A career in childcare education or daycare education needs individuals to be a licensed daycare provider or daycare staff. Each state of America has their own rules and policies with regards to daycare centers which includes worker’s requirements and qualifications.
Maine Department of Health and Human Services Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services Community Services Programs states that childcare or daycare staff should be at least 18 years old and have attained secondary education or obtained a GED certification.
Classes offered through the State
The state government of Maine offers classes and degrees that are similar to the other states of America. Degrees on childhood education, childhood development, or childcare management are being offered in the different universities and colleges found in Maine. For those who have taken up different courses, the state might recognize several courses that is closely related to childhood education and that they should have the equivalent subject credits.
Child Care Laws, Child Growth and Development, Family and Community Relations, First Aid and CPR, Nutrition and Health, Psychology, and Small Business Management are the common classes included in childcare courses. Aside from these, basic education classes such as English, Mathematics, Sociology and others should also be taken up.
Certifications Given for Completed Classes
The state of Maine is not different from other states of America in terms of the certifications given to those aspiring daycare providers and staff. They are given credentials like the CDA, CCP, and NAC. These three credentials are only awarded to those daycare providers and staff that have finished the required coursework, accomplished the required credit hours, and acquired the working experience even though it is minimal. All states of America requires daycare providers and staff to attend trainings on CPR or cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and First Aid.
Moreover, the state of Maine may not specify a certification that is exclusive to the state. Thus, the state’s departments which are assigned to the welfare of the children assures and continues to improve the quality of residential and foster care for children and youth by empowering the skills of the people in charge for everyday nurturing, care, and discipline of children either in residential facilities or foster home care. Several trainings are offered by the state and they are usually free of charge.
To gain the Child Development Associate credential or CDA, daycare providers must be a high school graduate or a holder of GED certification with 480 working hours and 120 hours for formal education with children in the last five years. The Certified Childcare Professional certificate is given to those daycare providers are intended for those daycare teachers who did not finish their college degree or taken up a different course.
Lastly, the state of Maine offers the NAC or the National Administrator Credential designed for aspiring daycare managers and directors. This credential concentrates more on the management of the organization as well as the administration, site maintenance, and planning and development of childcare programs.
Cost of the Classes
Universities and colleges located in the state of Maine have an average tuition fee, ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 per year. The cost depends on several factors like type of the school, location of the school, and the degree you are enrolled to since it greatly affects the rate of tuition fee.
Required Classes that Day Care Providers Should Take
Childcare courses or degrees are highly preferable and recommended for those individual who want to establish a career in daycare or childcare industry. In addition to the degrees, working experience and credit hours should also pass the requirement of the state.
For the daycare provider, they must be least 21 with a high school diploma or equivalent and have 12 mos. employment in licensed child day care facility for 13 or more children; or 12 mos. experience as an operator of a program for 3 – 12 children (including as a family day care provider) and have 6 hours training in child care or early childhood education topics; or have 1 year (30 credit hours) college courses including 6 hours in field closely related to caring for children and 6 mos. experience or CDA.
Daycare staff must be at least 18 and have a CDA; or 6 mos. working experience with a group of 13 or more children; or have 1 year (30 credits) college work in a child related field.
Aside from the daycare staff and provider, the state of Maine accepts students who would like to serve as assistant or volunteer. They must be 16 years old and above; however, these assistants or volunteers does not count as children in care as well as it does not count as a staff.
Moreover daycare providers, when hiring a staff should orient new staff which includes volunteers before or during the first week of services. Listed here are some of the things that new staff should be familiar with:
- Rules for the Licensing of Child Care Facilities (in the state of Maine)
- Facility’s programs and policies
- Fire drill and other emergency procedures.
Thus, childcare facilities are required to document all pre-service training and show documented evidence of on-going training of all staff.
Furthermore, the state of Maine has their program “The Maine roads to Quality Registry and Career Lattice (MRTQ)” which is the state’s child care and early education professional recognition system. As a Registry member, daycare providers and staff can receive recognition for your experience working with children and families, your ongoing training and your educational accomplishments in early childhood education or related fields.
Links and Contact Information for Class Application
There are several departments in the state of Maine that handles childcare and family welfare. You can contact them for more information and inquiries regarding the licensing procedures, fees, classes required and the like. You can reach the following departments:
Child Care Licensing Agency
Mailing:
Maine Department of Health and Human Services
Child Care Licensing Unit
41 Anthony Avenue, Station 11
Augusta, ME 04333
Phone: (207) 287-9300
Fax: (207) 287-9257
Head Start – State Collaboration Office
Mailing:
Office of Child Care and Head Start
Department of Human Services
11 State House Station, Marquardt Building
Augusta, ME, 04333-0011
Phone: (207) 287-5014
Fax: (207) 287-5031
State Child Care Resource & Referral Contact
Mailing:
Maine’s Network of Child Care Resource Development Centers
c/o Child Care Options
99 Western Avenue, Suite 6
Augusta, ME 04330
Phone: (207) 626-3617 ext. 29
Toll Free: (888) 917-1100
Fax: (207) 626-3617
