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: 15 hours, 8 specific to child development, 1 hour in Health, Safety and Nutrition annually. Certified Outdoor Nature-Based Child Care programs must complete the same number and category of training hours as licensed child care centers. b. License-exempt child care centers: 6 hours for CCDF license-exempt centers, there is no requirement for non-CCDF license-exempt centers. c. Licensed family child care homes: Certified Family Programs Child Care: 15 hours, 8 specifics to child development, 1 hour in Health, Safety and Nutrition annually. OAR 414-350-0115(13) All providers, substitute providers, and Assistant IIs must complete one hour of training in the core knowledge category of Health, Safety, and Nutrition each year. Registered Family Programs Child Care: 10 hours over the 2-year license cycle, 1 hour specific to Health, Safety, and Nutrition is required annually. OAR 414-205-0055(4) While the registered family child care license is active, the provider must maintain current certification in first aid, infant and child CPR, food handler training, and must complete one hour of training in the category of Health, Safety & Nutrition (HSN) during each year of the two-year license period. d. License-exempt family child care homes: For Regulated Subsidy Programs providers they are required to take an ERDC orientation within the first 90 days of becoming approved to receive subsidy payments. They must complete an additional 6 hours of training in each 2 year period. Trainings include: 2 hours in Human Growth and Development & 2 hours in Understanding and Guiding Behavior. 1 hour annually in Health, Safety & Nutrition. Providers must take an annual health and safety training. e. Regulated or registered in-home child care: N/A f. Non-regulated or registered in-home child care: For Regulated Subsidy Programs, providers they are required to take an ERDC orientation within the first 90 days of becoming approved to receive subsidy payments. They must complete an additional 6 hours of training in each 2 year period. Trainings include: 2 hours in Human Growth and Development & 2 hours in Understanding and Guiding Behavior. 1 hour annually in Health, Safety & Nutrition in the CCDF topical areas. Providers must take an annual health and safety training. 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). DELC maintains ongoing intergovernmental grant agreements with each of the nine federally recognized Tribes within its borders through the Oregon Tribal Early Learning Alliance (OTELA). As part of this work, ORS 417.831 directs the Lead Agency to convene a Tribal Advisory Committee to design and make recommendations to the Oregon Early Learning Council on the delivery of early care and education services to tribal communities through the creation of a Tribal Early Learning Hub (known as Oregon Tribal Early Learning Alliance or OTELA). With the Oregon Tribal Early Learning Alliance grant, Tribes can make purchases to support early learning and care needs, which may include staff support like training and professional development. The Tribal Advisory Committee has deemed professional development to be a top priority. DELC maintains additional grant agreements with several Tribes and Tribal organizations through various state funded programs including Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten, Preschool Promise, and the Early Childhood Equity Fund grant programs. Within the Early Childhood Equity Fund and Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten grants, professional development and training are allowable expenditures. The Preschool Promise grant features built-in supports such as coaches and quality improvement specialists, who operate out of the local Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. DELC will also contract with the Northwest Native Chamber to provide professional development and technical assistance to current and future tribal child care providers for HB3005 Child Care Infrastructure Fund. CCR&Rs provides services to the early care and education system in Oregon. They recruit, train, and promote retention of early care and education programs to meet the needs of child care in their regions. CCR&Rs reach out to the Tribal Nations in their regions to promote connection and collaboration. Proactive collaboration includes Tribal members on the CCR&Rs’ Advisory Boards very involved in strategic planning and data collection, recruitment efforts on the reservations based on child care needs, providing training to early care and education programs that are culturally responsive and in locations that are accessible (such as the reservation and/or virtual), and training for CCR&R staff from Tribal members. 6.3.3 Professional development appropriate for the children, families, and child care providers Describe how the Lead Agency’s training and professional development requirements reflect the range 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 CCR&Rs hire staff that speak the languages of their child care community. They post their trainings in the ORO training calendar and offer trainings in multiple languages throughout the year in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Russian. CCR&R’s offer trainings and designate an age group that each training addresses. The training and the age group is added in the individual’s professional development statements in ORO. Trainings delivered by the CCR&R’s and the Focused Child Care Networks are designed to meet multiple topics, interest, and areas of professional development growth for the early educators in that region or specific language cohort. The Department of Early Learning and Care partnered with ZERO TO THREE to offer Training of Trainers in the ZERO TO THREE Critical Competencies for Infant Toddler Educators to Infant Toddler Specialists and community partners who work with CCR&Rs. As a result of this training, 18 professionals were trained as trainers in the curriculum, including four participants who train in Spanish and one participant who can train in Arabic. The trainers will now be delivering the content over the next year to a diverse group of infant and toddler early educators across the state as a part of the process in becoming a fully certified trainer with ZERO TO THREE. When CCLD creates required trainings, the training is offered in 5 languages (English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Vietnamese). The images in the trainings reflect educators and children of multiple racial backgrounds. When scenarios are offered in training, names of children, foods, and activities reflect different cultures. Materials and resources provided during the trainings are also offered in these five languages. CCLD also hires staff that speak the languages of the early educators who served in Oregon. These staff often work closely with their counter parts in their regional CCR&Rs and work together to problem solve training needs for early educators. Inclusive Partners developed two asynchronous trainings in January 2024, one which focuses on the ADA and the other which focuses on helping providers with general best practices in their classrooms. These trainings are available in both English and Spanish and have reach over 2,400 providers so far. There are 15 regional CCR&Rs providing services to the early care and education system in Oregon. They recruit, train and promote retention of early care and education programs to meet the needs of child care in their regions. Engagement with Tribal Nations vary and range from minimal interaction to proactive collaboration. Proactive collaboration includes Tribal members on the CCR&Rs’ Advisory Boards very involved in strategic planning and data collection, recruitment efforts on the reservations based on child care needs, providing training to early care and education programs that are culturally responsive and in locations that are accessible (such as the reservation and/or virtual), and equity training for CCR&R staff from Tribal members. Multnomah CCR&R highlights personal engagement efforts by providing an Indigenous Instructional Coach for Tribal early care and education programs. Linn, Benton, Lincoln CCR&R provides trainings and supports to the 3 Head Starts on the Siletz reservation and worked with Siletz point person to identify early literacy and social emotional strategies as priorities. Marion, Polk, Yamhill CCR&R hired a Grand Ronde Tribal member to provide services to Preschool Promise Programs on the reservation. Clackamas CCR&R is initiating discussions with the Native Wellness Institute for potential partnerships. Every CCR&R reaches out to the Tribal Nations in their regions to promote connection and collaboration. While there is a spectrum of engagement levels and responses, the importance of fostering meaningful relationships with Tribal communities is understood and emphasized. 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: Information on how and when to make a referral to early intervention/early childhood special education services is provided regularly through local Resource & Referral agencies, Inclusive Partner consultation and other trainings throughout the state. Periodic training on developmental screening with the Ages & stages questionnaire is provided statewide and many children care resource and referral organizations partner with their local early intervention early childhood special education partners to provide in-depth training on supporting child care providers to make referrals to support children’s development. In the current version of Spark (Oregon’s QRIS), star-rated programs must use information from screenings and assessments to inform program planning and make referrals as needed. When CCRR staff are supporting programs through the Spark process they can inform them of the existing resources and services available for conducting screenings and providing referrals.