Professional development improves skills for child care providers and prepares future providers for careers in early care and education. Through professional development programs, early care and education professionals acquire the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to provide quality child care in Kentucky.
Professional Development Programs
The Division of Child Care administers the following professional development programs, non-college scholarships, awards and mini-grants to the extent funds are available. For more information on all of the scholarships, awards and grants listed below contact your local Professional Development Coach.
The commonwealth child care credential (CCCC) is awarded as an initial credential to early care and education professionals who successfully complete 60 hours of approved instruction.
The director's credential is awarded to individuals who successfully complete 12 credit hours of instruction through accredited institutions of higher learning approved to offer the Director's Credential Program.
The Kentucky early care and education trainer credential is awarded to individuals providing training hours to early care and education professionals.
Child Care Aware provides more information about early care and education workshops, online courses and institutes.
The Non-College Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to individuals seeking training for the CCCC and the child development associate (CDA) credential. The CCC/CDA Credential Scholarship Program pays $420 for 120 clock hours of training on behalf of scholars to an approved training organization.
The CDA KIDS NOW mini grant pays $425 direct assessment fee to the Council for Professional Recognition on behalf of eligible applicants. CDA candidates must meet eligibility guidelines. For more information on the CDA grant contact your local
professional development coach. For information on the CDA assessment, contact the Council for Professional Recognition, 2460 16th Street NW, Washington DC, 20009-3575, toll free
(800) 424-4310 or visit
the website.
The NAFCC mini grant pays up to $500 for the accreditation fee to the
National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) on behalf of eligible applicants. The NAFCC mini grant is available to Kentucky certified family child care homes and licensed type II homes.
The Milestone Achievement Award is a monetary award paid to Early Care and Education Professionals participating in the KIDS NOW college and/or non-college scholarship program(s) upon completion of an early care and education credential or degree.
The Related Educational Reimbursement Expense is a monetary award paid to Early Care and Education Professionals participating only in the KIDS NOW Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority college scholarship program upon completion of a scholarship semester/term.
Find an approved Kentucky early care and education trainer's credential for orientation or the 1.5-hour state mandatory pediatric abusive head trauma training for child care providers. Search Early Care and Education Training Record Information System (ECE-TRIS)
Pediatric abusive head trauma online training is available. Log in to the training application with your ECE-TRIS username and password.
Training Manager for Training Registration
Training registration applications can only be accepted through the ECE-TRIS training manager.
Application for registration of in-state/out-of-state conference, seminar, institute, workshop or online training
For questions regarding ECE-TRIS call (877) 312-TRIS (8747) or email.
Training Approval
Kentucky early care and education-credentialed trainers promote high-quality professional development resulting in transfer of learning and positive outcomes for young children and families. Training provided by a credentialed trainer meets these requirements:
- Child care licensing, certification and registered provider training
- All STARS Quality Rating System
- CCCC renewal
- Trainer credential renewal
Early care and education coursework completed through an accredited institution of higher education will be accepted to meet the training approval requirements listed above.
Kentucky Department of Education (KED)-approved Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA) professional development hours may be used to meet training requirements for licensed, certified and registered providers, CCCC renewals and Kentucky All STARS. These hours cannot be used for renewal of the Kentucky early care and education trainer credential.
To avoid untimely review of staff files during regulated child care surveyor visits, please submit a copy of the EILA certificate to the Division of Child Care, professional development staff via the contact information below.
Approved KDE EILA hours will be entered into an individual ECE-TRIS training record. As an added measure, please keep a copy of the certificate in the individual's employee file.
For further information on registering a training event, please contact us.
Training Approval Lists
Early Care Orientation On-Line - Meets the mandatory six-hour orientation requirement for early care and education professional in Kentucky.
ECE-TRIS - DCC Approved Training Search Link for in-state and out-of-state conferences
- Individual workshops/training events not listed may be submitted for approval by registering the training event 30 days prior to the training date with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Division of Child Care.