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: Specific training requirements are outlined in licensing rules and cover a broad range of requirements. Some of the requirements include: the completion of fifteen (15) hours of annual professional development activities for all staff, CPR and First Aid training, which does not count towards annual professional development requirements, additional hours for program directors in addition to a Basic Specialized Care training to be completed in the first year of employment. An Administrative Memo effective October 1, 2024, requires substitutes to complete four (4) hours of annual professional development activities in addition to any requirements for infant/child CPR certification (or recertification) and first aid training. b. License-exempt child care centers: N/A c. Licensed family child care homes: As with the child care centers, specific training requirements are outlined in licensing rules and cover a broad range of requirements, including some of the same fifteen (15) hours of annual professional development activities for all staff, CPR and First Aid training, and the additional hours for provider who are identified as Specialized Child Care Providers must take the Basic Specialized Care training in the first year and then six (6) additional hours of training annually that count toward meeting Advanced Specialized Care ("ASC") requirements. An Administrative Memo effective October 1, 2024, requires substitutes to complete four (4) hours of annual professional development activities in addition to any requirements for infant/child CPR certification (or recertification) and first aid training. 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). N/A 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? Northern Lights at CCV manages a course calendar where individuals in the early childhood and afterschool workforce can find most of the current training opportunities offered by Northern Lights or any of our sponsoring professional development partners. When a training is submitted, these organizations provide descriptions of the training and information on the competency area that the training includes. NL@CCV also has Resource Advisors on staff who can work with any individual working in our regulated workforce on finding topics that best represent their diverse training needs or work to help those individuals find training that matches their needs, including professional development opportunities for providers who care for infants, those with limited English proficiency, bilingual children, and children with developmental delays or disabilities. 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: High-quality health consultation is available to child care programs through Help Me Grow (HMG) Vermont, a statewide coordinated referral and intake system. HMG promotes universal developmental screening and improves access to existing resources and services for expectant parents and families with young children through age eight. HMG helps families, child care providers, educators and others navigate resources and referrals through a centralized system to better connect families with information, resources, and social supports. HMG staff help families access to childcare and financial assistance for care when needed. HMG offers quality improvement training for early educators to screen children across multiple domains of development, including screening for social determinants of health. Training includes use of the ASQ Enterprise online system and tools as well as use of the Hunger Vital Sign food insecurity two-question screener.