Early Childhood Core Competencies

Core Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals can be used by everyone working in the field of early childhood – classroom teachers, home visitors, adult instructors, coaches and mentors, family child care providers, para-educators, special educators, supervisors, sponsors of professional development, presenters and others. They align with all levels of the Early Childhood Career Ladder.

Make up of Core Competencies

The ‘core’ is the foundation.  Core Competencies are one of four parts in a framework describing what professionals need to know and do.

Core knowledge refers to the big chunks: the knowledge needed by professionals to effectively work with young children and their families. There are 5 core knowledge areas that encompass Vermont’s core competencies for early childhood professionals. Afterschool Core Competencies share the same 5 basic knowledge areas.

• Child Development
• Families and Communities
• Teaching and Learning
• Healthy and Safe Environments
• Professionalism & Program organization

Subheadings break the core knowledge areas into smaller chunks. They describe the component parts that make up the core knowledge area. For example under Child Development one subheading is Individual Variance.

Core competencies are the smallest pieces. They detail the observable skills, values and attitudes needed by professionals in order to provide high quality services. In the competency documents are examples of how you might see these core competencies in practice.

Levels sort the core competencies in order from entry level to advanced. The Core Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals document details level I, II and III and shows how Levels IV, V and VI align with the professional standards for Vermont Department of Education teacher licensure with early childhood endorsement.

Other competencies extend from these core competencies. In Vermont these include Program Director and Early Childhood Family Mental Health Competencies.