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Training Requirements

Family Child Care Learning Homes

New Family Child Care Learning Home (FCCLH) Providers are required to possess a qualifying education credential and obtain 20 hours of pre-service training prior to applying for licensure and prior to receiving a certificate of license. The pre-service training includes attending a Licensure Orientation Meeting (LOM) class that is required for all FCCLH applicants that are not currently licensed. Additionally, new FCCLH Providers must obtain at least 10 hours of State-approved Health and Safety Orientation Training within their first 90 days of licensure. After the first year of licensure, new and existing FCCLH Providers must obtain 10 hours of annual training each calendar year (January through December), in diverse topics relating to the care of children. The annual 10 clock hours of training shall be chosen from the following fields: child development, discipline, guidance, nutrition, injury control and safety, health, sanitation, disease control, cleanliness, detection and disposition of illness, child abuse and neglect, including identification and reporting, and meeting the needs of abused and/or neglected children; and business related topics, including parental communication, recordkeeping, etc.

Child Care Learning Centers

New Child Care Learning Center (CCLC) Directors are required to possess a qualifying education credential and attend a Licensure Orientation Meeting (LOM) class prior to applying for licensure and prior to receiving a certificate of license. Within the first 90 days of licensure, CCLC Directors are required to obtain at least 10 hours of State-approved Health and Safety Orientation Training. After the first year of licensure, new and existing CCLC Directors must obtain 10 hours of annual training each calendar year (January through December), in diverse topics relating to the care of children. The annual 10 clock hours of training shall be chosen from the following fields: child development, discipline, guidance, nutrition, injury control and safety, health, sanitation, disease control, cleanliness, detection and disposition of illness, child abuse and neglect, including identification and reporting, and meeting the needs of abused and/or neglected children; and business related topics, including parental communication, recordkeeping, etc.

For more information about training, please see the chart below that explains the different types of training requirements. Additionally, to locate state approved training opportunities throughout the state of Georgia, please visit the Georgia Professional Development System (GaPDS) website.

For more specific information and frequently asked questions on required training, access the following link: http://www.decal.ga.gov/documents/attachments/TrainingFAQ.pdf or contact DECAL's Child Care Services Division at 404-657-5562.

Health & Safety Orientation Training Requirements
  • All CCLC and FCCLH staff with direct care responsibilities must complete at least 10 State-approved hours of Health & Safety Orientation training plus CPR & First aid training (if not currently certified), within the first 90 days of employment.
    • Child Care Services will evaluate staff from the date of hire listed on employment applications to ensure that training is obtained within the first 90 days from the date of hire.
    • Staff who provide direct care to children include, but are not limited to, lead teachers, assistant teachers, substitutes, family childcare helpers, staff involved with transportation, etc.
    • Staff who do not provide direct care could include assistant directors, cooks, administrative staff, or maintenance and housekeeping staff; however, if any of these employees provide direct care to children at any time, they must obtain the required Health & Safety Orientation Training, as well as valid and current CPR & First Aid Training prior to providing care.
  • Health & Safety Orientation training:
    • Will count for at least 10 state-approved hours of training.
    • Qualifies as first-year training requirements.
    • Does not replace the initial staff program orientation, which is still required by the rules.
    • Can only be taken once for at least 10 credit-hours of training. After which, the Health & Safety Orientation Training will not count towards the required 10 hours of annual training for the preceding five (5) years.
  • There must always be a staff person present in the CCLC or FCCLH with the children that holds a valid and current certification in CPR and First Aid. At any given time, at least 50% of the caregiver staff must have completed CPR and First Aid training and have current evidence of the training’s completion.
  • CPR & First Aid trainings must be renewed as required:
    • CPR - before expiration date (expires every 2 years)
    • First Aid - before expiration date (expires every 3 years)
    • CPR and First Aid training do not count towards the 10-hour annual training requirement.
First Year Training Ongoing/Annual Training
  • First year training begins at the staff’s hire date and ends at the first-year anniversary of employment.
  • Example: Hire date: 5/1/23
    First Year Anniversary: 5/1/24
    First year training should be completed by 5/1/24.
    When the program has a licensing study after this time, the consultant will review the staff’s first year training to ensure the required ten hours (10) were completed between 5/1/23 and 5/1/24.
  • All caregiver staff hired before October 1, 2019, were required to obtain a minimum of ten (10) clock hours of training during their first year of employment. At least six (6) of those hours must have been obtained in the following topics:
    • Four (4) clock hours of training in any of the following topics: disease control, cleanliness, basic hygiene, illness detection, illness disposition, and childhood injury control.
    • Two (2) clock hours of training in identifying, reporting, and meeting the needs of abused, neglected, or deprived children
  • During the first year of employment, the CCLC Director and the person primarily responsible for food preparation are required to obtain a minimum of four (4) clock hours of training in food nutrition planning, preparation, serving, proper dish washing, and food storage. 591-1-1-1.33(4)
  • Transportation Training (CCLC only):
    • The Director and all persons involved in transporting children must complete training prior to transporting children.
    • Must be renewed every two (2) years from the date of completion.
  • Ongoing/Annual training begins the January after the first-year anniversary of employment and ends in December of that calendar year.
  • Example: Hire date: 5/1/21
    First Year Anniversary: 5/1/22
    Annual Training Year Begins: 1/1/2023 - 12/31/2023
  • After the first year of employment, ten (10) hours of ongoing/annual training is required to be obtained by all CCLC and FCCLH staff, year after year (January through December), during their employment with the child care program.
    • Ongoing/annual training completed between January and December of 2023 would be evaluated at the licensing study in 2024.
  • Training topics should cover information regarding child development, discipline, guidance, nutrition, injury control and safety, health, sanitation, disease control, cleanliness, detection and disposition of illness, child abuse and neglect, including identification and reporting, and meeting the needs of abused and/or neglected children; and business related topics, including parental communication, recordkeeping, etc.
  • Staff should be encouraged to obtain a variety of annual training year after year, and not retake the same types of trainings over and over again. Suggestions for training topics can be found in Rule 591-1-1-.33(5) for CCLC and 290-2-3-.07(9) for FCCLH.
For additional information and frequently asked questions on training, access the following link: http://www.decal.ga.gov/documents/attachments/TrainingFAQ.pdf