THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE OF NEW YORK STATE 130 Ontario Street, Albany, NY 12206 T: (518) 463-8663 F: (518) 427-6603
The New York State School-Age Child Care Credential

Funded by: The New York State Office of Children and Family Services

This Credential is under development.

The Credential has been designed to increase the quality of school-age child care programs by professionalizing the field. This initiative will offer currently employed school-age child care providers the opportunity to raise their level of expertise through training and college course work for credit or to have past training, college coursework and/or life experience evaluated for competency in the school-age field based on seven competency goals including:

* Professionalism

* Child Development

* Health and Safety

* Developing Physical and Intellectual Competence in Children

* Developing Social and Emotional Competence and Providing Effective Guidance

* Working with Families

* Understanding and Performing in Program Management

Participants must document their competency within each of the seven goal areas and be observed by a Local Assessment Team consisting of an Advisor, Parent/Community Representative, and an Endorser. In addition, the candidate must participate in an interview process with the Local Assessment Team in order to be awarded the Credential.

For information on the New York State School-Age Child Care Initiative, please contact Deb Tofinchio at the Bureau of Training and Workforce Development, NYS Office of Children and Family Services at

A pilot group of School-Age providers are currently participating in course work to train them on the knowledge and skills needed to apply for the credential. Additional course work, for credit, is being planned to begin in Fall 2000. For more information on the pilot project, please contact Lynn Iacabucci at the Capital District Child Care Coordinating Council, Albany, NY at (518) 426-7181 Ext. 322 or email