Section 7 AAC 57.350 - Orientation and training(a) A child care facility with one or more employees shall provide an orientation to each caregiver that relates to the caregiver's duties and responsibilities and that includes (1) the facility's policies and procedures;(2) where appropriate, satisfying the individual needs of children;(3) emergency procedures;(4) an overview of the following required health and safety trainings, appropriate to the child care facility type described in 7 AAC 57.010(b)(2) and age of children served, which must be obtained from a training program approved by the department: (A) prevention and control of infectious diseases, including immunizations;(B) prevention of sudden infant death syndrome, and use of safe sleeping practices for children of all ages;(C) administration of medication, consistent with standards for parental consent;(D) prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions;(E) building and physical premises safety, including identification of and protection from hazards, bodies of water, and vehicular traffic;(F) prevention of shaken baby syndrome, abusive head trauma, and child maltreatment;(G) emergency preparedness and response planning for emergencies resulting from a natural disaster or a human-caused event (such as violence at a child care facility), including procedures for evacuation, relocation, shelter-in-place), and lock down; ' staff and volunteer emergency preparedness training and practice drills; communication and reunification with families; continuity of operations; and accommodation of infants "and toddlers, children with disabilities, and children with chronic medical conditions; in this subparagraph, "natural disaster" means a hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, drought, fire, or other catastrophe in any part of the United States which causes, or which may cause, substantial damage or injury to civilian property or persons;(H) handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of bio contaminants;(I) appropriate precautions in transporting children, if applicable;(J) pediatric first aid and pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR);(K) recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect under state and local law; and(5) the applicable requirements of 7 AAC 10.1000 - 7 AAC 10.1095 and 7 AAC 57.005 - 7 AAC 57.810.(b) Unless otherwise specified in this section, the orientation and training required in (a) of this section must be completed within three months from the individual's date of hire.(c) Training hours required in this section are clock hours and may include any training relevant to the caregiver's responsibilities, including health and safety, child growth and development, planning learning activities, guidance and discipline techniques, linkages with community services, communication and relations with families, and detecting and reporting child abuse and neglect. Training must be documented. Documentation must include the date, subject, method of training, duration, and the name of the individual who conducted the training.(e) A child care facility shall ensure that each of its caregivers has a valid certification for pediatric first aid and pediatric CPR. If certification courses are not available in the community in which the facility is located, a caregiver may (1) receive instruction in pediatric first aid and CPR procedures through distance learning, training videos, and other materials approved by the department; and(2) complete and pass the first available pediatric first aid and CPR certification course offered within 60 miles by road of the facility.(f) Except as provided in the training requirements of 7 AAC 57.300 for the administrator, a child care center, child care group home, or child care home shall ensure that each administrator and caregiver receives at least 24 hours of annual training relevant to child care and development. At least one hour of annual training must address a health and safety training topic in (a)(4) of this section based on the individual's hire date with the facility. Except as provided in (j) of this section, the 24 hours of annual training must be in addition to the orientation and training required under (a) of this section and the training in first aid and CPR required under (e) of this section. An administrator or caregiver may satisfy the annual training requirements of this subsection by obtaining college credit relevant to child care and development if the department approves the credit. Approved coursework must include at least one of the health and safety training topics identified in (a)(4) of this section.(i) In addition to meeting the requirements of (a) and (b) of this section, a part-time caregiver working 15 hours or less a week shall complete at least 12 hours of annual training relevant to child care and development, at least one hour of which must be on one of the health and safety training topics identified in (a)(4) of this section, based on the individual's hire date with the facility. The annual training requirements of this subsection may be satisfied each year by obtaining college credit relevant to child care and development if approved by the department. Approved coursework must include at least one of the health and safety training topics identified in (a)(4) of this section.(j) An administrator or caregiver may count up to six hours of the orientation and pre-service training hours required under 7 AAC 57.030(a) for the first year's training hours required under (f) of this section. Click here to view image
Eff. 6/23/2006, Register 178; am 5/15/2016, Register 218, July 2016; am 9/30/2018, Register 227, October 2018; am 2/6/2020, Register 233, April 2020; am 10/9/2024, Register 252, January 2025A copy of the approved list of health and safety training courses may be obtained from the Department of Health and Social Services, Child Care Program Office, Division of Public Assistance, Frontier Building, 3601 C St., Suite 140, Anchorage, AK 99503; telephone number (907) 269-4500, or may be viewed at that office or on the internet at http://dhss.alaska.gov/dpa/Pages/ccare/default.aspx.
Authority:AS 44.29.020
AS 47.32.010
AS 47.32.030