Georgia Approved Child Care Training | GaPDS Approved Training

Georgia approved child care trainings you'll actually want to sit through

Learn practical classroom-ready strategies from a Speech Language Pathologist & Early Intervention Specialist — plus access to digital resources and a community of educators like you!
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Speech-language pathologist preparing child care training materials for early childhood educators
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Browse all live and self paced professional learning for Georgia child care providers

Trainings you'll actually want to finish

Bridging Child Development is a GaPDS/DECAL-approved training organization

All our trainings are approved through the Georgia Professional Development System (GaPDS) — the state's workforce registry managed on behalf of Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL). 

Georgia Child Care Training Requirements

Everything You Need To Know:

Annual Training Requirements

All staff in licensed Child Care Learning Centers (CCLCs) and registered Family Child Care Learning Homes (FCCLHs) in Georgia must complete 10 clock hours of DECAL-approved training annually, evaluated on a calendar-year basis (January–December), after their first year of employment.
Under DECAL's current guidelines, those 10 hours break down as:

2 hours — Early Language & Literacy Lab training (see below)

2 hours — ongoing child development, health & safety

6 hours — other approved topics (no more than 2 may be business-related)

Early Language & Literacy Lab Requirement (Georgia's Newest Rule):

Beginning July 2025, 2 of your 10 annual hours must be Early Language and Literacy Lab training, required under the Georgia Early Literacy Act (House Bill 538). This training must come from a DECAL-approved source, and your certificate must specifically state that it meets the Early Language and Literacy Lab requirement

Bridging Child Development has trainings approved to meet the Early Language and Literacy Lab requirement, and your certificate will include the required DECAL language confirming it counts, so you can knock out your literacy requirement and your annual hours in one place.

Advance Your Early Childhood Career and Grown Your Program

Georgia supports early childhood educators through the Georgia Professional Development System (GaPDS), the state's professional development registry. Many Georgia child care programs participate in Quality Rated, Georgia's statewide quality improvement system. Quality Rated helps programs strengthen teaching practices, improve classroom quality, and demonstrate their commitment to high-quality early learning. Professional development is an important part of this continuous quality improvement.

Georgia Child Care Association (GCCA)

The Georgia Child Care Association (GCCA) is a statewide organization that has supported Georgia's child care community since 1977. Whether you're a teacher, director, or program owner, GCCA is a valuable resource for staying connected to Georgia's early childhood community.

Meet Your Trainer

Hi, I'm Kelly
A licensed Speech Language Pathologist, Early Intervention Specialist, Child Care Trainer, and Former Family Child Care Owner

I work alongside teachers every day caring for children with developmental delays, feeding challenges, speech and language disorders, and more.

I kept hearing the same thing: "Our trainings don't teach us this." So I created trainings that do! 

No fluff. Just practical strategies designed to fit naturally into everyday routines with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers
Speech-language pathologist working on professional development resources for early childhood educators

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Frequently Asked Questions:
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Opening a Child Care Facility in Georgia

  • If you are interested in opening a child care program or working in the child care field in Georgia, licensing requirements vary based on your program type. The best first step is to contact the state licensing agency for the most accurate, current guidance.
  • For official information, reach out to Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), which oversees licensing, professional development, and the GaPDS registry.

 
Bright from the Start:
  • DECAL Phone: 1-888-442-7735 or 404-656-5957
  • Visit DECAL to learn more