Program Director: Gail Williams
Office: Multi-Purpose Center, Room 231
Phone: (409) 880-2223
E-mail: childcare@lit.edu

This course of study is provided for persons preparing for or employed in the field of early childhood care. The courses may be used as academic instruction in working toward National Child Development Associate requirements but do not provide Child Development Associate certification by themselves.

The caregiver for young children works with young children in a childcare setting, observing, overseeing, interacting, and teaching, which includes setting up curriculum and activities. The caregiver is aware of and attends to the physical, emotional, social, and cognitive needs of the individual child.

The Day Care/Child Care Center Director supervises and oversees the training of caregivers, may work directly with children, and works with budgeting and financing. The director knows the minimum standards to remain in compliance with state licensing practices. The director works with parents and oversees the food program and curriculum.

The Child Care Director/Quality Caregiver can perform the duties of a caregiver and director. In addition, the caregiver may go into the home of children, develop programs to educate parents with parenting skills and other life skills, assess families and individual children, train caregivers, and demonstrate child care center equipment.

A graduate of the two-year instructional program is awarded the Associate of Applied Science Degree.