5.6 Ongoing Health and Safety Training

Lead Agencies must have ongoing training requirements for all caregivers, teachers, and directors of eligible CCDF providers for health and safety standards but have discretion on frequency and training content (e.g., pediatric CPR refresher every year and recertification every 2 years). Lead Agencies have discretion on which health and safety standards are subject to ongoing training. Lead Agencies may exempt relative providers from these requirements. 5.6.1 Required ongoing training of health and safety standards Describe any required ongoing training of health and safety standards for caregivers, teachers, and directors of the following CCDF eligible provider types. a. Licensed child care centers: Licensed child care providers (not including substitutes or volunteers) must obtain 12 clock hours of annual training. Staff who work 20 hours or less each week must complete 6 hours of annual training. If the substitute works over 20 hours per week and is counted in the staff-to-child ratio, the substitute must obtain 12 clock hours of annual training and any additional training required if the substitute is a Director or Teacher. New staff orientation training includes training on job duties, infection control, abuse and neglect, child care center regulations, emergency preparedness, interacting with children, and discipline policies. Other required teacher training includes: safety training (including sudden infant death, shaken baby syndrome and child abuse/neglect and reporting), training on Nebraska’s Early Learning Guidelines, CPR and First Aid, Safe and Healthy Environments, Learning Environments, Physical Development, Cognitive Learning, Communication, creative Learning, Self-Esteem, Social Development, guidance, Family Relationships, Program Management, and Professionalism. Additional training is also required on, but is not limited to, transportation, abusive head trauma, crying plans, and safe sleep. b. License-exempt child care centers: Nebraska does not have CCDF-eligible license exempt child care centers. c. Licensed family child care homes: Licensed child care providers (not including substitutes or volunteers) must obtain 12 clock hours of annual training. Staff who work 20 hours or less each week must complete 6 hours of annual training. If the substitute works over 20 hours per week and is counted in the staff-to-child ratio, the substitute must obtain 12 clock hours of annual training and any additional training required if the substitute is a Director or Teacher. New staff orientation training includes training on job duties, infection control, abuse and neglect, child care center regulations, emergency preparedness, interacting with children, and discipline policies. Other required teacher training includes: safety training (including sudden infant death, shaken baby syndrome and child abuse/neglect and reporting), training on Nebraska’s Early Learning Guidelines, CPR and First Aid, Safe and Healthy Environments, Learning Environments, Physical Development, Cognitive Learning, Communication, creative Learning, Self-Esteem, Social Development, guidance, Family Relationships, Program Management, and Professionalism. Additional training is also required on, but is not limited to, transportation, abusive head trauma, crying plans, and safe sleep. d. License-exempt family child care homes: License exempt family child care home providers are required to complete at least 4 hours of annual ongoing training, with at least 2 hours being from health and safety standards. These standards include prevention and control of infectious diseases, immunization, safe sleep practices, administration of medication, prevention and response to emergencies due to food or allergic reaction, safe and healthy environments, prevention of abusive head trauma, emergency preparedness, handling and storage of hazardous materials, transportation of children, pediatric first aid and CPR, child abuse and neglect, and child development. Approved relative providers are exempt. e. Regulated or registered in-home child care: In-home child care providers are required to complete at least 4 hours of annual ongoing training, with at least 2 hours being from health and safety standards. Approved relative providers are exempt. This population of providers is not funded with CCDF funds. f. Non-regulated or registered in-home child care: There is not a category of non-regulated CCDF care in Nebraska. All license exempt in-home child care providers who wish to receive child care subsidy must be registered with the Lead Agency and meet all Lead Agency requirements, including ongoing training requirements.