The training required to work in a church day care program can include a secondary education, an undergraduate degree in child development, receiving a government license, and completing courses in safety practices. These qualifications are often dependent on the number of children enrolled in the program, the number of hours the employee works, and the type of insurance held by the facility. Interested parties may wish to begin by checking with their local church to discover how to become qualified to work in their classrooms.
Training requirements tend to vary depending on the country in which the care is taking place. Most countries do not require any type of formal training for church day care programs that only occur for a few hours between one and two times per week. These types of programs may also be termed Sunday School, and classes are generally comprised of fewer than 10 children. Activities may range from games to religious instruction. This type of teaching may be regulated by the church providing the care, and interested parties should inquire with the director of such programs at their local church.
Full time care, which lasts between 20 and 40+ hours per week, often requires a license based on the number of children enrolled in the program and whether the church has registered with the local or national government. The country in which the care takes place may require that teachers and aids are licensed in church day care facilities that provide for six or more children. This is true in the US where workers must become certified by the state in which the church is located to care for children and renew their credentials annually, unless the church has opted for religious exemption, which occurs in some circumstances. A license can be obtained by visiting the local or national website for child care and locating a training facility. Entrants are typically asked to attend several classes related to the care of young children and complete a written test.
Teachers that are employed full time must also typically have completed at least a secondary education. Some countries also require that teachers have either a post-secondary degree in a field related to child development, or a combination of credit hours in similar courses of study in addition to a set number of hours of experience working with children. Qualifications for the directors of such programs tend to be more rigorous and can often include obtaining a master's degree in early childhood education. Teaching aids, who may work fewer than 20 hours, generally do not need to meet these requirements.
Church day care centers that carry liability insurance may have additional medical training standards that all members of their staff must meet, regardless of the hours worked. This type of training typically includes receiving a certification in different life saving and health care practices. Workers must be able to perform CPR safely on children and must be able to recognize the signs of child abuse or neglect. These courses are often provided periodically by the facility providing the care to ensure that all staff members are properly trained.
