Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Certification Policy Manual
DCF 202.08(1)(b)2. States:
Training: 2. Department−approved training on shaken baby syndrome, abusive head trauma, and appropriate ways to manage crying, fussing, or distraught children is required, as follows:
a. Prior to certification for each child care operator.
b. Prior to beginning to work with children in care for each provider, including volunteers, substitutes, and emergency back-up providers, or any other person who provides care and supervision for children under 5 years of age.
The requirement for SBS Prevention Training went into effect in April 2007 to comply with the Wisconsin Legislature’s 2006 Prevent Violence Against Children Act. The Act required that all child care providers working with children under age 5 years receive training in Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) Prevention and how to manage crying, fussing or distraught children. SBS Prevention training materials were developed jointly by the former Children's Trust Fund and other state agencies.
In 2020 Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention Training for Child Care Providers has been updated and renamed Abusive Head Trauma Prevention Training for Child Care Providers. The new Abusive Head Trauma Prevention Training was developed by the Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board (CANPB) and the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), in consultation with the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. It includes a lot of important new information.
Shaken Baby Syndrome is one form of Abusive Head Trauma (AHT). AHT also includes injury, not only to the brain but also the skull and spinal cord, which can result from shaking or from inflicting trauma on the head by other means such as throwing, intentionally dropping, striking or other forms of impact. Abusive Head Trauma Prevention Training for Child Care Providers addresses the latest information on:
Abusive Head Trauma (AHT)
The Period of Purple Crying
Strategies and challenges of soothing
Coping with frustration
Having a plan and educating others
Participants completing an AHT in-person or virtual class will be issued an AHT Prevention Certificate of Completion, with two exceptions: 1. When AHT training is given as part of the department-approved, entry-level classes Introduction to the Child Care Profession, Principles of Child Care Certification, and Fundamentals of Infant and Toddler Care, a Registry Certificate or an individual’s learning record from the Wisconsin Registry will be accepted as verification. 2. The DCF AHT Prevention online training hosted by the WI Registry does not result in a certificate of completion. (see additional information below about the WI Registry online class and completion verification.)
The free online training moved from the DCF website to the WI Registry 9/1/24. Providers can search the free WI Registry Training page for event #952706 (English) or #952748 (Spanish) for the free DCF AHT Prevention training. The free online AHT training hosted by the WI Registry will not result in a certificate of completion. However, providers may access and submit their WI Registry Learning Record as documentation of completed training. Providers and certifiers may refer to the WI Registry AHT Training web page for an AHT Verification Guide and an E-Learning Guide. Additionally, in the near future, AHT Prevention Training offered at Child Care Resource and Referral agencies may not result in a certificate of completion. The CCRRs will send verification of completed training to the WI Registry and the provider may access their learning record as described in the Verification Guide.
Verification of WI Registry AHT Training can be found in the following places:
Registry Certificate of Achievement, under the ‘With’ section
Current WI Registry members can view/download their Learning Record. AHT training is verified under ‘Degrees, Certificates and Credentials.’
Staff with access to a Program Profile can view the Licensing Learning Record within the Staff List report for employees with a current Registry membership.
If Registry membership is not current, view verified AHT training under the Licensing section of the Education tab in the personal profile
If Registry membership is not current, view verified AHT training on the Training tab in the personal profile
For more information visit the department’s Abusive Head Trauma Prevention Training webpage and FAQs.
3.2 AHT/SBS Pre-Training Video
3.3 AHT/SBS in Department-Approved Entry Level Training
3.4 AHT/SBS in High School Curriculum
3.5 SBS Information Provided to Parents by Hospitals/Physicians
3.6 Documentation of AHT/SBS Training
3.6.1 AHT/SBS Backdating Certificate Approval
3.7 AHT/SBS Requirements for Substitutes and Other Providers
This page last updated 09/2024.