US Army Awards Contract to the Council for Professional Recognition

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army awarded a Non-appropriated Fund (NAF) contract to the Council for Professional Recognition for awarding the Child Development Associate (CDA™) credential and related services to Army Candidates. The contract commenced on October 1, 2015 for period of one year and has four one-year options.

"The Council for Professional Recognition recognizes the value of having an effective early childhood workforce that possesses the competence to serve young children and families," said Valora Washington, Ph.D., Council chief executive officer. "Obtaining the Child Development Associate™ (CDA) National Credential is a key indicator that early care and education professionals have the appropriate level of competence to ensure high-quality care."

The CDA™ represents expert consensus about what early educators should know and be able to do. It plays a significant role across the spectrum of early childhood settings in the United States, from employer-sponsored child care to federal-government based entities. The CDA is also included in many state-level Quality Review and Improvement Systems and a wide range of local community-based services for young children and their families.

The mission of the U.S. Army Installation Management Command is, in part, to serve the needs of soldiers and their families by offering a variety of family support, entertainment, recreation and child/youth facilities on Army installations worldwide. Their Child, Youth and School Services directorate is responsible for managing the Army's childcare and youth service programs through Army-operated care or installation-based programs and community-based programs.

The Military Child Care Act of 1989 requires that all federal programs are accredited by an outside accrediting body. This requirement aids in establishing and sustaining quality in Child, Youth and School Services programs. This requirement also assists the Army's child and youth programs in maintaining the status of "benchmark for the Nation" in accordance with statutory requirements.

The Council for Professional Recognition (The Council) will provide services to USA FMWRC-CYSS to ensure the maintenance of these standards. The Council will implement Child Development Associate (CDA) services, credentialing and supplies to ensure CDA Credential for Army Child, Youth and School (CYS) Services program staff and Family Child Care (FCC) providers, both Continental United States (CONUS) and Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS). Specifically the Council will provide CDA credentialing to Army CYSS to further candidate training. Additionally the Council shall continue to provide all administrative duties involved in processing Army candidate assessment services, required to award and renew the CDA credentials.

ABOUT THE COUNCIL FOR PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION

The Council for Professional Recognition (The Council) promotes improved performance and recognition of professionals in the early childhood education of children aged birth to 5 years old. The Council works to ensure all professional early childhood educators and caregivers meet the developmental, emotional, and educational needs of our nation's youngest children. The Council recognizes and credentials professionals who work in all types of early care and education programs—Head Start, pre-K, infant-toddler, family child care, and home visitor programs.

ABOUT THE U.S. ARMY INSTALLATION MANAGEMENT COMMAND

The U.S. Army Installation Management Command exists in part because the U.S. Army "is committed to the well-being of the community of people who serve and stand ready to defend the nation." Their mission is to provide base infrastructure support, and to serve the needs, interests and responsibilities of each individual in the Army community. Keeping an Army ready to fight and win takes more than hard work and training.  Soldiers need a balance of work and play. The command's G9, Family and MWR Programs Directorate has the mission to create and maintain the "First Choice" Morale, Welfare and Recreation products and services for America's Army, essential to a ready, self-reliant force.

SOURCE Council for Professional Recognition

Related Links

http://www.cdacouncil.org/