California Childcare Professional Development | Care Courses

National Childcare Credentials in California

Use our courses toward a CDA Credential and for NAC and CDA renewal.

California Childcare Training Requirements

All Care Courses can be used as professional growth activities toward renewing a Child Development Permit with prior approval from your professional growth advisor.

California ECE Registry Training

All Care Courses are accepted by the California Early Childhood Education (ECE) Workforce Registry. For California Registry training credit, please add your California Registry ID number to your Care Courses account. Thank you!

Child Development Associate Teacher Permit

Use Care Courses to obtain and renew a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential. Getting a CDA certification qualifies you for the Child Development Associate Teacher Permit and may also be used as nine semester units of credit toward the overall 24 semester unit requirement for the other Child Development Permits.

To renew a Child Development Permit, you must plan a program of professional growth activities in consultation with a professional growth advisor. Permit renewal requires completion of 105 hours of professional growth activities in at least two of eleven categories and submission of the renewal documents and fee every 5 years. Speak with your professional growth advisor to see how Care Courses may be used toward the renewal categories, such as:

• Attend staff development programs
• Participate in a program of independent study
• Improve basic skills

For detailed instructions on permit renewal, please refer to the Child Development Permit Professional Growth Manual from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Our Lead Safety in Child Care course does not meet the Lead Poisoning Prevention requirement for California. The CA Lead Poisoning Prevention training is now fully incorporated into the required Health and Safety Training.

Workforce Pathways LA Program (WPLA Stipends)

All Care Courses may be used towards the 21 hours of professional development needed to meet the "Professional Development Pathway" of the Workforce Pathways LA Stipend Program. This pathway is available to early childhood educators who have not completed a bachelor's degree.

The Workforce Pathways LA Stipend Program provides financial incentives to early childhood educators for achieving milestones such as completing 21 hours of Care Courses' professional development or obtaining a child development permit. Learn more about the application process from the Workforce Pathways LA instruction manual and submit your application through the California ECE Workforce Registry.