Childcare Industry-Recognized Credentials
Child Care IRCs
Industry-recognized credentials (IRCs) in any career area are certifications or licenses endorsed by a nationally recognized trade association or industry organization. They are also vetted and accepted by area employers and are portable. An IRC specifies the skills that a student has demonstrated through a career and technical education (CTE) program.
Educators eligible to certify students in the child care IRCs hold an active 1210 license to teach Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) and also add on a vocational 1211, Child Services License. In order to earn the 1211, applicants need to have 2,000 hours of FCS-related experience—1,000 of which must be through a licensed child care facility. For a list of activities that count toward the 1,000 hours required for a 1211 add-on, see PI 34.084(2)(b).
For more information, consult the specific guide below:
- DPI-approved Assistant Childcare Teacher Certification (ACCT) program
- DPI-approved Infant and Toddler (I/T) Certification program
- DPI-approved Childcare Teacher Certification (CCT) program
Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) Free Training
All students being certified in ACCT, I/T, or CCT must have mandated reporter training. For instructions on how to find DCF's free web-based AHT training see the Wisconsin Dept. of Children and Families, Abusive Head Trauma Prevention Training for Child Care Providers page.
Mandated Reporter Free Training
All students being certified in ACCT, I/T, or CCT must have mandated reporter training. See the Wisconsin Child Welfare Professional Development System, WISEhome. Directions for entering student names into the application:
- Go to the Credential User Guide Directions
- Go to "The State-Certified Co-Op Program" header and follow the instructions
The teacher will award successful students a certificate of completion. Certificates of completion are not archived at DPI. Teachers are advised to save each student certificate as a PDF; otherwise, students seeking a replacement certificate must contact the Wisconsin Registry directly at (608) 222-1123.
Completer names that were entered into the DPI State-Certified Credentials application will be submitted to the Wisconsin Registry by Wisconsin DPI. A final list of completers will be sent to the Wisconsin Registry by the end of June of the completion year.
Step 2: Students Create a Wisconsin Registry Account
To further prepare for the field of Early Childhood Education, anyone entering this profession will be working with the Wisconsin Registry. As an educator, your role is to let students know that it is their responsibility to create a Registry account. No matter how students plan to use their child care IRCs, creating a FREE Registry account is their first step! Instructions on how to complete a Wisconsin Registry Account can be found on the Wisconsin Registry website.
For questions, please contact:
Julie Anderson
Family & Consumer Sciences Consultant
(608) 266-7330