This post is a part of our series on Washington DC family child care licensing. For more on licensing in Washington DC, see the following posts:
Washington DC Family Child Care Licensing: An Overview
Types of Licenses
The Licensing Process
Training Requirements
Home Requirements
If you’re planning to open an in-home preschool, you will have to meet certain eligibility requirements described below:
A Licensee shall maintain a qualified workforce comprised of individuals who are committed to promoting and ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of the children in their care. The suitability of a current or prospective staff member of a Licensee shall be assessed through completion of:
Criminal Background Check: Criminal background check that includes:
Traffic Records Check: Traffic records check through the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles if a current or prospective staff member will also be required to drive a motor vehicle to transport children in the course of performing his or her duties. A Licensee shall submit a request for a traffic record check to OSSE, in the form and manner provided by OSSE.
Required Drug and Alcohol Testing Program: Caregivers and staff members of a licensed Child Development Home or Expanded Home shall participate in a drug and alcohol testing program established and administered by OSSE. Any Caregiver of a Child Development Home or Primary Caregiver of an Expanded Home who tests positive shall be immediately required to terminate the operation of his or her facility and surrender his or her license.
Physical Examination: A Licensee’s staff members shall complete a physical examination by a licensed healthcare practitioner at least annually, and obtain written and signed documentation from the examining practitioner that at the time of the examination, the staff member was free of tuberculosis and other communicable diseases, and is physically capable of caring for children.
Physically Capable: Each staff member shall be physically capable of caring for children, which includes but not limited to a staff member being able to lift at least forty pounds (40lbs), perform all activities with children for extended periods of time, and be outdoors for regular, prolonged activities. If a staff member is unable to conform to these requirements, the Licensee shall ensure that a sufficient number of staff members, who are able to conform to these requirements represent on the Facility premises in order to ensure adequate care and supervision of enrolled children.
Child Development Home Provider Qualifications
Expanded Child Development Home Provider Qualifications
Expanded Child Development Home: Associate Home Caregiver Qualifications
Child Development Associate (CDA): Home Caregivers and Associate Home Caregivers are required to have a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential by December 2018. The following is a list of programs and resources available in the DC metropolitan area. This list is neither exhaustive nor an indication of endorsement by OSSE.
OrganizationInformation on CDA ProgramProgram Point of ContactUniversity of District of Columbia-Community CollegeWorkforce Development ProgramCecelia AlvaradoProgram Coordinatorcalvarado@udc.edu
Phone: (202) 274-6763Southeast Children’sCDA CourseSCF Professional Development Institute. Phone: (202)-561-1100CentroNiaCDA Program EnrollmentEsteban Moralesemorales@centronia.org
Phone: (202) 332-4200Briya Public Charter School and Mary’s CenterCDA ProgramMau Castro-Trujillomcastro@briya.org
Phone: (202) 420-7034
The Planning Guide – Home Caregivers with a High School Diploma or GED can help you create a plan for meeting the new education requirements for child development staff.
Associate’s Degree: Expanded Home Caregivers are required to have an associate’s degree in early childhood education (or early childhood development, child and family studies or a closely related field) or an associate’s degree in any subject area with at least 24 semester credit hours in early childhood by December 2019. An Expanded Home Caregiver with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education meets the minimum education requirements. The following is a list of programs and resources available in the DC metropolitan area. This list is neither exhaustive nor an indication of endorsement by OSSE.
College/UniversityInformation on AA in ECProgram Point of ContactUniversity of District of Columbia-Community CollegeAssociate’s Degree in Early Childhood EducationCecelia AlvaradoProgram Coordinatorcalvarado@udc.eduTrinity UniversityEarly Childhood Development – A.A.S. DegreeDr. Bweikia SteenAssociate Professor of Education and Director, Early Childhood Education steenb@trinitydc.eduHoward Community CollegeEarly Childhood Development – A.A.S. DegreeSSCIDivisionOffice@howardcc.edu
Phone: (443) 518-1620Montgomery CollegeAssociate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T) in Early Childhood EducationSonia Pruneda-HernandezSonia.pruneda-hernandez@montgomerycollege.edu
Phone: (240) 467 – 4168Prince George’s Community CollegeEarly Childhood Education A.A.SProfessor Aretha Williams, Chair Department of Teacher Education WilliaAI@pgcc.eduNOVA Community College – Alexandria CampusAssociate in Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood DevelopmentChristine Pegorraro Schull, Ph.D.Professor & Assistant Dean(703) 845-6224cschull@nvcc.eduResource Available: T.E.A.C.H Scholarship ProgramT.E.A.C.H. is a scholarship program for obtaining an associate’s degreeKimberly Johnsonkjohnson@nbcdi.org
(20) 833-2220 (ext. 4)
The following resources can help you create a plan for meeting the new educational requirements for child development staff:
Sources: OSSE Child Development Staff: Resources Available for New Education Requirements, Final Rulemaking for the Licensing of Child Development Facilities
Find a child care program that meets your needs from thousands of listings using our Child Care Finder. If you're a provider, create a listing to get discovered by families near you!