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: The center director, agency administrator, site coordinator, site director, and all child care staff shall complete 18 hours of professional development within their first 12 months of hire, and annually thereafter. Assistant teachers, associate teachers, group leaders, assistant group leaders, family child care workers, and family child care assistants who work fewer than 25 hours per week year round, or more than 25 hours per week during school vacations, or both shall obtain 12 hours of professional development within their first 12 months of hire, and annually thereafter. NH was cited and notified of non-compliance on May 23, 2024 for requiring a minimum number of hours of annual ongoing professional development for substitutes in Licensed Child Care Centers and Licensed Family Child Care that maintains and updates health and safety training standards. b. License-exempt child care centers: He-C 6914.05 (a) In order to maintain enrollment license-exempt child care providers and employees providing supervision of children or required to meet staff to child ratios shall: Complete a minimum of 2 hours of annual professional development in at least one of the training topics listed below and upload documentation to the NH Professional Registry: Child development, Health and safety or fire safety, caring for children with exceptionalities, nutrition, any child care related courses sponsored or funded by the department, indoor and outdoor learning environments, behavior guidance, leadership, child care administration, or mentoring, financial management, working with families, legal issues in child care, child abuse and neglect; and trauma-informed care, and complete a minimum of 2 hours of annual professional development in any of the health and safety topics listed in He-C 6914.04(e)(1)-(11) and upload the documentation to the NH Professional Registry; c. Licensed family child care homes: All child care staff (by definition this includes licensed family child care homes) shall complete 18 hours of professional development within their first 12 months of hire, and annually thereafter. Family child care workers and family child care assistants who work fewer than 25 hours per week year round, or more than 25 hours per week during school vacations, shall obtain 12 hours of professional development within their first 12 months of hire, and annually thereafter. NH was cited and notified of non-compliance on May 23, 2024 for requiring a minimum number of hours of annual ongoing professional development for substitutes in Licensed Child Care Centers and Licensed Family Child Care that maintains and updates health and safety training standards. d. License-exempt family child care homes: He-C 6914.05 (a) In order to maintain enrollment license-exempt child care providers and employees providing supervision of children or required to meet staff to child ratios shall: Complete a minimum of 2 hours of annual professional development in at least one of the training topics listed below and upload documentation to the NH Professional Registry: Child development, Health and safety or fire safety, caring for children with exceptionalities, nutrition, any child care related courses sponsored or funded by the department, indoor and outdoor learning environments, behavior guidance, leadership, child care administration, or mentoring, financial management, working with families, legal issues in child care, child abuse and neglect; and trauma-informed care, and complete a minimum of 2 hours of annual professional development in any of the health and safety topics listed in He-C 6914.04(e)(1)-(11) and upload the documentation to the NH Professional Registry; e. Regulated or registered in-home child care: Not applicable. New Hampshire does not have licensed in-home child care providers. f. Non-regulated or registered in-home child care: In order to maintain enrollment, license- exempt child care providers and their employees shall complete a minimum of 2 hours of annual professional development in a variety of topics (child development, health and safety, fire safety, caring for children with exceptionalities, nutrition, any child care related courses sponsored or funded by the department, indoor and outdoor learning environments, behavior guidance, leadership, child care administration, mentoring, financial management, working with families, legal issues in child care, child abuse and neglect, trauma-informed care) as well as complete a minimum of 2 hours of annual professional development in any of the pre-determined acceptable health and safety topics. 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). NH does not have active Indian tribes or Tribal organizations. 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? Child Care Aware of NH and ACROSS NH have translation services available. As needed, translation services can be accessed by Child Care Aware of NH and ACROSS NH staff to translate referrals to families whose first language is not English. Additionally, translation services can provide translation of Child Care Aware of NH materials that include information about the services provided by Child Care Aware of NH, such as helping individuals to become child care providers. Some of the Child Care Basic trainings have been translated into Spanish. NH's consumer education website, New Hampshire Connections, which is maintained by NH Children’s Trust, is accessible in expanded languages through the Google translation service. ProSolutions trainings can be viewed at no cost to the provider in English or Spanish. In addition, DHHS contracts with the Language Bank, along with having in-house translation services, to further augment the service offerings for individuals with limited English proficiency. BCDHSC invests quality funds in training, professional development, and post-secondary education opportunities for all members of the child care workforce that address implementing instruction that is developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate. Various professional development opportunities are offered, some that are specific to and others that are reflective of the infant and toddler population, school-age population, and children with disabilities. Examples of just a few of the specific professional opportunities that are offered include: "Creating Inclusive Environments", "Reducing Implicit Bias", "Room for All: Inclusion in School-Age Programs", and "Infant and Toddler Programming and Curriculum". 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: The NH Preschool Technical Assistance Network is a statewide technical assistance and training network that promotes quality, developmentally appropriate and culturally competent early childhood education and special education programs in New Hampshire. The PTAN Child Care Inclusion Project provides services to NH child care teachers and directors to support their successful inclusion and retention of children with challenging behaviors and other special needs. Early childhood inclusion embodies the values, policies, and practices that support the right of every infant and young child to participate in a broad range of activities and contexts as full members of families, communities, and society regardless of ability. We partner with NH Family Voices for their Watch Me Grow program (WMG). This is NH’s developmental screening, monitoring, information, and referral system. Composed of a statewide partnership of organizations and agencies, WMG is designed to support the early identification of children who may need developmental supports and services. It is a system, not a stand-alone program that builds on existing resources in the state. This means agencies and programs that support young children work together to support families. Watch Me Grow is available to all children, including families who simply want to learn more about their child’s development. They provide the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) along with trainings to programs and families. They have launched a new training portal to provide online trainings.