This updated online self-leaning module will help you to promote mental health in young children. Learn about biological and environmental risk factors for challenging behaviors. Use tools to review for behaviors related to childhood development. Find out strategies to help manage children with challenging behaviors and identify policies to help prevent suspension and expulsion of children. Understand the importance of open communication with parents and use resources to help children with challenging behaviors and their families. Reviewed and reaffirmed 8/2022

Learn how to protect children in your early care and education (ECE) program from abuse and neglect. This module addresses how to prevent, identify and report child abuse and neglect. It describes your responsibilities as a mandated reporter as required by the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL). By using the recommended practices, you will help ensure the safety of children in your care.

To complete this module, view the 3 online video segments Segment 1 Segment 2 Segment 3 . The three videos are best viewed all at once. Use the three links below to the Document Packet, Glossary, and Instructions to Claim Credit for the current versions. Use the resources in the Document Packet and complete the Assessment and Case Studies. You may either download the Assessment and Case Studies to complete and email/surface mail to ECELS or complete and submit your documentation online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ecelschildabuseandneglect. Follow the instructions in the "Important Reminders" box when you submit your work to ECELS for review for professional development credit.

• Document Packet
• Glossary
• Instructions to claim credit

This module is approved for Act 31 credit.

PA Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators (PA PSCEC):

• Standard Area 7: Health and Safety 
• 7a: Understand the importance of physical health and safety in creating environments that support young children’s learning and development.

Competencies:

• Identify and follow current laws, regulations, and professional obligations to report suspected child abuse and neglect
• Apply child abuse and neglect prevention efforts within families and among early care and education professionals
• Identify signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect (maltreatment)
• Demonstrate knowledge of PA reporting requirements for mandated reporters

Reviewed and reaffirmed 11/2022

ECELS recognizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Multi-hazard Planning for Child Care course as a quality learning experience for emergency planning. It has many worksheets and suggestions from experts that help child care providers make effective plans.

Professional Standard Areas: 

• Health and Safety (2 hours) 
  • 7a: Understand the importance of physical health and safety in creating environments that support young children's learning and development.
  • Identify key components of an effective emergency preparedness plan 
  • Other: Complete the Emergency Plan Checklist to identify the places where your emergencu plan needs to be improved, Use Model Child Care Health Policie, 5th editions to ensure "best practice" emergency plans for your program. 

Competencies:

• Describe why it is important to be prepared.
• Complete the Emergency Plan Checklist to identify places where your emergency plan needs to be improved.
• Describe how to prevent or mitigate the impact of hazards and threats.
• Describe procedures for when an emergency occurs.
• Identify how your childcare site will recover from an emergency.
• Describe how to develop and maintain your plan.
• Describe how you will communicate, train, and practice your preparedness procedures.
• Identify the emergency preparedness information you will share with your community.
• Describe when to update your plan.

Section 13 of Model Child Care Health Policies, 5th edition includes polices that early educators can use to write "best practice" emergency plans. The Appendixes of Model Child Care Health Policies include some documents that every program should have on hand: Appendix I, Emergency Information Form for Children with Special Health Care Needs, Appendix CC. Incident Report Form, Appendix DD. Child Care Initial Rapid Damage Assessment, Appendix EE. Sample Letter of Agreement with Emergency Evacuation Site, Appendix FF. Sample Letter to Parents About Evacuation Arrangements, Appendix GG. Evacuation Drill Long.  If you prefer to purchase the hard copy of Model Child Care Health Policies, 5th edition, it is available from the bookstore of the American Academy of Pediatrics order it online or call 888-227-1770.

For state-authorized training credit: Download the Emergency Plan Checklist that follows this description of the self-learning module. Identify the places where your emergency plan needs to be improved. Scan and e-mail or fax the following three documents to ECELS for 2 hours of state-authorized professional development credit that ECELS to review and approve:

1. Your certificate of successful completion of the FEMA course
2. A copy of your facility's updated Emergency Plan
3. A copy of your completed Emergency Plan Checklist showing your plans for improvement. ECELS T/TA staff will review your work and, if needed, give you feedback you can use to further improve your plan

Be sure to follow the instructions in the “Important Reminders” box next to the list of self-learning modules on this webpage to submit your work for review by ECELS. Reviewed and reaffirmed 8/2022

This training meets the annual DHS Fire Safety Training requirement by covering fire safety and prevention in a child care facility. Participants will learn about fires, planning for a fire emergency, preventing fires by removing hazards and keeping the building safe, smoke/fire and carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, recording and reporting requirements, and facility resources. The information provided is primarily based on the Pennsylvania Code and Caring for our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards.

