What annual training must North Dakota child care providers complete each year? - post

Running a child care program is busy work. This short guide helps #NorthDakota child care directors and providers know exactly what yearly trainings are required, how to plan for them, and how to avoid common pitfalls. Use the links to approved resources and bundles to save time and stay ready for licensing checks. Remember: state requirements vary - check your state licensing agency.

1) What are the yearly hour requirements for different license types?

1. Self-declared provider: 3 hours/year (minimum).
2. Family home license: 9 hours/year.
3. Group license:
   1. Supervisor/Director: 10 hours/year.
   2. Staff: 2–8 hours depending on weekly work hours.
4. Center/preschool/school-age:
   1. Supervisor/Director: 13 hours/year.
   2. Staff: 7–13 hours depending on weekly work hours.

For full tables and details, follow the ChildCareEd overview: North Dakota Child Care Training Hours. These totals reflect current state guidance and sponsor approvals.

2) What preservice and special trainings must be completed before or every year?

1. 🔹 New Provider Orientation: required for new owners/operators before approval; new directors/supervisors within 30 days. See ND training overview.
2. 🔹 Getting Started (15-hour basic child care course): must be finished within 3 months of hire or licensing; counts toward annual hours. See What Do You Need to Work in Childcare in North Dakota?.
3. 🔹 Safe Sleep / SIDS: 1 hour before caring for infants and yearly afterwards; required for anyone who cares for infants. See ND requirements.
4. 🔹 Mandated Reporter training: required annually. Good online options are at ChildCareEd: Mandated Reporters.
5. 🔹 Pediatric CPR/AED and First Aid: certification within 90 days of hire and before unsupervised access. An online plus in-person skills check is required for credentialing — see online CEU guide.

Note: CPR/First Aid often has special rules and may not count toward annual hours. For preservice items that must be completed through state systems, see the ChildCareEd preservice page and the ND state guidance linked above.

3) How can directors plan and track staff training so it’s easy and reliable?

1. 📝 Make a simple roster spreadsheet with:
   1. Name and job title.
   2. License type or role.
   3. Weekly work hours.
   4. Growing Futures Registry ID (if they have one).
   5. Hours required and due date.
2. 📆 Break the year into quarters and assign hours each quarter (example: 25% per quarter).
3. 📚 Use state-approved bundles when possible (examples: Director 13-hour bundle, Director 13-Hour Bundle, Family 9-hour bundle,e Family 9-Hour Bundle).
4. 📥 Add each staff member’s Growing Futures ID to your ChildCareEd account so approved completions upload automatically — see how uploads work and the ChildCareEd state portal ND Approved Training.
5. 💾 Keep both digital and paper copies of certificates in staff files and in a central training binder.

Why this helps: when Licensing Specialists review your records during the licensing year, ar they will look for clear dates, certificates, and registry matches. ChildCareEd explains the registry upload timeline and tips for tracking in their ND guides.

4) What common mistakes should we avoid, and why does this training matter?

Why it matters:

1. Children are safer when staff have up-to-date health and safety training. See national standards at Caring for Our Children.
2. Good training builds staff confidence, improves care quality, and helps programs pass licensing reviews.

Common mistakes and quick fixes:

1. ❌ Waiting until the last month. ✅ Schedule trainings quarterly and add calendar reminders.
2. ❌ Taking the wrong preservice courses from private vendors when state-only options are required. ✅ Fix: confirm preservice must be taken through ND (see What Do You Need to Work in Childcare).
3. ❌ Losing certificates or forgetting Registry IDs. ✅ Fix: save certificates in a shared digital folder and add Growing Futures IDs to ChildCareEd so uploads happen automatically — see ND Approved Training.
4. ❌ Repeating the same course within 3 years when ND forbids duplication. ✅ Fix: keep a 3-year training log and choose new topics or bundle versions (see refreshed bundles: Staff 13-Hour Version 2).

FAQ

1. Q: Do online ChildCareEd courses count in ND? A: Yes, when they are Growing Futures-approved, and you add your Registry ID. See ND Approved Training.
2. Q: Does CPR count toward annual hours? A: CPR/First Aid is required, but often has a special rule and may not count toward yearly totals — confirm on the ND guidance: Training Requirements.
3. Q: How soon are completions uploaded to Growing Futures? A: ChildCareEd uploads weekly; allow at least five business days for completions to appear on the registry — see upload details.
4. Q: Who checks training records? A: Licensing Specialists review training during licensing visits and renewal checks.

Conclusion

1) Start small: list staff, note hours required, and schedule one course per quarter. 2) Use ND-approved ChildCareEd bundles to save time and ensure credit. 3) Keep certificates safe and add Growing Futures IDs so uploads happen easily. You are doing important work — good planning keeps children safe, helps staff grow, and makes licensing visits smoother. For quick links and bundles, visit the North Dakota training pages at ChildCareEd: North Dakota Approved Training.

Hashtags: working in #NorthDakota depends on smart #training for #providers to meet #licensing rules and keep kids #safety first.

Planning keeps your team calm and your licensing file tidy. ChildCareEd offers ND-approved bundles and tools to make scheduling faster — see approved sponsor info at North Dakota Approved Training.Some courses are required before staff work with children, and others must be done every year. Key items to track are listed by ChildCareEd and the ND resources: Preservice Training Requirements.North Dakota sets yearly training totals by license type and, for many staff, by the number of hours they work each week. The easiest place to see the numbers is the ChildCareEd state guide. See a clear breakdown at Training Requirements for Child Care Providers in North Dakota and a second summary at North Dakota Child Care Training Hours.