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: All Child care center staff, including substitutes, are required to complete the mandatory approved health and safety preservice training module within 90 days of hire. Continued ongoing training requirements are then broken down by program type or hours of employment. Staff in year-round programs must complete twenty-four (24) hours of professional development (2 hours a month). Staff in partial year programs are required to demonstrate that staff complete two (2) hours of training per month of operation. Staff members at any program type who work less than twenty hours a week or are listed as a substitute are required to complete twelve (12) hours of professional development per year. In any of these scenarios, four (4) hours of required training per year must be in the one of the following health and safety requirements: (1) Prevention and control of infectious diseases (including immunization) (2) Prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and use of safe sleep practices (3) Administration of medication, consistent with standards for parental consent (4) Prevention and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions (5) Building and physical premises safety, including identification of and protection from hazards, bodies of water, and vehicular traffic (6) Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome, abusive head trauma, and child maltreatment (7) Emergency preparedness and response planning for emergencies resulting from a natural disaster or a man-caused event (such as violence at a child care facility) (8) Handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of bio contaminants (9) Appropriate precautions in transporting children (if applicable) (10) Pediatric First-Aid and CPR (11) Recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect. Additionally, all staff must maintain their pediatric first aid and CPR. b. License-exempt child care centers: N/A c. Licensed family child care homes: Family child care providers as well as any assistants or substitutes associated with their program are required to complete the mandatory approved health and safety preservice training module within 90 days of opening/hiring. Continued ongoing training for all family child care providers and full time assistants require them to complete twelve (12) hours of professional development training per calendar year. In partial year programs, Family child care providers and full time assistants are required to complete one (1) hour of professional development pre month of operations. Assistants and substitutes who work less than twenty(20) hours per week are required to complete six (6) professional development hours per year, regardless of the program’s operating schedule. In any of these scenarios, four (4) hours of required training per year must be in the one of the following health and safety requirements: (1) Prevention and control of infectious diseases (including immunization) (2) Prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and use of safe sleep practices (3) Administration of medication, consistent with standards for parental consent (4) Prevention and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions (5) Building and physical premises safety, including identification of and protection from hazards, bodies of water, and vehicular traffic (6) Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome, abusive head trauma, and child maltreatment (7) Emergency preparedness and response planning for emergencies resulting from a natural disaster or a man-caused event (such as violence at a child care facility) (8) Handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of bio contaminants (9) Appropriate precautions in transporting children (if applicable) (10) Pediatric First-Aid and CPR (11) Recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect. Additionally, all staff must maintain their pediatric first aid and CPR. d. License-exempt family child care homes: N/A e. Regulated or registered in-home child care: N/A f. Non-regulated or registered in-home child care: N/A 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). Training and professional development are accessible in person in an ADA compliant facility and online/virtual in either instructor-led or asynchronous modalities. In addition, the PD & TA hub can bring PD to communities as a ￿cluster PD￿ offering which is available to all communities to request including our Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations. At anytime, a participant can call or email the Infoline for additional support to access PD they need or want. 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? Professional development requirements range from regulation driven topics through topics that are developed in response to feedback from early childhood professionals in the state. The PD offered via the state’s PD & TA hub is aligned with higher ed efforts and work towards a credentialing pathway opportunity for ECE professionals and those PD are indicated and promoted widely. For trainings that ECE professionals take that result in a credential (such as CPR and/or food safety), these will include PD hours that go towards the approved PD hours required and enumerated in the regulations. The primary languages PD is offered in are English and Spanish however, if a participant needs a different language and/or translation support ￿ this would be addressed timely and with cultural competency. Some key topics to highlight include: family involvement and engagement, supporting multilingual learners, inclusion practices, EDI topics (including implicit bias and anti-bias curriculum practices), transition to Kindergarten topics, importance of screening and community resources, wellbeing and SEL needs, and many more. 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: Rhode Island child care providers receive training and professional development through a variety of modalities to support developmental screenings and evaluations of young children. Child care providers have access to a series of professional development and on-going supports which utilizes the Rhode Island Early Learning Development Standards (RIELDS) to outline early learning expectations at key benchmarks, from birth to 60 months of age. While presented in a stand-alone document with dedicated professional development, these standards are not considered in isolation. The RIELDS comprise one key element of the state’s early learning system and have been strategically designed to work in conjunction with other parts of the system ￿ curriculum, assessment, professional development, program quality, and workforce competencies. RIELDS training is required for an increasing percentage teachers and administrators as providers move along the state’s QRIS. The RIELDS are designed to promote high-quality care and education for all children birth through five years, with universal design considerations for multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and those at risk for entering kindergarten without adequate foundations for success. As part of trainings and professional development, the RIELDS include information about referral when providers have concerns about a child’s development. Rhode Island currently uses Child Outreach Screening as the primary child find method for children ages 3-5. Rhode Island child care providers can request trained screeners come to their program and, with parent permission, screen children across five developmental domains. This valid and reliable screening tool determination of referral across the screening domains. If referred, families and providers can work with the child’s school district to determine eligibility and services. For infants and toddlers, child care providers can support a similar referral process to Early Intervention. Rhode Island DHS works closely with IDEA Part C and IDEA Part B Section 619 teams to support screenings, referrals, and providing inclusive services for young children with disabilities. Many children receiving early childhood special education services through Section 619 are receiving those services embedded in their early childhood programs through the Itinerant Service model. In addition, local school districts are responsible for screening every child age 3 through K entry every year. Child care programs are supported to refer families to pediatric health care providers and local school districts to ensure all young children receive timely developmental screenings. According to the most recent Factbook data, 72% of all children under age 3 with Medicaid insurance received a developmental screening in SFY22 while only 36% of children ages 3-K entry received a developmental screening in the 2022-2023 school year.