Training Requirements - Certified Child Care

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Training in the most current medically accepted methods for reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome is required:

  • Prior to certification for each child care operator
  • 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 one year of age

Department−approved training on shaken baby syndrome, abusive head trauma , and appropriate ways to manage crying, fussing, or distraught children is required:

  • Prior to certification for each child care operator
  • 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

All certified family child care operators, including in-home operators, shall successfully complete department-approved preservice and foundational training within three (3) months of certification:

Non-Credit Department-Approved Courses

  • Introduction to the Child Care Profession (Module A) and Fundamentals of Family Child Care

OR

  • Principles of Child Care Certification

Child Care Foundational Training Department-Approved Agencies

Additional Required Training

  • Infant/Child Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)*
    • CPR training must result in a certificate of completion. If the certificate of completion does not have a date specifying the length of time for which it is valid, the CPR training must be renewed every year.
  • Training in Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Completion of the Introduction to the Child Care Profession or Principles of Child Care Certification meets the requirement for child abuse and neglect training. If an individual has completed a credit-based course called Health, Safety and Nutrition, as part of an Associate Degree from a technical school, they have also completed training in child abuse and neglect.
  • Training in Pediatric First Aid
    • Wis. Stats., 48.651(1d)(b) requires pre-service training that covers several health and safety topics including first aid procedures. There is no one specific department-approved first aid training or certification required. The Introduction to the Child Care Profession course covers child health topics including first aid practices. Additionally, certification workers are required under DCF 202.04(3)(b)3.d. to provide prospective applicants first aid information. Information on first aid may include the resources available on the CCIC website.

*Although certification does not require a department-approved course in infant/child CPR or training in the use an automated external defibrillator, child care licensing rules do require these specific trainings. For more information regarding licensing requirements please visit the child care licensing rules page.

New applicants meeting preservice training requirements may be granted Regular Certification. New applicants not yet meeting preservice training requirements may be granted Provisional certification, but must complete required training within three (3) months of certification.

Summary of Training Requirements for Certified Child Care

Acceptable alternatives to completing the Introduction to the Child Care Profession and/or Fundamentals of Family Child Care courses are outlined below.

Option 1 - For-Credit Courses

A university or technical college credit course (2 or more credits) in an area that applies to early childhood/child development may meet the requirements for the Introduction to the Child Care Profession; however, the Fundamentals of Family Child Care Course, Child Abuse and Neglect training and CPR training are still required. Examples of courses that meet the Introduction to Child Care Profession requirement include, but are not limited to, Child Development, Child Psychology, etc.

Option 2 - College Degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE)

The coursework completed to earn a degree in Early Childhood Education meets the requirements of the Introduction to the Child Care Profession. If the degree also included a business/administration course, that course meets the requirements for the Fundamentals of Family Child Care. A transcript must be reviewed to determine if the applicant/provider has completed a business/administration course or if the non-credit course, Fundamentals of Family Child Care, training in child abuse and neglect and CPR training must also be completed to meet preservice training requirements.

If the degree is an Associates from one of the WI Technical Colleges in Early Childhood Education, students have received training in CAN in the course Health, Safety and Nutrition.

Option 3 - College Degree in Education (not ECE)

A BA/BS degree in education meets the same requirements described in option 1. A two or more credit broad-based university or technical college course in early childhood/child development can be completed in place of the Introduction to the Child Care Profession (Module A). The individual also needs to complete Fundamentals of Family Child Care, child abuse and neglect, and CPR training in order to meet preservice training requirements.

Option 4 - High School Child Development Curriculum/Coursework

High school credit in child development (or child care) does not meet the preservice training requirements unless the individual has completed the Assistant Child Care Teacher Certification (ACCT) course through a high school. In these cases, the individual would have been issued a DPI completion certificate. The ACCT course is equivalent to the Introduction to the Child Care Profession. In addition to the ACCT course, completion of Fundamentals of Family Child Care and CPR training is also required.

Acceptable Credit-Based Alternatives to the Introduction to the Child Care Profession Course

A university or technical college credit course (2 or more credits) in an area that applies to early childhood/child development may meet the requirements for the Introduction to the Child Care Profession; however, the Fundamentals of Family Child Care Course and CPR training are still required. Examples of courses that meet the Introduction to Child Care Profession requirement include, but are not limited to, Child Development, Child Psychology, etc. See links below for more detail regarding acceptable credit courses:

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Reduction (SIDS) Training Requirements

Anyone who cares for children less than 12 months of age in a certified child care program must be trained on SIDS risk reduction methods. This requirement pertains to the certified operator and any other providers, including substitutes, volunteers, helpers, employees and emergency back-up providers. SIDS training was incorporated into the department-approved entry level training, Introduction to the Child Care Profession, offered by department-approved agencies effective September 2001. If an operator / provider completed this course after September 2001, s/he has met the SIDS training requirement. If not, the following SIDS training options are available for certified operators in various Wisconsin counties and tribes.

Additional SIDS Resources:

Shaken Baby Syndrome & Abusive Head Trauma Prevention Training Requirements

Anyone who cares for children less than 5 years of age in a certified child care program must be trained on Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) and Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) Prevention. This requirement pertains to the certified operator and any other providers, including substitutes, volunteers, helpers, employees, and emergency back-up providers. Only department-approved trainers may offer the SBS and AHT training. SBS training was incorporated into the department-approved entry-level training Introduction to the Child Care Profession, offered by department-approved agencies effective July 1, 2005. If an individual completed this training (online, correspondence or in person format) after July 1, 2005, s/he has met the SBS/AHT Prevention training requirement.

Computer-Based Trainings for Applicants and Certified Operators
Training in Child Abuse and Neglect
First Aid Training
Other Training Resources
Continuing Education

Regular certified child care operators must complete continuing education annually. Continuing education must be in a topic broadly or specifically related to health and safety or child development and may be non-credit or credit-based education. Types of training acceptable may include workshops, conferences, seminars, lectures, correspondence courses, home study courses and independent reading/viewing of educational materials. The time spent renewing cardiopulmonary resuscitation training may be counted towards the required continuing education hours.