Staff Development

Staff Development 1. Owners, Directors, and Director Designees - Before a new license to operate is issued, owners, directors and director designees of the child care facility shall complete mandatory training on courses covering Child Care Regulations, Director Orientation, and Playground Safety. If a new director or director designee is appointed by the child care facility after the license issuance, the mandatory training courses shall be completed by such individual(s) within the first six months of appointment. In the sole discretion of the licensing agency, mandatory training may be waived upon the submission of documentation of the individual’s prior completion of relevant training. 2. All child care staff, directors, director designees, and caregivers shall be required to complete 15 contact hours of staff development, accrued during the licensure year, annually. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), a leading organization in child care and early childhood education recommends annual training based on the needs of the program and the pre-service qualifications of the staff. Training should address the following: a. Health and safety. b. Child growth and development. c. Nutrition. d. Planning learning activities. e. Guidance and discipline techniques. f. Linkages with community services. g. Communications and relations with families. h. Detection of child abuse. i. Advocacy for early childhood programs. j. Professional issues. 3. Contact hours for staff development shall be approved by the licensing agency. The licensing agency, in its sole discretion, may accept suitable educational credits, programs, or degrees in lieu of those specified in Subchapter 5 upon the submission of adequate documentation by the individual. 4. No more than five contact hours of approved in-service training provided by the child care facility may be counted toward the total number of hours required each year. More than five hours of in-service training may be provided by the child care facility but no more than five hours may be counted toward the required total of 15 hours. 5. All volunteers shall receive, at a minimum, one hour of orientation by the facility director. Such orientation at a minimum shall include a review of the child abuse law and reporting requirements, emergency exit procedures, and the facility transportation policy.