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Washington, DC family child care licensing: Training requirements

This post is a part of our series on Washington DC family child care licensing. For more on licensing in Washington DC, see the following posts: 

Washington DC Family Child Care Licensing: An Overview
Types of Licenses
The Licensing Process
Eligibility
Home Requirements

As a licensed home-based child care provider in Washington DC, you will have to meet certain training requirements.

Each paid employee of a Licensee serving infants, toddlers, and/or preschoolers shall participate in the ongoing professional development, which shall include:

  • Registration with and participation in OSSE’s professional development information system;
  • Pre-service and orientation training in health and safety standards;
  • Annual training to maintain and update the employee’s knowledge of health and safety standards; and
  • Annual professional development that:
    • Incorporates the knowledge and application of the District’s early learning and developmental guidelines;
    • Promotes the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of children; and
    • Improves the knowledge and skills of directors, teachers, and caregivers in working with children and their families.

Pre-service Training: Within 30 calendar days of the date of hire, each staff member shall receive pre-service training in the health and safety standards of licensed Child Development Facilities in the District of Columbia that, at a minimum, shall include:

  • Child abuse and neglect, prevention, detection, and reporting;
  • Emergency preparation and response planning for emergencies resulting from a natural disaster or a human-caused event;
  • Prevention of sudden infant death syndrome and use of safe sleep practices, as applicable;
  • Prevention of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma, as applicable;
  • First aid and CPR.

Orientation Training: Within 90 calendar days of the date of hire, each staff member shall receive orientation training in the additional health and safety standards of licensed Child Development Facilities in the District of Columbia that, at a minimum, shall include:

  • Developmentally appropriate programming for infants, toddlers, preschool, and/or school-age children, as applicable;
  • Prevention and control of infectious diseases, including immunization;
  • Administration of medication, consistent with standards for parental or guardian consent;
  • Prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions;
  • Building and physical premises safety, including identification of and protection from hazards that can cause bodily injuries such as electrical hazards, bodies of water, and vehicular traffic; and
  • Poison prevention, including the handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of bio-contaminants.

Health & Safety Training: The following critical health and safety training must be completed before staff members are allowed to care for children unsupervised:

  • Prevention of sudden infant death syndrome and use of safe sleep practices;
  • Prevention of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma;
  • First aid and CPR;
  • Poison prevention, including the handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of bio-contaminants;
  • Prevention and control of infectious diseases, including immunization.

Transportation Training: All staff members responsible for transporting children shall receive additional orientation training in the following areas prior to assuming their transportation duties:

  • Transportation regulations, including the modeling of how to properly conduct a vehicle passenger check and demonstration by staff to director on how to conduct a vehicle passenger check;
  • Proper use of child safety restraints required by District law;
  • Proper loading, unloading, and monitoring of children;
  • Location of first aid supplies;
  • Emergency procedures for the vehicle, including actions to be taken in the event of accidents or breakdowns.

Annual Professional Development

  • Each paid employee of a Facility serving infants, toddlers, and/or preschoolers whose duties or responsibilities include the care of enrolled children shall participate in the annual professional development, including annual training that maintains and updates the health and safety standards, as follows:
    • Child Development Home Caregivers and staff shall participate in at least 12 hours of professional development annually;
    • Expanded Home Caregivers and staff shall participate in at least 15 hours of professional development annually.
  • Annual training that maintains and updates the health and safety standards shall include:
    • Child abuse and neglect, prevention, detection, and reporting;
    • Emergency preparation and response planning for emergencies resulting from a natural disaster or a human-caused event;
    • Prevention of sudden infant death syndrome and use of safe sleep practices;
    • Prevention of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma;
    • First aid and CPR;
    • Prevention and control of infectious diseases, including immunization;
    • Administration of medication, consistent with standards for parental or guardian consent;
    • Prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions;
    • Building and physical premises safety, including identification of and protection from hazards that can cause bodily injuries such as electrical hazards, bodies of water, and vehicular traffic;
    • Handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of bio-contaminants; and
    • Identifying, approaching and referring students showing signs of psychological distress to appropriate support services
  • Annual professional development, beyond the health and safety standards, may include:
    • Developmentally appropriate programming for infants, toddlers, preschool, and/or school-age children, as applicable;
    • Developmentally appropriate methods of positive behavior intervention and support;
    • Inclusion of children with special needs, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act;
    • Communication and collaboration with parents, guardians, and families;
    • Community health and social services resources for children and families;
    • Planning developmentally appropriate programs and activities for children and families;
    • Enhancing self-regulation and self-esteem in children;
    • Montessori curriculum, pedagogy, classroom management and other topics specific to the Montessori program, if applicable;
    • Basic or advanced business practices;
    • Any other area as determined by OSSE.

Training Settings & Documentation

Training Settings: Each staff member may receive the required pre-service training, orientation training, and professional development in a variety of settings, including but not limited to seminars, in person or online courses, workshops, conferences, or association meetings:

  • Conducted by an OSSE approved trainer or training organization through OSSE’s Trainer Approval Program or any similar program established by OSSE; or
  • Conducted by an institution accredited by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Training Documentation: Licensee shall maintain, and make available for inspection by OSSE upon request, adequate documentation of each staff member’s completion of the required pre-service training, orientation training, and professional development. Acceptable documentation shall include one or more of the following:

  • A transcript from an institution accredited by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation;
  • Certification of participation from a training source approved by OSSE;
  • Written documentation verifying completion of training in First Aid for children, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for children, or common childhood illnesses, from acceptable sponsoring entities, including the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the National Safety Council, and other similarly recognized organizations; or
  • A signed and dated statement from the trainer, on a form approved by OSSE, verifying the staff member’s participation in a training program conducted by a trainer licensed, certified, or otherwise approved by OSSE.

How to Access Training

Quorum: Online Professional Development Resource
Free membership – includes unlimited training from now until May 25, 2018.
Convenient – Courses are available 24/7 anytime, any place. Over 120 hours of training available.
Training Credit – CEUs awarded nationwide; approved for state training hours in most states.
Child care providers can access the learning modules directly on Quorum’s user website.

Professional Development Catalog Fall 2017
The Early Learning Course Catalog was developed to provide the early childhood education (ECE) and Out-of-School Time (OST) workforce with multiple opportunities for professional growth and development; opportunities for meeting the yearly continuing education requirements, and opportunities to participate in a District-wide professional learning community.

Health & Safety Training
The Division of Early Learning’s Professional Development Unit is offering both synchronous (i.e., classroom) and asynchronous (i.e., online) courses that cover the 11 required topic areas. To review the list of courses and register, please visit osse.dc.gov/events. You can view the Child Care and Development Fund Health & Safety Preamble here.

Sources: Quorum: Online Professional Development Resource, Professional Development Catalog Fall 2017, OSSE Health & Safety Training, Final Rulemaking for the Licensing of Child Development Facilities

Wonderschool

Wonderschool is a network of quality in-home early childhood programs. Our mission is to ensure that every child has access to a home away from home that helps them realize their full potential. We work with experienced educators and child care providers to help them start their own child care or preschool out of their homes, whether they live in apartments, condos, or homes that they rent or own.