Family child care providers offer care for significant numbers of children, but are not always recognized as a distinct and important group of child care professionals.

Providing care for children in one's own home is a very difficult job.

• Providers are involved on a "solo" basis with children whose ages can range from 6 weeks to 12 years.

• They are responsible for providing developmentally appropriate care for a multi-age group of children for eight to ten hours each day.

• They prepare and serve meals and snacks, which ought to meet high nutritional standards.

• They work hard at establishing a cooperative relationship with parents.

• And because they are business people, they purchasing all the supplies and equipment, do the bookkeeping, maintain and repair equipment, and more.

Typically and unfortunately, the training requirements for a person who has such awesome responsibilities are very minimal. Factors contributing to this problem include the following:

• Although several excellent training and resource programs have been developed for family child care providers, funding is always uncertain, because most funding sources do not consider the indirect costs of child care (such as training for the persons who care for children) to be a high priority.

• Due to funding and logistical problems, training is not accessible to many people who care for children in their homes, especially in rural areas.

• Training for providers does not fit within a recognized program through which one can earn a degree, certificate, or other professional credential.

• Training programs often address the needs of new providers but not the training needs of more experienced persons who are seeking opportunities for learning and professional development.

CCNI's Competency Based Training and Assessment Program was originally created by Mary Lou Gilstad of the Early Childhood Studies at the University of Minnesota, and Dan Gartrell of the Child Development Training Program at Bemidji State University. They had the following goals in mind:

1. To identify and define the skills which are necessary to being a competent family child care provider.

2. To design a training model which could meet the widely varying needs of providers.

3. To develop an assessment process whereby skills could be formally evaluated.

4. To establish a professional credential which would be recognized both in Minnesota and nationally.

Learning through experience is the basis for the program, an approach which is becoming recognized as an valuable and important part of training. Accountability and verification of results in this program make it effective and gratifying for participants. Recognition of accomplishments with the assessment and accreditation process give the candidates the tools they need for improving the quality of care and education for children in their homes.

Competency Based Training focuses on the acquisition of certain skills needed to perform effectively in the work setting for which one is being trained. In order to acquire the necessary skills, several other important aspects of learning are incorporated into the program.

First, there is generally a great deal of on-the-job experience built into competency based programs, because part of the philosophy is that learning is a consequence of experience.

Second, because of the belief that people all have different styles of learning, there is usually a great deal of individual program variation in order to accommodate the varying learning styles.

Finally, because individuals progress and learn at different paces, there is not a definite time period for completion of a competency based program. Successful completion is, instead, determined by the student's ability to demonstrate the skills which s/he has developed.

There are three essential components in the project:

1. A set of ten competencies,

2. A training program model, and

3. An assessment/credentialing program.

The competencies define the skills which a provider needs to develop and use in order to provide quality care for children. The competencies also provide the base upon which the assessment and credentialing system are designed.

The assessment and credentialing system uses a thorough evaluation procedure to verify that providers can indeed demonstrate the competencies. A credential is awarded in recognition of those abilities.

The purpose of the training program is to help family child care providers process information in the competency areas and to apply that information in their profession. The competencies serve as the base around which training activities are designed.

Every person who seeks a professional family child care credential is assessed according to uniform procedures, using competency standards which have been endorsed by providers, parents, child development experts, and regulatory agencies.

Upon entering the program, providers meet with an assigned trainer in small groups sized at a average of five persons per group. The course of study follows:

Small Group Meetings:

Information is shared and discussion centers around proof of providers' competence in the ten competency skill areas, plus final assessment and credentialing.

In-Home Observation:

Providers are observed on-the-job by trainers. Skill area development is based upon these observations.

Training Program Model:

Usually an individual notebook format, providers document their skills in the various competency areas by description, illustration, and example. Where skills are lacking, they are developed. Where providers already have had basic skills, those skills are strengthened.

Candidates prepare for assessment by completing the following tasks:

1. Candidates must seek out the training that is needed to increase his/her skill in each of the competencies. They also compile documentation of their work in each skill area.

2. The candidate is observed by the trainer at a minimum of two different times. Feedback is given on the level of skill which is demonstrated. Assistance is given to help the candidate determine the areas where further training is needed.

3. An individual training plan is set up for each trainee. Trainers follow the trainee's progress towards fulfilling the training plan, and are responsible for completing a detailed report on their observations. They also offer valuable personal support for the candidate.

4. A parent representative has two major duties: To observe the candidate working with the children in the home, and to collect information from the parents of all the children served by the provider.

5. Notification of Readiness. Once the candidate, parent representative, and trainer have completed all the necessary documentation and information gathering:
   • The candidate submits a Readiness Notification to the Assessment and Credentialing Office.

   • At that point, an Assessment Team Leader is assigned to arrange a Local Assessment Team Meeting, at which the candidate's competence will be reviewed, discussed and evaluated.

6. Assessment. This is the final step for the candidate. The assessment consists of:
   • An observation by the team leader, for a minimum of 3 hours.

   • An interview with the team leader, including questions on each area of competency.

   • The local assessment team meeting.

If the trainee's materials are complete and the Local Assessment Team has followed all required procedures, a Team recommendation follows.

If the recommendation is that the trainee should be awarded the family child care credential, the trainee becomes recognized as a Family Child Care Professional.

If the Team determines the trainee is not yet competent, the trainee is invited to re-apply for assessment after additional training has been completed.