CKB40

Can anyone advise me how I can get my UK childcare qualification recognised in California?

Before moving to the U.S. last year, I completed my ​CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce (QCF) England. Basically a UK recognised qualification for working with Early years children (Nursery school)

scrubbedexpat099

My assumption is that you would need to get qualified locally. That is usually the case.

Pulaski

What Boiler said.

If you're lucky you may get credit for some of your studies in the UK, but whether you're a skilled tradesman, a brain surgeon, or anything in between, if you want to work in your chosen occupation in the US, you will as a minimum be taking new licensing exams. In all likelihood you will also have to take additional classroom training and/or have to accumulate additional hours of practical experience.

Yorkieabroad

If it's any help, the early childhood places round us all tout the NAEYC accreditation/qualification. No idea how that compares to anything else, or even whether it is anything more than a trade organization(I think it is,but stand to be corrected by those in the know) but everyone seems to go for it.

andrewlohnes

Just as a little input from me, I am a HGV mechanic here in the UK with a National Diploma and 10 years experience, I contacted the local University for mechanics in Phoenix and they told me it would be a waste of time going back to school as with 10 years experience they believe I would get a job easily. I also spoke to CAT about working for them when I moved over and they said I would be able to work for them no problem. Whether it helps that I have US citizenship I'm not sure but that's just my input.

If it works out that way or not I will find out soon enough.

mikelincs

The US citizenship is the most important of your 'qualifications' at least you can just move there and apply, the OP needs a visa to even get there.

andrewlohnes

She is there already isn't she?

mikelincs

my bad, (don't you hate that expression), I didn't read the OP fully, assumed she was in the UK.

andrewlohnes

You are forgiven but like you kind of said about me, apply for a job with the qualifications you have and see what they say, what's the worst that can happen?

scrubbedexpat091

Check with your local county you will be living in (sometimes it might be the city as well) and see what they say, its not likely child care will be at the state level.


My mom was a paramedic in California for 20 years and during that time (might still be the case) they were licensed at the county level, so while she worked most of the time in 1 county, she also had to certify in 2 nearby counties as they sometimes were called to work in those counties, but all had different certification requirements.

California likes to do a lot on the county level based on state rules vs having the state deal with it.

Bob

Qualifications need to be able to work aside, many childcare places these days require a masters or more in education, childhood development or similar studies to be considered.

CKB40

Thank you all for you posts.

I think I may, as recommended, apply for positions and see what hurdles I come across in order to get a full picture of requirements.