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Family Child Care

The Family Child Care track is intended for early childhood professionals serving children birth through 12 years of age as home-based child care providers. This track offers training and professional development resources, including written narrative, video, skill building activities, and program tools. The Family Child Care track consists of courses that mirror the core Child Development Associate (CDA) competencies plus a course on preventing child abuse and one on recognizing and reporting child abuse.

Safe Environments

Protect children in your home from injury and minimize risks through safe environments and active supervision.

Healthy Environments

Create and maintain healthy environments for children birth to 12 years of age.

Learning Environments

Design home-like, developmentally appropriate learning environments for mixed-age groups.

Physical Development

Provide indoor and outdoor experiences that support children’s motor development and physical activity.

Cognitive Development

Support children’s brain development through exploration and active learning.

Communication & Language Development

Create language-, communication-, and print-rich environments for all children.

Creative Expression

Plan activities and experiences that nurture children’s curiosity and creativity.

Self & Cultural Understanding

Support children’s sense of self through interactions, experiences, and the environment.

Social & Emotional Development

Promote children’s social–emotional development through nurturing, responsive interactions and experiences.

Positive Guidance

Guide children’s behavior through positive interactions, environments, and experiences.

Family Engagement

Learn family-centered practices that build relationships and support families.

Program Management

Create and maintain a high-quality, well-run family child care program.

Professionalism

Understand ethical practices and what professionalism means for a family child care professional.

Child Abuse: Identification & Reporting

Recognize the signs of child abuse and neglect and understand required reporting procedures.

Child Abuse: Prevention

Protect children from abuse and neglect through appropriate expectations, interactions, and environments.