1. (a) All directors, site supervisors, and staff who provide direct care to children shall be registered with the Office of Early Childhood professional development registry within thirty (30) days of hire and all training shall be:

   1. (1) Registered with the office professional development registry; or
   2. (2) Department of Education-approved or Department of Higher Education-approved.

2. (b)

   1. (1) All new staff shall have a probationary period of at least thirty (30) days, but not more than six (6) months, during which they are:

      1. (A) Closely supervised;
      2. (B) Mentored; and
      3. (C) Evaluated.
   2. (2) Evaluations shall be documented and maintained in the employee file.

3. (c)

   1. (1) All new staff members who provide direct care to children shall receive a basic orientation on facility management policies, this part, center schedules, and emergency procedures prior to providing care.
   2. (2) This shall be documented in the employee file.
4. (d) All new staff, including volunteers who are counted in the ratios, shall receive the following orientation within three (3) months of employment, and every three (3) years thereafter, and shall not be left alone with children until this is completed.

5. (e)

   1. (1) Introduction (eight (8) clock hours):

      1. (A) Proper supervision of children;
      2. (B) Behavioral guidance practices;
      3. (C) Safe sleep practices for infants;
      4. (D) Shaken baby syndrome, which includes prevention (Carter’s Law, Acts 2013, No.1208);
      5. (E) Appropriately responding to a crying or fussy infant or child;
      6. (F) Emergency procedures in the event of severe weather or fire, including:

6. (i) Evacuation procedures and routes; and

   1. (ii) Location and use of fire extinguishers;

      1. (G) Mandated reporter training;
      2. (H) Administering medication;
      3. (I) Caring for children with special needs or care plans;
      4. (J) Transportation and car seat safety;
      5. (K) Policies regarding release of children to authorized individuals;
      6. (L) Prevention and control of infectious diseases;

      7. (M) Building and physical premises safety, including the identification of, and protection from:

         1. (i) Hazards;
         2. (ii) Bodies of water; and
         3. (iii) Vehicular traffic;
      8. (N) Nutrition and physical activities;
      9. (O) Prevention and response to food sensitivities and allergic reactions;
      10. (P) Basic child development; and
      11. (Q) The handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of biocontaminants.
   2. (2) See the office website for a list of courses that the office maintains contracts for that meet the above requirements.

7. (f)

   1. (1) All staff shall have fifteen (15) hours of job-specific training each year, including child development training, for the ages of children they work with.
   2. (2) This shall be training focused on their job responsibilities, such as “hands-on routine care” for infants, or “basics of assessment” for preschool staff.
   3. (3) See the office website for a list of courses that meet the above requirements.

8. (g)

   1. (1) The director, assistant director, or site supervisor, and fifty percent (50%) of the facility staff that are on-site at any given time shall have a certificate of successful completion of first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from an approved organization.

   2. (2)

      1. (A) If the facility serves infants and toddlers, this training shall include infant and child CPR.
      2. (B) Infant and child CPR may be included in the basic course or in a separate course.
   3. (3) The curriculum shall conform to current American Heart Association or American Red Cross guidelines.

   4. (4)

      1. (A) The curriculum shall require hands-on, skill-based instruction as well as practical testing.
      2. (B) Training and certification that is provided solely online will not be accepted.

   5. (5) The instructor shall be qualified and authorized to teach the curriculum and shall be certified by a nationally recognized organization, including but not limited to:

      1. (A) Health and Safety Institute; and
      2. (B) Emergency Medical Services Safety Services, Inc.

Codification Notes: “CPR” means cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Carter’s Law is codified at Arkansas Code § 20-9-1401 et seq.