lots of fruits and vegetables. I always sit down to eat with the children to model good eating habits.

Functional Area 3: Learning Environments
One of my goals in the functional area of Learning Environments is provide children with many and varied opportunities for learning through play. This is an important goal for the age group children in my care because young children learn by doing, by uses their senses to gather information about the world. One of the ways I do this is by regularly observing the children in
my care to see what their interests, skills, and abilities are. Then I plan activities to meet their interests and needs. Another way I do this is by setting my child care environment up in interest areas---blocks, books, art, writing, puzzles and small toys, and dress-up. I change the materials in these areas frequently, to keep the children interested in what’s going on. I like to show children new things: last week I put flax seeds in the sensory table and added warm water. The children enjoyed the slippery feeling and I was able to
introduce lots of new words such as “smooth,” “slippery,” “slimy,” and so on.

I can't link the source...it won't let me... but I hope this helps. I found it on the ND CCR&R site.

ETA: This might get you to where I found the info. They have a really nice packet about what to do for the CDA requirements http://www.ndchildcare.org/file_down...1-0a4f79c07fa0

Reply