Children's Enrichment Enterprises, Inc
Early Childhood Professional Development
What is CDA?
The Child Development Associate (CDA) National Credentialing Program is a major national effort
initiated in 1971.  The purpose of the program is to enhance the quality of child care by defining,
evaluating, and recognizing the competence of child care providers and home visitors.

Definition of the Child Development Associate (CDA)

A Child Development Associate (CDA) is an individual who has successfully completed the CDA assessment
process and has been awarded the CDA Credential. CDAs are able to meet the specific needs of children
and work with parents and other adults to nurture children's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual
growth in a child development framework.

A CDA performs according to the CDA Competency Goals in center-based, home visitor or family child care
programs. To date, there are more than 200,000 CDAs in all 50 United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, and the U.S. territories of Guam and the Virgin Islands.

Earning the CDA Credential has many advantages, including motivating caregivers toward continuing
education and providing a platform for professional and career opportunities. Many view the CDA Credential
as an instrument for career advancement in the early childhood care and education profession. The Council
works to ensure that it is a credible and valid credential, recognized by the profession as a vital part of a
coordinated system of professional development.

As a result of an increase in demand from many public and private employers for qualified trained staff, the
number of child care providers applying for the CDA Credential has grown to nearly 15,000 annually.
Furthermore, 49 states plus the District of Columbia incorporate the CDA Credential into their childcare
center licensing regulations.

Information courtesy of http://www.cdacouncil.org/CDA_WHAT.htm
Online Child Development Associate (CDA) Training