Child Development Associate (CDA)

What is a Child Development Associate (CDA)?

“A Child Development Associate (CDA) is an individual who has successfully completed a CDA assessment and has been awarded the CDA credential. S/he is able to meet the specific needs of children and works with parents and other adults to nurture children’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth in a child development framework.” – The Council for Professional Recognition.

A CDA is someone who has demonstrated competence in working with children and parents according to the CDA Competency Goals in a center-based, home visitor or family child care program.

Who administers the CDA credentialing program?

The Council for Professional Recognition administers the CDA credentialing program as a national effort to improve the quality of child care. Founded in 1985, the Council is a nonprofit organization. It was created to improve the professional status of early care and education practitioners. The Council’s mission is to emphasize the importance and increase the recognition of professionals who care for children from birth through five years of age in child care centers, family child care homes, and as home visitors.

Council for Professional Recognition
2460 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009

Telephone: 800-424-4310 or 202-265-9090
Fax: 202-265-9161 - www.cdacouncil.org.

Eligibility for the CDA credential

You must:

• Be 18 years or older, have a high school diploma or GED.
• Be able to be observed as a primary caregiver/head teacher in a facility/home that meets State licensing requirements.
• Complete 120 clock hours of formal child care training with 10 clock hours of training in each of the specified areas.
• The training must be completed within the five years immediately leading up to a candidate’s application for assessment.
• Have had, within the past five years, at least 480 hours of experience working with young children or families of young children.

The stages of the CDA process

1. Talk to the Education Specialist at your area Resource Development Center to get detailed information about working toward and applying for the CDA credential.
2. Contact the Council to request an application packet.
3. Review your training history with the Education Specialist at the RDC to see how the training you have completed aligns with the CDA requirements. Find out whether you need to complete more training and in what topics. You can complete the required training by completing Maine Roads to Quality Core Knowledge Training modules through the RDCs or by enrolling in college courses in topics that meet the CDA requirements.
4. If you work outside your home, talk to your employer about your interest in earning a CDA credential to make plans for the required observations at your workplace.
5. Collect all documentation.
6. Choose a CDA Advisor. Often, this can be the Education Specialist at your local RDC. The advisor observes the candidate, for a minimum of 3 hours, while working as a lead caregiver with young children in an eligible setting, and records the observation(s) using the CDA Observation Instrument. Observations should be within 6 months before the time the CDA candidate submits the Assessment Application Form to the Council. The Advisor may complete the formal observation in one or several visits. CDA advisors must be knowledgeable about local, state, and national requirements, standards, and guidelines for child care programs serving children ages birth through 5 years. The advisor will be familiar with the setting where the candidate will be observed and the needs of families and children in the community. The advisor must also meet education and experience requirements.
7. Complete the required documentation and resource file according to the directions in the Application Packet.
8. Submit your application, with check, to the Council in Washington, DC.
9. The Council assigns a specially trained early childhood professional to administer a written examination of knowledge of good practice. The Council reviews the candidate’s documentation of competence and makes a decision regarding credential award. If a credential is awarded, the official paperwork is sent to the new CDA. If the Council decides that the candidate needs more training, they notify the candidate and inform her/him of appeal procedures and options.

CDA Renewal

The CDA Credential is valid for three years from the date of award, after which it may be renewed for five-year periods. CDAs may renew their Credential only for the original setting, age-level endorsement and specialization. All CDA renewal candidates must meet the following criteria – they must have:

• A current Red Cross or other agency First Aid Certificate.
• Documented proof of at least 4.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or a three-credit-hour course in early childhood education/child development, principles of adult learning, mental health, etc. These hours are in addition to the original 120 clock hours.

Financial Assistance

CDA candidates who are enrolled in credit-bearing college courses to meet CDA training requirements are eligible to apply for a scholarship to help with the cost of tuition, books, and college fees. CDA candidates who are income-eligible may apply to Maine Roads to Quality to receive a grant to pay for the CDA Assessment Fee.

CDA Options

• RDCs - 8 Resource Development Centers in the state
• York County CDA, 906 Main St., Sanford, ME 04073 207-324-6844 • www.cdayorkcounty.org