Canada Maintain Your Credential

2. Credentialing
3. GCDF
4. Canada
5. Maintain

Maintaining the GCDF Credential

The GCDF credential is valid for a period of five years. GCDF credential holders must pay annual maintenance fees and recertify at the end of each five year period.

Renewal and recertification are different, but related processes. A GCDF renews her/his certification by submitting their annual fees. Recertification takes place every five years and includes the submission of proof of completion of continuing education workshops and training.

Failure to complete renewal or recertification processes will result in revokation of GCDF certification.

Renewal

GCDFs must remit the annual maintenance fee by the due date to remain credentialed. The current fee is $25.00. The annual billing occurs approximately six weeks before your certification month. (Example: If your certification date is June 24, 2006, you will receive your maintenance bill in May 2007.) If you do not receive the renewal notice at this time, please contact CCE immediately. If CCE does not receive payment by the due date, your certification will become inactive. Once the certification has become inactive, you will be required to submit a reinstatement application, a $50.00 reinstatement fee, and full payment of the past due balance.

Recertification & Continuing Education

Recertification is necessary every five years. The recertification process and its components are described below.

1. Continuing Education: Once certified, you must complete 75 continuing education hours within the 12 competency areas during the five-year certification period. You may submit up to 15 hours in other areas for CCE review and approval. You may be required to provide copies of certificates of attendance and other documentation of continuing education.
   • GCDF Continuing Education Guidelines: A list of guidelines for determining which continuing education activities may be applied towards GCDF recertification have been developed, and is available for download.
   • GCDF Continuing Education Log: GCDFs should maintain a log documenting their continuing education hours. The form is available here.
   • Contact Hour Verification Form: CCE credential holders who do not wish to pay to obtain a certificate (or other form of provider verification) may use this form to document continuing education hours. This form may also be used in cases where the sponsor does not provide documentation of attendance.
2. Recertification notices and instructions are mailed in conjunction with the annual maintenance fee notices. If you do not receive the recertification notice one month before your expiration date, please contact CCE immediately. If CCE does not receive the signed recertification notice and payment by the due date, your certification will expire. When a certification expires, the following are required for reinstatement: a reinstatement application, a $50.00 reinstatement fee, documentation of 75 continuing education hours, and full payment of the past due balance.
3. Consultation/Supervision: You must attest that you sought consultation/supervision each time you had concerns, questions or doubts that you were practicing outside of your competency/training.
4. Ethics Adherence: You must uphold the GCDF Code of Ethics at all times. When you receive your recertification notice, you will be asked to attest to your adherence to the GCDF Code of Ethics.

Reinstatement

If your certification is inactive and you would like to become current, please submit the following:

1. GCDF Reinstatement Application and $50.00 reinstatement fee
2. Full payment of the past due balance.

If your certification has expired and you would like to become current, please submit the following:

1. GCDF Reinstatement Application and $50.00 reinstatement fee
2. Full payment of the past due balance
3. Documentation of 75 hours of career development-related continuing education.