Our prayers are with Florida and the surrounding communities affected by Hurricane Ian. We recognize the profound losses—homes, businesses, and loved ones—and the long recovery that follows. Child care providers are essential to community recovery; protecting children’s safety, continuity of care, and staff well-being must be prioritized now. If you need to complete state-required hours quickly, two commonly used online courses are 45 Hour Child Growth and Development Buy Now $399.00 and Pediatric RSV First Aid & CPR/AED Buy Now $115.00, both eligible for the 25% relief discount.
How can ChildCareEd support Florida providers affected by Hurricane Ian?
We at ChildCareED Child Care Training Center (ChildCareEd) are offering a targeted relief discount: 25% off purchases of 10 training hours or more through October 31. This enables providers to complete required annual training while reducing out-of-pocket costs. To support immediate needs, consider combining core courses such as 45 Hour Child Growth and Development Buy Now $399.00 (for staff competency and curriculum continuity) with our Pediatric RSV First Aid & CPR/AED course (for health, safety and emergency response).
What training should providers prioritize during recovery?
Prioritize trainings that restore safety and regulatory compliance, support children’s emotional needs, and enable continuity of services. Key areas include:
- Health & emergency response (CPR/First Aid) — to manage injuries and medical events during recovery.
- Health, safety and infection control — particularly after floods and displacement.
- Trauma-informed care and social-emotional support — to help children and staff manage stress and grief.
- Licensing-required annual hours and documentation — to maintain your program’s operating status.
Relevant ChildCareEd offerings: Allergies and Medication in Childcare 
Buy Now $16.00 (medication policies and safe administration) and the 45-hour and first-aid courses above are commonly used together to meet both child health needs and professional-development requirements.
How can providers support children's trauma recovery after a hurricane?
Children exposed to disaster commonly show a range of stress reactions: increased clinginess, sleep disruption, regressions in toileting or language, aggressive or withdrawn behavior, and concentration problems. Early, pragmatic responses by caregivers reduce the risk of persistent problems and help restore a sense of safety for children and families. The following evidence-informed steps give providers concrete actions to support recovery in the classroom and during family outreach.
1. Prioritize predictable routines. Re-establish consistent arrival, mealtime, nap, and dismissal routines as soon as possible—predictability reduces hypervigilance and helps children feel secure. Use visual schedules and simple verbal scripts to cue transitions.
2. Create a calm, physically safe space. Designate a quiet corner with soft seating, familiar toys, and sensory supports (weighted lap pads, fidget objects, picture books). Train staff to use brief co-regulation techniques: slow breathing prompts, grounded language, and one-on-one comfort with minimal questioning.
3. Screen and triage social-emotional needs. Use teacher observations and brief caregiver questionnaires to identify children needing more support. For children with persistent dysregulation, arrange referrals to mental health partners or the child’s pediatrician and document steps taken for follow-up.
4. Use trauma-informed language and interactions. Validate feelings ("It's okay to feel scared") and avoid retraumatizing language or forced disclosure. Maintain boundaries while offering predictable comfort. Share simple scripts with families to foster consistent messaging between home and program.
5. Support staff well-being and training. Staff exposed to disasters may carry secondary trauma; schedule short debriefs, rotate duties to reduce overload, and provide access to peer support. Prioritize trauma-informed care and social-emotional training during recovery—these are high-impact, practical investments for classroom climate and child outcomes.
6. Communicate and coordinate with families. Provide clear, compassionate updates about program status and available supports, and ask caregivers how you can best support their child. Document communications in the child’s file for licensing and continuity-of-care purposes.
Implementing these steps will help stabilize children’s behavior, protect program quality, and support families during the early recovery phase. Pair classroom practice with prioritized trainings and documentation to meet licensing expectations and strengthen your program’s resilience.
How do providers document training and meet Florida licensing requirements?
Florida-licensed providers must maintain training records and meet DCF requirements for annual training hours. For specific state training mandates, see our internal guidance on Florida training requirements: Florida DCF 40-Hour Training Requirements and the article on Florida Early Childhood Training Records: How the Registry Helps. These explain how to report hours to the state registry and what documentation to keep on file for licensing inspections.
For statewide recovery assistance and resources for families and providers, the Florida Department of Children and Families has coordinated community supports; see their announcement and the 833-GET-HOPE hotline for referral information (Florida DCF).
Where can programs find additional ChildCareEd guidance and local best practices?
We recommend these ChildCareEd articles to build an operational recovery plan and to maintain compliance while serving children in crisis:
- How can our Florida child care program get ready for hurricane season?
- How can we teach little ones hurricane safety in Florida?
- Affordable Child Care Training Options for Providers in Florida
- What bundles are available in Florida for child care training?
- What new child care news in Florida should providers know?
- How Can Educators Prepare to Become a Child Care Director in Florida?
What immediate actions should centers and family homes take now?
- Assess safety: check for structural hazards, water damage, and unsafe surfaces; if the facility is unsafe, relocate children immediately to an alternate licensed space or close until repairs are complete.
- Document: photograph damage, log staff and child attendance, and keep receipts for emergency purchases (this supports insurance and disaster relief applications).
- Restore essential services: ensure potable water, safe food storage, functioning sanitation and safe sleep environments before resuming full operations.
- Communicate with families: send a clear statement about your status, expected reopening timeline, and any temporary changes to drop-off/pick-up procedures.
- Prioritize staff training: schedule essential trainings (CPR/First Aid, health & safety, and trauma-informed practices) and use eligible discount bundles to reduce cost.
- Report to the registry/licensing: submit required notifications and copies of training completion to Florida’s registry or your licensing specialist per state rules.
- Apply for supports: contact state and local relief resources (see Florida DCF link above) and document all recovery-related expenses.
Summary: What should Florida providers do next?
Start by securing safety, documenting damage, and communicating with families and your licensing agent. Use ChildCareEd training—for example, 45 Hour Child Growth and Development Buy Now $399.00, Pediatric RSV First Aid & CPR/AED Buy Now $115.00, and Allergies and Medication in Childcare Buy Now $16.00—to meet licensing expectations and to support children's health and emotional recovery. Consult our Florida-specific articles and the Florida DCF resource linked above for regulatory guidance and community assistance. We are here to support your program’s recovery and to help you re-open safely and compliantly.
ChildCareEd stands with Florida providers. For immediate help and to register for discounted training, visit our courses page or contact our support team.
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