(CSUSM) The College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences has added a Child and Adolescent Development (CHAD) degree program this semester.

Students enrolled in the program will learn essential skills applicable to a wide range of careers. Program Director Dr. Sharon Hamill explained that the CHAD program’s “focus is on the empirical understanding of the development of children and adolescents.” Graduates will have the skills necessary to work with families and know how to best cater to the specific needs of individual children.

In addition to being prepared for child care related jobs, graduates will better understand the behaviors of children in a multi-faceted manner and become better suited to efficiently handle a variety of both professional and personal situations.

In families where both parents work, child services are a necessity and high quality care is vital for proper development. According to Forbes, only 10% of childcare programs can be identified as “high quality.” This creates a large market for trained individuals in the field of adolescent development.

[blockquote cite=”Speaker of the House John Boehner” type=”center”]”Simply improving access to child care isn’t universally good if the quality of care doesn’t improve too.”[/blockquote]

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The U.S. federal government has also acknowledged the need for improved childcare. Two bipartisan bills were signed into effect in 2014, making background checks and annual inspections a requirement for childcare workers. In January, Speaker of the House John Boeher met with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on 60 Minutes to discuss the state of American child care. During the interview, Boehner said, “In the overall context of simplifying our tax code and bringing rates down for everyone — simply improving access to child care isn’t universally good if the quality of care doesn’t improve too.”

The agreement between the parties presents a great opportunity for those who enjoy working with children to pursue a career.

Dr. Hamill and her coworkers have been working to make the degree available to students for the last 10 years. The recent national focus on childcare is perfectly timed with the introduction of the program. When asked about the recent political movements, Hamill said, “We built the degree in part with that bill in mind.”

CSUSM students who graduate with a degree in Child and Adolescent development will be prepared to fill the need for skilled specialists in a growing industry. If interested in learning more about the program, make an appointment with your academic advisor or stop by Craven Hall 1300 during drop-in hours. [/column]