1. (a) All directors, site supervisors, and staff who provide direct care to participants 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’s professional development registry; or
   2. (2) Department of Education-approved or Division of Higher Education-approved.

2. (b)

   1. (1) All new staff shall have a probationary period of at least thirty (30) days, but no more than six (6) months, during which they are closely:

      1. (A) 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 to facility management policies, center schedules, this part, and emergency procedures prior to providing care.
   2. (2) This shall be documented in the employee file.

4. (d)

   1. (1) 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.

   2. (2)

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

5. (i) Proper supervision of participants;

   1. (ii) Behavioral guidance practices;

      1. (iii) Shaken baby syndrome, which includes prevention (Carter’s Law, Acts 2013, No. 1208);

         1. (iv) Emergency procedures in the event of severe weather, or fire, including:
6. (a) (a) Evacuation procedures and routes; and

7. (b) (b) Location and use of fire extinguishers;

   1. (v) Mandated reporter training;

      1. (vi) Administering medication;

         1. (vii) Caring for participants with special needs or care plans;
         2. (viii) Transportation and car seat safety;
         3. (ix) Policies regarding release of participants to authorized individuals;
         4. (x) Prevention and control of infectious diseases;
         5. (xi) Building and physical premises safety, including the identification of and protection from:
8. (a) (a) Hazards;

9. (b) (b) Bodies of water; and

   1. (c) (c) Vehicular traffic;

      1. (xii) Nutrition and physical activities;

         1. (xiii) Prevention and response to food sensitivities and allergic reactions;
         2. (xiv) Basic child development; and
         3. (xv) The handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of biocontaminants.
      2. (B) See the office website for a list of courses the office maintains contracts for which meet the above requirements.

   2. (3)

      1. (A) All staff shall have fifteen (15) hours of job-specific training each calendar year, including child development training, for the ages of participants they work with.
      2. (B) This shall be training focused on their job responsibilities.
      3. (C) See the office website for a list of courses the office maintains contracts for which meet the above requirements.

10. (e)

    1. (1) The director, assistant director, or site supervisor, and fifty percent (50%) of the facility staff who are on-site at any given time shall have a certificate of successful completion of first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation from an approved organization.
    2. (2) The curriculum shall conform with current American Heart Association or American Red Cross guidelines.

    3. (3)

       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.

    4. (4)

       1. (A) The instructor shall be:

          1. (i) Qualified and authorized to teach the curriculum; and
          2. (ii) Certified by a nationally recognized organization.

       2. (B) Including but not limited to:

          1. (i) Health and Safety Institute; and
          2. (ii) EMS Safety Services, Inc.

Codification Notes: Carter's Law, Acts 2013, No. 1208, is codified at Arkansas Code § 20-9-1401 et seq. "EMS" means Emergency Medical Services.