Iowa Child Care Providers! Earn CEUs and complete your required training at a low cost with ChildCareEd courses such as 45-Hour Child Growth and Development Buy Now $399.00 and Pediatric Blended First Aid & CPR/AED Buy Now $85.00$80.00.
Courses offered by ChildCareEd provide International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and as such, are accepted by the Iowa Department of Human Services, Child Care Bureau.
What training can help me meet Iowa child care licensing expectations?
Many licensing programs expect caregivers and directors to maintain up-to-date professional development in core topics: health & safety (including pediatric first aid and CPR), safe sleep and SIDS risk reduction, medication management, basic pediatric illness prevention, child growth and development, guidance and positive behavior support, and program administration or director training when appropriate. ChildCareEd offers courses that align with these common topics, for example: 45-Hour Child Growth and Development and the CDA Preschool Credential 
Buy Now $400.00. These courses issue IACET CEUs and produce certificates you can use when documenting training. Always confirm which specific topics, hours, and delivery formats are required for your role and license type in Iowa.
How do I confirm a ChildCareEd course is accepted by Iowa licensing?
Follow these steps to verify acceptance and avoid surprises:
- Locate the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) child care licensing pages and read the program guidance for your license type. Use the link at the bottom of this page to open the licensing site.
- Prepare the course details you will show the licensing specialist: course title, number of clock hours or CEUs, provider name (ChildCareEd), delivery format (online, blended, instructor-led), and the certificate issued on completion.
- Call or email your local licensing representative and ask whether IACET CEUs from online providers are accepted for your specific requirement (orientation, annual PD, director training, etc.). Keep the representative's name and the date of contact in your records.
- If acceptance depends on a provider or course approval number, request that information from ChildCareEd and confirm it with Iowa DHS before relying on the training for licensing.
- Keep every completion certificate and your training history in one place (download and store PDFs) so you can present them at renewal or during an inspection.
Which ChildCareEd courses are most useful for Iowa providers?
Below are ChildCareEd courses that commonly support licensing and professional advancement. Note: these courses provide IACET CEUs and detailed certificates; acceptance for your specific requirement depends on Iowa DHS and your license type.
- 45-Hour Child Growth and Development Buy Now $399.00 — comprehensive child development content useful for teachers and directors building formal training hours.
- Pediatric Blended First Aid & CPR/AED (Adult, Child, Infant) Buy Now
$85.00$80.00 — covers life-saving skills commonly required in licensing and by employers; retain the issued certification card and certificate. - CDA Preschool Credential Buy Now $400.00 — a 120-hour course that fulfills the coursework portion of CDA preparation; if you plan to pursue CDA credentialing, this course supports that pathway.
If you plan to pursue or renew a CDA, see our step-by-step guidance: How To Earn Your CDA in Iowa? and read about the benefits in Invest in Your Skills and Children's Futures.
How do subscriptions, vouchers, and documentation work for Iowa providers?
Subscriptions can reduce per-course cost and give access to many trainings (useful if you need multiple topics). Practical steps:
- Purchase a subscription level that meets your needs and download certificates immediately after completion.
- If you use a training voucher from an Iowa program or employer, confirm voucher acceptance with ChildCareEd and ensure the course date aligns with voucher terms.
- For instructor-led or hybrid sessions, confirm how many hours count toward a specific requirement (some licensing rules differentiate instructor-led and online hours).
For operational guidance on starting or running a home-based program in Iowa, review our launch and director resources: Your Iowa Home Daycare Launch Plan, and Your Path to Daycare Director in Iowa. For accreditation or provider approvals, see Accreditations and Affiliations.
How can I document training and prepare for inspections or renewals?
A clear record saves time during inspections and renewals. Keep the following:
- Certificates of completion (PDF) for each training showing course title, provider, date, and CEUs/clock hours.
- A training log that summarizes the date, hours, topic, and the licensing requirement it supports.
- Contact notes (who you asked at Iowa DHS and when) if a course acceptance was clarified by phone or email.
For health-and-safety topics such as SIDS and medication, consult our focused guidance What should child care providers learn in SIDS training? and our course on Allergies and Medication in Childcare Buy Now $16.00.
What should I do next to earn CEUs in Iowa?
Use this checklist to move forward:
- Identify the specific requirement(s) you must meet (orientation, annual PD, director hours, CDA coursework).
- Choose ChildCareEd courses that map to those topics (examples above), and save the certificate on completion.
- Confirm acceptance with your Iowa DHS licensing specialist before you rely on course hours for a deadline.
- Keep a training binder or digital folder with certificates and contact notes.
- Consider the subscription option for ongoing professional development if you anticipate multiple trainings.
For official licensing rules and contact information, consult the Iowa Department of Human Services Licensure & Registration page: Iowa DHS — Licensure & Registration.
Summary: What is the easiest way to keep training current in Iowa?
Child care professionals in Iowa can efficiently maintain compliance by selecting ChildCareEd courses that issue IACET CEUs, confirming acceptance with Iowa DHS, keeping complete documentation, and using subscriptions to access multiple trainings affordably. If you plan to pursue credentials such as the CDA, follow the Council's process and use our CDA resources as part of your coursework and portfolio preparation.
Related reading: Your Guide to a Rewarding Career: Iowa Teacher and Invest in Your Skills: ChildCareEd Training.
Tags: #CDA #CEUs #Iowa #training #CPR
Purchase subscriptions at a low one-time cost and receive unlimited online trainings. It is like getting hours of training for free!
Everyone loves something for free and ChildCareEd is happy to offer free online childcare training courses with subscriptions.
All of our subscription packages include the following:
- Unlimited online trainings, with 3 in-progress trainings at any time
- Access to certificates through the user's profile within the last 4 years
- Training History
- Priority Registration
ChildCareEd has over 1000 hours and counting of ONLINE Training as well as over 100 different Instructor-Led courses.
Some of our subscriptions contain the following features:
- Expedited services
- One instructor-led training per calendar month from the included packages
- CDA Renewal Online Trainings
Our subscriptions are divided into three tiers, all purchasable through a flat fee. Subscription packages are as follows:
- Basic = $65
- CDA Plus = $99
- Instructor-Led = $149
Please contact your local child care licensing office to confirm all requirements as standards are subject to change:
Iowa Department of Human Services, Division of Child and Family Services
Phone Number: (866)448-4605
Child Care Licensing Website: https://dhs.iowa.gov/licensure-and-registration
- 45 Hour Child Growth and Development
- 45-Hour School Age Curriculum
- 45 Hour Preschool Methods and Materials
- 45 Hour Infant and Toddler Methods and Materials
- 45 Hour School Age Methods and Materials
- CDA Bridge Bundle: Family Child Care without Portfolio Review
- 45-Hour Preschool Curriculum
- 45-Hour Infant and Toddler Curriculum
- 45 hour Growth and Development Birth-age 12 ONLINE
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