Investing in child care professional development is one of the most important steps you can take to improve the quality of child care services. Whether you’re a daycare director or an early childhood educator, establishing a solid child care professional development plan is key to improving your skills.
Yet the 2025 Procare Solutions Child Care Business Trends Report revealed that even as early childhood education teachers ask for more training, roughly a quarter of respondents have no plans to implement early childhood professional training.
This guide walks you through why child care professional development is important, how to create a professional development plan for child care workers and what resources are available to support professional growth.
Why Professional Development Is Essential in Child Care
Child care is more than just keeping children safe. It involves fostering their emotional, cognitive and social growth during critical developmental years. To achieve this, child care professionals must continually evolve their skills and stay updated with the latest teaching methods and best practices.
“Children score better on tests of cognitive and social competence when their caregivers have higher levels of child related training and formal education,” according to information cited in the report “Planning for Professional Development in Child Care: A Guide to Best Practices and Resources” by the North Carolina Institute for Child Care Professionals.
Here’s why early education professional development is so crucial:
- Improved Quality of Care: Ongoing training ensures staff are equipped with the latest tools and strategies to support each child’s development.
- Staff Retention: A robust investment in employee growth shows care and support, reducing turnover rates in an industry often plagued by burnout.
- Regulatory Compliance: Many states require periodic professional development to meet child care licensing standards.
Simply put, prioritizing professional development works in everyone’s favor. Children benefit from quality care, employees grow professionally and providers build stronger teams!
What Is a Child Care Professional Development Plan?
A child care professional development plan is a structured approach that outlines how child care workers can expand their skills, grow their careers, and achieve their goals. It builds a pathway for constant improvement while fostering alignment between the employee’s aspirations and the organization’s mission.
A typical plan may include:
- Defined goals based on the job role and personal ambitions
- Structured timelines to complete training or certifications
- Resources and training programs customized to address individual needs
- Metrics to track progress, ensuring transparency and accountability
An important part of this plan is to create a CDA portfolio – make sure it includes specific items organized according to the Council for Professional Regulation guidelines.
Core Elements of an Effective Professional Development Plan
1. Clear and Trackable Goals
The foundation of any successful professional development plan is clear, actionable objectives. Break larger aspirations into smaller, achievable goals.
For example, a new hire’s professional development goal could be completing onboarding training within 30 days. Another might involve attaining a Child Development Associate® (CDA) credential within a set amount of time.
Tracking these milestones is just as important as defining them. This ensures progress is measurable and celebrated!
2. Employee-Focused Input
While directors may oversee professional development, employees must have a say in shaping their plans. A teacher passionate about inclusive education, for example, might prioritize training in special needs competency. Gathering staff feedback ensures the plan aligns with their personal ambitions and motivations.
3. Certifications and Credentials
Obtaining official certifications boosts both credibility and expertise. Consider well-respected programs like:
- The CDA credential
- The director’s credential for leadership-level professionals
- Specialized training in emotional intelligence, diversity or health and safety
4. Opportunities for Growth
Include resources such as mentorship, workshops and industry conferences. Offering access to multiple learning formats empowers employees to learn in ways that resonate with them.
Internal Training vs External Training for Professional Development
When creating a professional development plan, it’s crucial to balance internal and external training programs. Here’s how to approach each:
Internal Training
Tailor programs to address organizational needs, such as emergency preparedness or communication skills. Internal training is often cost-effective – that is because on-site training minimizes costs like travel and course fees.
Also, training small groups fosters collaboration and cohesive practices. Offering professional development training that can be completed online also gives child care center employees more flexibility in completing the necessary work!
Examples of internal training include peer-mentorship programs, regular staff workshops, and on-the-job shadowing.
External Training
Collaborating with external trainers or attending accredited programs brings cutting-edge techniques to the table. And employees gain insights by interacting with professionals from other organizations.
Specialized certifications or university courses often require external support.
Types of Training Programs and Certifications for Child Care Professionals
Investing in training programs not only enhances skills but also ensures staff compliance with state regulations. Here are some popular training opportunities and certifications:
- The CDA certification shows that educators are able to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and abilities in providing high-quality early childhood experiences, according to the Council for Professional Recognition.
- Online training platforms like Procare Professional Development offer flexible digital courses. As an IACET-accredited provider, Procare Solutions offers IACET CEUs for all Procare Professional Development courses which are designed to streamline continuing education, provide essential training and deliver growth opportunities for child care professionals, all at their own pace.
- CPR and first-aid training for ensuring child safety.Â
What About Professional Development for Child Care Directors?
Although child care directors often focus on their teams, investing in their own professional development is equally important. Directors must possess strong leadership, operational and educational skills to effectively manage their centers. Some valuable development options include:
- Advanced certifications like the Director Credential program
- Training on budgeting, teacher retention or compliance with accreditation standards
- Leadership conferences or webinars – Procare Solutions holds free webinars, many of which offer free CEUs! – are a great way to learn from peers in the industry
Remember, children thrive when their educators and leaders do. A well-trained director builds a stronger, more nurturing team.
How Procare Professional Development Can Help!
Are you a child care leader who wants to support your staff in professional development? Procare Professional Development gives your center’s staff unlimited access to training modules and state-approved certifications to meet compliance requirements.
As an IACET-accredited provider, Procare Solutions offers IACET CEUs for all Procare Professional Development courses which are designed to streamline continuing education, provide essential training and deliver growth opportunities for childcare professionals, all at their own pace.
And Procare Professional Development is approved in all 50 states!
Professional development training is readily available for all your teachers and staff. No need to scour through registries or rearrange your schedule to attend in-person seminars. Each staff user can sign into Procare Professional Development on their own and browse and enroll in more than 120 hours of training courses, see how many CEUs they have and review any certificates they’ve already earned.
Teachers can all have access to the dedicated training they need to earn their CDA certification, at no extra cost, aside from purchasing required materials and application fees paid to the CDA Council. This major benefit allows you to set your center apart and provide clear career progression for your staff. Learn how Procare Professional Development makes training your team engaging, convenient and practical!
