Credentials
Robin's Resumé | Maryland Child Care Credential | Workshops & College Educational Classes

The Maryland Child Care Credential

The Credential program, in my opinion, is an excellent program, funded by taxpayers to encourage and directly reward the staff members to increase their skills with training and professional activities. The program also assists in retaining employees in the profession. It takes about three months to receive the credential. Staff members are required to work for a year after they receive their credential before they are eligible for the financial reward. This program puts money into childcare directly to the people who are caring for Maryland’s children with very little overhead/office expense and no profit to the business.

What is the Maryland Child Care Credential?
The Maryland Child Care Credential is a voluntary program that recognizes child care providers who go beyond the requirements of State licensing and registration regulations. There are six credential levels, each one recognizing a child care provider's achievement of a specified number of training clock hours, experience and professional activities important for providing quality child care programs. Participating providers are required to complete training in a broad range of topic areas that will help them develop the knowledge and skills to provide the best possible care for the children and families they serve.

What are the goals of the Credential program?
The goals of the Maryland Child Care Credential are to:

1) Promote a well qualified workforce,
2) Advance the status of the child care profession and increase the respect and compensation for those employed in child care settings,
3) Recognize achievement of education, experience and professional activities
4) Provide a structure for professional growth through professional competencies.

Who can participate?
Registered family child care providers, child care center operators, directors and staff working with children in child care and education programs licensed or registered by the Department of Human Resources - Child Care Administration may participate in the credentialing program.

Is this a mandatory program?
No, participation in the Maryland Child Care Credential is voluntary. However, the credential does recognize the continuing education required by the regulations for family child care providers and child care center staff.

When did the credential program begin?
The credential program began on July 1, 2001.

Level 5 and Level 6 credentialing require specific Education Degrees. I am hoping that the program will start accepting other bachelor degrees like my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in the future.

As of August 30, 2001, 279 credential applications were received and 69 Level Two or higher credentials were awarded. One person at level 6, four people at level 5, 5 people at level 4, the rest at Level 3 and Level 2. Each person who qualified for a level Two or higher credential is now eligible to receive an achievement bonus of $200 to $1,000 after completing 12 months of work with children in a regulated child care program, additional continuing training, and continued involvement in professional activities.

As of February, 2002, 372 applicants had applied and 345 credentials were awarded, of which 127 were at Level Two or higher.

Robin’s Nest Director, Robin Rice, is at Level Four and Robin’s Nest Employee Jessica Schnell is at Level Three. Since then, Renee Shuman received her credential at Level Two, Yasmeen Memon, received her credential at Level Two, Abdon D. Ackad, III received his credential at Level 1, Pipakdee Suwannachairob received her credential at Level 1, Christopher Ackad and Abdon Ackad, Jr. received their credential at Level 1.

With less than 400 credentialed staff members in Maryland’s licensed child care facilities, 6 of the credentialed staff members work at Robin’s Nest and applications have been submitted for every member of my staff.