Formal Educational Qualifications

Child Care Standards

65C-22.001(7)(g), Florida Administrative Code (opens in a new tab)

A child care professional using a formal education to meet the staff credential requirement, must have one of the following:

Florida Department of Children and Families Birth Through Five Credential Training Program (FCCPC)

The FCCPC Birth Through Five is a department-approved training program consisting of a minimum of 120 hours of early childhood instruction and 480 contact hours with children ages birth through eight (8).

Find an approved Birth Through Five FCCPC training provider: Approved FCCPC Birth Through Five Training Providers (opens in a new tab) .

Florida Department of Education Early Childhood Professional Certificate (ECPC)

This credential is a Birth Through Five Child Care Credential issued by the Florida Department of Education and recognized as a Staff Credential.

View a list of approved programs for the Florida Department of Education – Family and Consumer Sciences, Early Childhood Education: Approved ECPC Programs (opens in a new tab) .

Florida Department of Education Child Care Apprenticeship Certificate (CCAC)

This credential is a Birth Through Five Child Care Credential issued by the Florida Department of Education and recognized as a Staff Credential.

The Apprenticeship Certificate designates a student as a Child Development Specialist. Students complete all Early Childhood Professional Certificate requirements within the Apprenticeship Program.

View a list of approved programs for the Florida Association of Child Apprenticeship – Child Care Development Specialist: Approved CCAC Programs (opens in a new tab) .

Renewal of Birth Through Five Child Care Credentials

The Birth Through Five Child Care Credentials (FCCPC, ECPC, and CCAC) must be renewed every five years.

View information regarding acceptable Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for renewing the Birth Through Five Credential: Acceptable CEUs for Credential Renewal (opens in a new tab) .

Question: How will my initial FCCPC, ECPC, or CCAC be reflected on my DCF Child Care Training Transcript?

Answer: Your training provider will submit the information to the Department when you have completed all of the program requirements.