To complete this module, view the entire PowerPoint handout below and submit the required Post Test by Survey Monkey (preferred method), or you may either scan and attach the Post Test to an e-mail, by fax, or by surface mail to ECELS. E-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or fax to 484-446-3255.

For those in Child Care Centers (3270) completion of this module, along with on-site training from a fire safety professional, can be used annually to meet the PA DHS state regulatory requirement for fire safety training. Only ECE Centers need to complete the "Fire Safety Participant Roster for Early Childhood Centers (3270)" download below.

For additional program director resources please see our Fire Safety Checklist(s) download(s) for the following facilities:

Fire Safety Checklist in Child Care Centers (3270)

Fire Safety Checklist in Group Child Care Homes in a Commercial Space (3280)

Fire Safety Checklist in Group Child Care Homes in a Residence (3280)

Fire Safety Checklist in Family Child Care Home (3290)

Professional Standard Areas

Health and Safety (3 Hours)

• 7a: Understand the importance of physical health and safety in creating environments that support young children’s learning and development.
  • Identify policies and procedures that ensure all children’s maximum healthy participation within the classroom
  • Identify and follow relevant laws and regulations related to child supervision practices to protect children and minimize risk
  • Describe and apply the procedures for reporting Identified health and safety risks in the environment
  • Arrange indoor and outdoor classroom environments that are physically safe and meet regulatory/safety requirements
  • Identify key components of an effective emergency preparedness plan
  • Explain policies and procedures that ensure all children’s maximum healthy participation within the classroom

Competencies:

• Explain why rapid evacuation is essential in a fire.
• Develop a fire evacuation plan for your program.
• Identify the roles of staff members during a fire emergency.
• Describe the initial steps to be taken if a fire occurs.
• Plan and execute effective fire drills.
• Explain the proper use and maintenance of smoke alarms for your ECE program.
• Describe how carbon monoxide (CO) detectors can decrease the likelihood of exposure to dangerous levels of CO.
• Explain ways to decrease the risk of CO exposure in your ECE program.
• Describe the selection, use and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers as required for your ECE program.
• Identify hazards in your ECE program which could increase the likelihood of a fire.
• Describe actions that you can take to decrease the risk of a fire.
• Identify fire safety documentation requirements.
• Identify resources available to assist in fire prevention planning and fire safety promotion for your facility.

Reviewed and Reaffirmed 08/2023

This updated module explains current nationally recommended immunizations, requirements for early care and education (ECE) programs in Pennsylvania, tools to manage immunization records for children in care and steps to take during an outbreak. View online videos and learn about vaccines on the website of the Vaccine Education Center of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. ECE staff may earn 2 hours of professional development credit for completing this module. Follow the instructions in the "Important Reminders" box beside the list of self-learning modules for ECELS to review your work to award professional development credit. 7/22

This module addresses many key aspects of caring for infants and toddlers.  These include:  establishing relationships; developmental milestones; nutrition and feeding; safe sleep; infection control and working with a child care health consultant.  The self-assessment online option is in development.  If you are seeking credit, please send the completed self-assessment to ECELS by email, fax or surface mail.  4/2019

Special practices are needed to protect early education and school-age providers from contact with blood or other potentially infectious body fluids. Use this online module to learn how to comply with the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to develop an exposure control plan, how to care for a human bite, prevent injuries from sharps, and the procedure for post-exposure treatment. This module includes OSHA's Bloodborne Exposure Control Plan you can use by filling in the blanks. PA child care staff may submit completed work for review for credit by scanning the pages and attaching them to an e-mail, sending them by fax or by surface mail to ECELS. Be sure to follow the instructions in the “Important Reminders” box next to the list of self-learning modules on this webpage.  
Reviewed and reaffirmed 8/2022

Learn the basics of oral health in this media - rich webinar presentation. The module is self-paced and includes active visuals. This module is part of PA Nutrition and Physical Activity Self Assessment for Child Care (PA NAPSACC) and was developed in partnership with Tuscarora Intermediate Unit (TIU),  ECELS and oral health professionals.  Reviewed and reaffirmed 8/2022