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​New for the Child Care Licensing Program

Meeting the New Health and Safety Requirements for Child care as required by the Federal Government

Meeting New Federal Requirements for Health & Safety Training

The Federal Reauthorization of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) will require all staff in certified child care programs to participate in training on 10 critical health and safety topics by September 30, 2017. Child Care Certification Representatives will be available to help programs meet this deadline. Learn about the options available for child care staff to meet this new federal training requirement.

IMPORTANT: Effective December 31, 2014, new requirements relating to mandated reporter training and criminal history clearances go into effect.

*Act 31 of 2014, which takes effect December 31, 2014, requires all child care facility applicants to complete child abuse training as pre-requisite to applying to operate a child care facility. The Department of Human Services (formerly DPW) and the Department of State have approved Mandated Reporter Training courses to meet mandated reporting (Act 31) licensing requirements.  These courses can be found at the Training for Mandated Reporters page on the KeepKidsSafe website.  After completing the course, a "Certificate of Completion" is available for you to print. A copy of the certificate must be submitted to the regional office with the application packet. Applications will be considered incomplete without the certificate of training.

*When applying for an initial Certificate of Compliance, the applicant must provide clearances that are less than 60 months old. The law removes the ability to use an existing clearance that is less than a year old.

*Act 153 which takes effect December 31, 2014, requires an operator of a  Group Child Care Home and a Family Child Care Home located in a residence to provide clearances for household members 18 years of age and older who reside in the home 30 or more calendar days per year.  The clearances must be less than 60 months old. This requirement applies to applications received on December 31, 2014, and thereafter.