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Child Care Services

Technical Diploma│1 Year│33 Credits│Fond du Lac and West Bend Campuses│Eligible for Financial Aid

Gain hands-on experience and learn employable skills in less than a year with the Child Care Services technical diploma at Moraine Park Technical College.

Work toward making a difference in the lives of children birth through age 8 through the Child Care Services diploma at Moraine Park. You’ll gain hands-on training through both classroom work and practicum experience. With the increasing demand for quality child care, students can start working in a child care setting in as little as two semesters.

graduate holding child

What You’ll Learn

Students in the Child Care Services program gain hands-on experience in local child care centers. Students practice creating age-appropriate classroom activities, guiding behaviors and building a well-rounded learning environment. Graduates of the program will know how to follow health, safety and nutrition practices, as well as how to support the development of children’s language skills and dual language learners.

The courses in this technical diploma transfer into the Early Childhood Education associate of applied science degree.

Potential careers include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Child Care Teacher
  • Child Care Assistant Teacher
  • Family Child Care Provider
  • Nanny

Earn certificates, a technical diploma and associate degree along this pathway. Start with some courses for entry-level employment, and continue with additional courses for higher wages and job advancement.

Course Requirements

Course requirements are subject to change. Visit our catalog for up-to-date information.

Course Highlights

  • ECE: Guiding Children’s Behavior
  • ECE: Health, Safety and Nutrition
  • ECE: Social Studies, Art, Music and Movement
  • More

Moraine Park’s admissions starts with the online application. The admissions steps and financial aid process can take 4-5 weeks for some programs, so plan ahead.

View and begin standard admissions steps.

If you have any questions or need help with the process, please contact us at  admissions@morainepark.edu OR 920-924-3200, TTY/VP:Use Relay VRS.

Several factors influence the total cost of your degree, including enrollment fees, the number of credits required, textbooks and equipment. Financial aid can assist with those costs.

The following estimated costs for completing this degree are based on the 2023-24 academic year and are subject to change. For further details, please visit the estimated cost of attendance page.

5,897.10

Current tuition and fees

Coming Soon

Textbooks*

*Based on new books, rental, electronic, and used options may be available.

State Certification Disclosure: Moraine Park Technical College offers programs designed to meet the educational requirements leading to licensure or certification that may be required for employment in certain professions. See Professional Licensure and Certification Disclosure for more details.

The Early Childhood Education program includes required field experience training at off-site locations such as child care centers and schools. These hands-on experiences are an essential part of your education and help prepare you for working in the field. All students must meet specific health and safety requirements before they can participate in field experiences which require working with children.

Pre-Requirements for Field Experience

Before you begin your off-site field training, perspective students must complete the following:

  1. Caregiver Background Check – Must Be Approved

This background check is required by state law and must be completed and approved before starting any field placement. It includes:

  • Fingerprinting
  • FBI and Wisconsin Department of Justice criminal history
  • Child abuse and neglect history
  • State and federal sex offender registries
  • Wisconsin CCAP (Consolidated Court Automation Program)
  • Out-of-state criminal and child abuse history (if applicable)
  • Local court and police records

Cost: Students are responsible for the background check and fingerprinting fee, which is approximately $40.

Note: Some criminal offenses automatically prevent someone from working with children. The list of barred offenses is available here:
Barred Offenses List – WI Department of Children and Families

  1. Health and Safety Training Certificates

These certificates may be completed in the course 307-167 Health, Safety & Nutrition or through an approved training provider: (Note: CPR is not provided in the HSN course; however, may be taken from MPTC non-credit courses or community agency).

  • Infant & Child CPR with AED (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) (in-person class only). For assistance contact your Academic Advisor or Student Services.
  • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Prevention Training
  • Abusive Head Trauma Prevention Training
  • Mandated Reporter Training (Child Abuse and Neglect)
  1. Medical Physical Examination Report – Form DCF-F-CFS0054 Staff Health Form

Students must submit a signed and dated report of a physical examination that was completed within 12 months prior to the start of class. The report may be:

  • A printout of an electronic health record from a medical provider, or
  • Preferably, completed on the Staff Health form

The physical exam must be conducted by a licensed physician, physician assistant, or another qualified EPSDT provider. The report must indicate that the student is:

  • Free from illnesses that may be harmful to children (including tuberculosis)
  • Required by DCF Licensing Physically and mentally able to work with young children
  1. After your enrollment in a Field Experience course students will receive an email invitation sent to your school email for you to submit required documentation to a shared file folder.  

Additional Information

  • Off-site programs may have additional requirements, such as site orientations/training, school district background check, dress codes, or additional documentation.
  • A full list of field experience requirements for this program is available by contacting the Student Health Record Representative at drhoads1@morainepark.edu.

Important: This program does not require a criminal background check at the point of admission, but a criminal background check will be required. Students will need to successfully pass a criminal background check to progress in and complete the program. Students will receive information regarding completing this requirement before being placed working/observing in a child care facility.

Please Note: Moraine Park Technical College does not guarantee:

  1. Placement to practicum sites;
  2. Potential or future employment eligibility beyond graduation;
  3. Ability to sit for licensure or certification exams or achievement of
    credentials related to licensure or certification.

Taking a course within the Child Care Services curriculum prior to completing and passing a criminal background check does not guarantee enrollment in any one of the practicum courses required for program completion.

More information regarding barred offenses that may impact a person’s ability to work at a child care center can be found here: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/files/publications/pdf/5206.pdf

High school dual credit provides high school students the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school, without leaving their high school classroom. The courses are taught by certified high school instructors using technical college curriculum, grading policies and textbooks.

Has previous life experience already helped you build knowledge and skills applicable to your studies? Applying previously earned credits to a program of study can save you both time spent in the classroom and money spent on tuition and fees.

Transferring here is easy! You can transfer in prior college work by submitting official college transcripts or get a free transcript review.

Financial Aid is provided to aid eligible associate degree and technical diploma programs with 28 credits or more. Processing can take 6-8 weeks after a student’s completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is received.

Financial Aid is available for associate degree and technical diploma programs (those that are 2 semesters in length and typically with 28 credits or more). Processing can take 4-5 weeks after a student’s completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is received. Visit the Financial Aid page to learn more.

Our recruiters on any of the three campuses are ready to help you plan your future!