6.3 Ongoing Training and Professional Development

6.3.1 Required hours of ongoing training Provide the number of hours of ongoing training required annually for CCDF-eligible providers in the following settings: 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 meet the staff requirements for the position they are assuming, including annual training hours. 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. Current regulations do not require family child care home substitutes to obtain preservice or annual training. Proposed revised regulations will require substitutes to obtain preservice and annual trainings. d. License-exempt family child care homes: License exempt family child care home providers must complete 4 clock hours of annually training annually, with two of the four hours focused on topics of health and safety standards. e. Regulated or registered in-home child care: In-home child care home providers must complete 4 clock hours of annually training annually, with 2 of the 4 hours focused on topics of health and safety standards. This category of provider is not funded with CCDF dollars. f. Non-regulated or registered in-home child care: Nebraska does not monitor non-regulated in-home child care. To be eligible for CCDF in Nebraska, providers must meet all health and safety requirements, including ongoing training requirements. A program that is not participating in CCDF would be considered non-regulated and would not be monitored by the Lead Agency. 6.3.2 Accessibility of professional development for Tribal organizations Describe how the Lead Agency’s training and professional development are accessible to providers supported through Indian tribes or Tribal organizations receiving CCDF funds (as applicable). The regional Early Learning Connection Coordinators invite and encourage participation of staff from child care, Head Start, and school-based early childhood programs located on tribal lands in regional planning meetings. Training events are planned to meet the needs of the tribal communities. Education specialists from the Department of Education (NDE) provide technical assistance to school district early childhood programs in tribal areas. Step Up to Quality provides coaching to early childhood education programs that participate in Step Up to Quality. 6.3.3 Professional development appropriate for the diversity of children, families, and child care providers Describe how the Lead Agency’s training and professional development requirements reflect the diversity of children, families, and child care providers participating in CCDF. To the extent practicable, how does professional development include specialized training or credentials for providers who care for infants or school-age children; individuals with limited English proficiency; children who are bilingual; children with developmental delays or disabilities; and/or Native Americans, including Indians, as the term is defined in Section 900.6 in subpart B of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (including Alaska Natives) and Native Hawaiians? The Early Childhood Training Center (ECTC) works with several community centers to ensure training is accessible to providers for whom English is not their primary language. Training is reviewed by the ECTC and translated resources are provided as often as possible. ECTC also partners with The Midlands Latino Community Development Corporation to provide training and resources for non-English speakers wanting to work in child care to get licensed and trained. The Department of Education (NDE) translates training materials and materials for the quality rating system for child care providers, with Spanish being the most requested language. NDE also works with school and Early Learning Coordinators across the state to attempt to locate multi-lingual persons who are interested in becoming trainers. The Nebraska Early Childhood Professional Record System (NECPRS) has modified processes for persons with disabilities to ensure their successful participation. Web materials are created to be ADA compliant. Interpreters for providers who are deaf or hard of hearing are available to sign for required training. Materials and concepts taught in licensing-required training are inclusive. Materials are created to support inclusivity, regarding socioeconomic level, culture, language, and ability. Training is provided throughout the state at times when providers can attend. Trainings are held evenings, weekends, and by distance learning when appropriate. Nebraska has an Early Childhood Inclusive teaching certificate. This credential prepares teachers to meet the needs of children in an inclusive setting who are birth through grade 3 and who are either typically developing or who have a range of abilities. Institutions of Higher Education offer concentrations of either birth to age 5, or age 3 through grade three, for students choosing this endorsement. Nebraska has revised an introductory training entitled Special Care, which is intended to provide an overview of supports and resources for child care providers who are hesitant about caring for children with disabilities. Special Care can be provided either in-person or via technology. The current version of Special Care was revised within the past year and includes current resources for providers. This was revised using a combination of CCDF and non-CCDF funds. Other resources such as CARA’s Kit are available to child care providers through training across the state. CARA’s Kit: Milbourne, S.A., and Campbell, P.H. (2007). Cara’s Kit: Creating adaptions for routines and activities. Philadelphia, P.A.: Child and Family Studies Research Programs, Thomas Jefferson University. CARA’s Kit is a practical resource written with specific common challenges that young children with disabilities may encounter in a group setting. The assistance provided outlines ways to help the child be successful with suggested adaptations in one or more of the following five categories: Environment, Activity, Materials, Requirement/Instruction, or Assistance. Additionally, the Early Learning Coordinators partner with local Early Childhood Planning Region Teams to coordinate training for providers serving children with disabilities and their families. 6.3.4 Child developmental screening Describe how all providers receive, through training and professional development, information about: (1) existing resources and services the State/Territory can make available in conducting developmental screenings and providing referrals to services when appropriate for children who receive assistance under this part, including the coordinated use of the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment program (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) and developmental screening services available under section 619 and part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.); and (2) how child care providers may utilize these resources and services to obtain developmental screenings for children who receive assistance and who may be at risk for cognitive or other developmental delays, which may include social, emotional, physical, or linguistic delays: 1. Local Planning region teams provide training and information regarding children suspected of having a disability. Additionally, information is available from the Early Development Network/Answers4families (http://edn.ne.gov/cms/what-is- earlyintervention) regarding procedures for requesting a developmental screening. Information about referring children to Child Find, the outreach campaign from the Early Development Network, for identifying children with disabilities is in the Early Learning Guidelines: Nebraska’s Birth to Five Learning and Development Standards book (Early Learning Guidelines (ELG)). Every domain training of the ELG training contains a walk-through of the ELG book with discussion about meeting the needs of diverse learners, including information on inclusion and referral to Child Find. Early Learning Guidelines domain trainings are required for teachers from child care centers and providers in family child care homes. Individuals who are approved to train on any of the domains of the ELG are familiarized with every part of the ELG book and taught to highlight and discuss all parts of the ELG book then concentrate on the specific domain they are training. All trainers are required to follow the content points for the ELG training. The number of ELG trainings and the number of participants is tracked quarterly. 2. Child care providers can make referrals to Nebraska's Early Development Network if they believe a child in their care may be at risk for cognitive or other developmental delays. The contact information is available through their website or linked through the child care consumer education website.