ChildCareEd

ChildCareEd is an online training provider for early childhood educators: child care center teachers, directors and family child care providers. It sells self-paced online courses, live instructor-led classes on Zoom, in-person sessions and blended First Aid/CPR, all with what the homepage calls "instant certificates and real human support". Its home base is Maryland. The site says ChildCareEd "is an MSDE-approved training organization recognized by the Maryland Office of Child Care" and that its Maryland Training Organization Approval Code, CKO-380, "appears on Maryland-approved certificates". It also runs state and registry pages for the rest of the US, Canada's provinces, and a few other places such as Australia, Jamaica, Thailand and the United Kingdom.

What educators get

The catalog can be sorted by clock hours, topic or state. Topics include child development, guidance, curriculum, health and safety, family child care, infants and toddlers, CPR and first aid, and medication administration. The site says it "has helped tens of thousands of early childhood educators earn certificates, meet state and registry requirements, and grow their careers".

A row of badges sums up the Maryland offer: "MSDE Approved | CKO-380 | Online & Self-Paced | Instructor-Led/Zoom | Voucher-Eligible | 40+ Languages | ADA-Compliant | IACET CEUs". On languages, the site promises "Full Spanish courses with Spanish narration" rather than a translation widget, and many CDA courses carry a "Disponible en Español" label. Blog posts appear in English and Spanish and take on everyday classroom questions, such as planning a toddler sensory experience, protecting preschool playtime and teachers' planning time, supporting a child with an IEP after school, and stepping into a mentoring role. Other trainings on the site include a Texas Director Credential and several blended CPR and first aid options for adults, children and infants.

Beyond courses, the homepage lists what it says sets it apart:

• Live instructor-led training, "Online plus real Zoom & in-person classes that fill the live hours self-study can't."
• An hours bank for staff, where a center buys hours for its team "and get unfinished hours back when staff leave."
• A funding directory, "A national, state-indexed directory of grants, scholarships & reimbursements."
• A job board for early childhood jobs, searchable by ZIP code, role and distance.
• A free resource library of printable child care materials.

Maryland training paths

The homepage lays out four Maryland paths. To become a lead teacher, an educator completes the 90-hour path: 45 hours of Child Growth and Development plus 45 hours of curriculum for infant/toddler, preschool or school-age. Future directors take the 45 Hours Director-Administration course with supporting courses in communication, ADA, health and safety and emergency preparedness. Family child care providers start with the 24 Hour Family Child Care Pre-Service Training, then renewal training and courses such as First Aid/CPR, SIDS and medication administration.

For annual training, the site explains that Maryland "Center teachers and directors generally need 12 clock hours annually, including at least 6 hours in a Core of Knowledge area", while family child care providers "generally complete 18 hours during the first year of registration and 12 hours each year after that". The Core of Knowledge areas are child development, curriculum, health, safety and nutrition, special needs, professionalism and community. ChildCareEd says it offers 200+ MSDE-approved online courses toward these needs. Eligible Maryland providers can use up to $400 in MSDE Training Voucher support for approved pre-service training, conference registration or early childhood college coursework.

CDA programs

ChildCareEd offers full Child Development Associate (CDA) training for preschool, infant-toddler and family child care, online or blended, plus CDA renewal courses, portfolio review options and a free guide to the CDA process. Listed programs include:

• CDA Infant/Toddler, Preschool and Family Child Care Credential with Portfolio Review: each a 120-hour, self-paced online training worth 12 CEUs, listed at $500.00, on sale at $400.00.
• Birth to Five CDA Credential with Portfolio Review: 120 hours, 12 CEUs, $399.00, on sale at $299.00.
• CDA Home Visitor Credential Birth to 5: 12 CEUs, $350.00.
• CDA renewal courses for each setting: 4.5 CEUs, $250.00.
• CDA Bridge Bundles (preschool, infant/toddler, family child care): $300.00, on sale at $249.00, for Maryland educators who have finished the 90-hour training and need "the remaining 30 hours needed toward CDA training requirements".

Prices

Popular Maryland courses on the homepage, with list and sale prices:

• 45-hour Growth and Development Birth-age 12: $399.00, on sale at $275.00.
• 45-Hour Curriculum (infant and toddler, preschool or school age): $399.00, on sale at $275.00.
• 45 Hours Director-Administration: $399.00, on sale at $275.00.
• 24 Hour Family Child Care Pre-Service Training: $299.00.
• 18-Hour Family Child Care Renewal Training: $144.00.
• 9 Hour Communication Course: $99.00.
• 6 Hour Medication Administration: $89.00.
• First Aid & CPR Blended: $85.00, on sale at $80.00.
• Emergency and Disaster Preparedness: $55.00.
• Including All Children and the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Basic Health & Safety and Breastfeeding Awareness: $35.00 each.
• SIDS: Saving Babies: $29.00.

There are free courses too: the site says it "offers free child care training courses, plus discounts and savings on the rest." Coupons have their own menu item. Three annual subscriptions cover regular learners: Basic at $65 a year for 2 and 3 hour courses, Plus at $99 a year for 2-5 hour courses, and Instructor-Led at $149 a year for 2 instructor-led courses.

Support and reviews

Support is by phone, text and e-mail, and the homepage promises "Real human support" in the evenings and on weekends as well. Verified Google reviews on the homepage name staff: several reviewers thank Maria, one saying she "quickly helped me extend it" when a course expired before it was finished. TopHat Front Office wrote that it "needed CPR training for around 16 staff members and Lisa was there to help us", and that the CPR trainers "were very flexible with our staffing needs". Another reviewer, Sarafia Washington, praised Jennifer's CPR class. The footer links to the company's FAQ, accreditations and affiliations page, mission statement and its H&H policies on records, privacy, instructor feedback and non-discrimination.

Who it suits

ChildCareEd fits Maryland child care staff first: a new lead teacher working through the 90-hour path, a director needing the 45-hour administration course, a family child care provider starting with pre-service training, or anyone collecting annual Core of Knowledge hours, with vouchers to help pay. CDA candidates anywhere get 120-hour programs with portfolio review and Spanish options. Centers can buy an hours bank for staff and book group CPR. Educators in other states and provinces can use the state pages to find matching courses.