Abusive Head Trauma Prevention Training for Child Care Providers

cartoon image of children sitting at table and painting

The Wisconsin Legislature’s 2006 Prevent Violence Against Children Act went into effect in April 2007. The Act requires child care providers and preschool teachers working with children under age 5 to receive training on SBS prevention and how to manage crying, fussing, or distraught children. AHT prevention was added to the training when it was updated in 2020 by the Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board and the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, in consultation with the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) Prevention Training for Child Care Providers replaced Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) Prevention Training for Child Care Providers on September 1, 2020.

The updated training addresses the latest information on:

  • Abusive Head Trauma (AHT)
  • Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS)
  • The Period of PURPLE Crying®
  • Strategies and challenges of soothing a baby
  • Coping with frustration
  • Having a plan and educating others

See Frequently Asked Questions and Answers to learn more.

Find Training

Visit the Wisconsin Registry for a schedule of upcoming in-person, virtual, and online  AHT Prevention Trainings. Note: Not all AHT trainings are free. 

To find DCF’s free web-based AHT training, enter “DCF” in the Course Title search box, or search using the event ID. listed below.

DCF’s free online Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) training for child care providers moved to the Wisconsin Registry’s online learning system on September 1, 2024. DCF's AHT training will continue to be free for all participants!

For more information on how to verify online AHT completion or print a learning record, review the AHT FAQs and the Wisconsin Registry's AHT Verification Guide. 

Need support in creating a Registry account? Check out the Wisconsin Registry Resources located in their Resource Center or contact the Wisconsin Registry:  
support@wiregistry.org 
608-222-1123

List of DCF-Approved Trainers

For an in-person or virtual AHT Prevention Training for Child Care Providers to meet the requirement after 8/31/2020, the trainer must appear on the list of DCF-Approved Trainers as approved for either AHT or both SBS and AHT, and must use the approved AHT Training Materials.

If you would like to become an approved AHT trainer – qualified to train child care providers using the approved AHT curriculum – you must attend an Abusive Head Trauma Prevention Training for Child Care Providers - Train the Trainer session offered by Thriving Wisconsin. Visit the Wisconsin Registry to find an upcoming in-person or virtual session.

Note: SBS and AHT prevention resources for school districts to use with middle and high school students can be found on DPI’s Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) webpage.

If you have questions about the AHT Prevention Training requirement after reading the Frequently Asked Questions, please contact your certification worker or licensing specialist for further assistance.

SBS/AHT Prevention Brochures for Families

Babies Cry, Be Prepared / Los bebés lloran, esté preparade / Me Nyuam Mos Liab Quaj, Npaj Tos