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Office of Child Care Services Announces New Infant Toddler Certificate
The Office of Child Care Services, with its partner agencies, the regional Early Childhood Enrichment offices (ECE’s), will be offering training which can lead to a state issued Infant Toddler Certificate. How do I earn an Infant Toddler Certificate?
Why should I consider earning an Infant Toddler Certificate? Caring for infants and toddlers takes a special set of skills and knowledge. The Infant Toddler Certificate offers an individual an opportunity to receive training specific to this age group which will allow them to gain a deeper understanding of the significant development which occurs in these early years of life. In addition, the training hours included in the Infant Toddler Certificate will count toward licensing training hours, Pathways training hours and upon completion of the entry level training, the participant may qualify for an Infant Toddler Mini-Grant. How much does the certificate cost? The entry level training classes cost $40 for the first 20-hours of training. Once you have completed the 20-houras of entry level Infant-Toddler training, you may be eligible to receive a $200 mini-grant from the Division of Child Care Services. This mini-grant can be used to help cover the cost of the Infant-Toddler Certificate or to purchase materials and resources to enhance the care your provide to infants and toddler. The advanced block of 45-hours of Child Growth & Development costs $300. This includes the training and textbooks. The Division of Child Care Services has scholarships available, to those who qualify, to help cover the cost of the training. Application are available from Cory Lichty at the contact information below. Is there additional training after the Infant Toddler Certificate? YES! The South Dakota Child Development Associates Credential is a nationally recognized credential which is offered through the local ECSE offices. The 45 hours of training in Child Growth and Development for the Infant Toddler Certificate articulate into the SDCDA Credential. What this means is, when you complete your Infant Toddler Certificate, you are about half way to completing the training hours for the national credential!
How do I get started? Contact the Infant Toddler Specialist at your regional ECSE office listed below. They will be able to inform you of class schedules in your area and help you determine where you are at in meeting each step of the training for the Infant Toddler Certificate.
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