9. Staff Credentials

Question 1

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Answer 1

In addition to staff with introductory training, it is important for child care programs to hire staff who have advanced training in early childhood education.

Question 2

For every 20 children in a licensed child care facility, there must be one child care personnel who has earned one of the following credentials:

Answer 2

• National Early Childhood Credential
• Birth Through Five Child Care Credential
• School-Age Child Care Credential
• Formal Educational Qualifications
• Employment History Recognition Exemption, which is no longer issued by the Department; however, is still accepted for licensing purposes

Question 3

Staff Credentials

Answer 3

~ individuals must apply for a staff credential using the Department’s application
~ once the Department verifies the credentials, the verification will be listed on the child care training transcript
~ the National Early Childhood Credential must be renewed based on the requirements of the issuing body
~ the Birth Through Five and School-Age Child Care Credentials must be renewed every five years

Question 4

Calculating the Number of Credentialed Personnel Necessary

Answer 4

~ child care personnel meeting the staff credential requirement must be on-site working at the facility a minimum of 20 hours per week during all operational hours, excluding naptime
~ they must possess an active staff credential verification
~ volunteers who meet the credential requirements can count as credentialed staff
~ children who are five years old, and who are enrolled in and attend school (kindergarten or above), are excluded from the credential ratio
~ if a child care program has 19 children or fewer, operates less than eight hours per week, or only provides evening care, they are not required to have credentialed staff

Question 5

The number of credentialed staff is calculated for every 20 children in care based on daily attendance.

Answer 5

• 0-19 children - 0 credentialed staff
• 20-39 children - 1 credentialed staff
• 40-59 children - 2 credentialed staff
• 60-79 children - 3 credentialed staff
• 80-99 children - 4 credentialed staff