Child care workers would receive interactive safety training

Child care workers must receive interactive training on reducing the risk of abusive head trauma; reading or watching information alone does not count. This applies to directors, staff, substitutes, and unsupervised volunteers at covered child care centers, and to staff at certified centers that care for children under school age. The training must cover risk factors, ways to reduce the risk in child care, and how providers can discuss risk reduction with parents. For the general child care requirement, workers must train during orientation and each calendar year after that. Certified center staff must train before helping care for a child under school age. These provisions would take effect January 1, 2027.

Covered family child care providers must ensure and document training on sudden unexpected infant death and abusive head trauma. This applies to license holders, second adult caregivers, substitutes, and helpers who assist in caring for infants or children under school age in covered family child care programs. The two subjects may be taught in one course lasting no more than two hours. A family member is exempt only if they care solely for the license holder’s own infant or young child and are not designated as a second adult caregiver, helper, or substitute. Training must be completed each calendar year before a covered person assists in caring for infants or young children. This provision would take effect January 1, 2027.