Programs Training Cycle
Initial Onboarding Trainings
GHC requires that all staff at minimum complete, the following be included in training for all staff with regular child contact within three months of hire:
Prevention and control of infectious diseases.
Prevention of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and use of safe sleeping practices; Gateways SIDS/SUID/Safe Sleep; SIDS training is required within 30 days of hire and must be repeated every three years for IDCFS.
Administration of medication, including parental consent.
Prevention and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions; CPR/first aid with content for EpiPen and allergic reactions.
Building and premises safety, including identification of and protection from hazards, bodies of water, and vehicular traffic.
Prevention of shaken baby syndrome, abusive head trauma, and child maltreatment; Gateways A Preventable Tragedy: Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS/Traumatic Brain Injury).
Emergency preparedness and response planning for emergencies; Gateways Emergency Preparedness.
Handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of bio-contaminants.
Appropriate precautions in transporting children, if applicable.
First aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect. All staff must complete the online IDCFS mandated reporter training annually. Programs may plan for additional professional development related to child abuse and neglect as needed for their particular program. https://mr.DCFStraining.org/.
Hygiene Practices
All staff must systematically and routinely implement hygiene practices that, at a minimum, ensure:
Appropriate toileting, hand washing, and diapering procedures are followed, according to IDCFS Day Care Licensing Standards - 407.320 for centers and 406.22 for family child care homes.
Safe food preparation.
Appropriate actions if exposure to blood and body fluids occurs. Handling must be consistent with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.
Staff must be trained on policies and procedures for hygiene practices at orientation within three months of hire and then annually. Hygiene practices must be included in observations by all supervisors. All training, observations, and feedback must be documented.
The following hygiene-related policies are required of all programs:
Handwashing procedures ii. Handwashing poster iii. Diapering procedures (if serving children birth to age 3)
Universal precautions
The following hygiene-related postings are required for all programs:
Diapering (if serving children birth to age 3) and gloving posters or steps should be posted in the classrooms.
On-Going Required Trainings
GHC requires that any staff with no or little contact regular responsibility for or contact with children must have initial orientation training within three months of hire, as well as ongoing training in all agency, local, state, federal, and DFSS and agency health and safety requirements applicable to their work. The definition of all staff with “no regular child contact” includes at a minimum:
Any staff or supervisors not included in the list of staff with regular child contact above.
Enrollment staff.
Administrative assistants, receptionists, and other support staff.
Bus drivers (see the Transportation section for other training required for bus drivers).
GHC requires at minimum, the following topics must be included in training for all staff with no regular child contact within three months of hire:
DFSS and agency health and safety requirements applicable to their work.
Training in the DFSS and agency emergency and disaster preparedness procedures.
Recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect; all staff must complete the online IDCFS mandated reporter training annually. Programs may plan for additional professional development related to child abuse and neglect as needed for their particular program. https://mr.DCFStraining.org/.
Program directors or their designees, in collaboration with agency human resources staff, must monitor training for staff and ensure all required training and certificates related to child safety are up to date.
Safety Practices — All staff and consultants must follow appropriate practices to keep children safe during all activities, including at a minimum:
Reporting of suspected or known child abuse and neglect, including that staff comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws. All staff must complete mandated reporter training from IDCFS.
Implementation of safe sleep practices, including ensuring that all sleeping arrangements for children under 18 months of age use firm mattresses or cots, as appropriate, and that soft bedding materials or toys are not used for children under 12 months.
Staff that care for infants must have safe sleep training within 30 days of hire, according to IDCFS licensing. The training must be repeated every three years as required by IDCFS. Safe sleep practices must be included in classroom observations by all supervisors. Feedback and corrective training must occur as necessary. All training, observations, and feedback must be documented.
Using appropriate indoor and outdoor active supervision of children at all times.
Active Supervision involves intentional observation of all children in care at all time, including ensuring that sight lines are unobstructed, that regular child counts occur, and that children’s behavior is anticipated and planned for to ensure safety.
Child supervision practices must be included in observations by all supervisors. Feedback, updates to policies and procedures, and corrective training must occur as necessary. All training, observations, and feedback must be documented.
Releasing children only to authorized persons, aged 13 and over.
Policies and procedures for the release of children to predesignated persons.
Release procedures must include steps to meet IDCFS rules for late or no-show at pick-up time.