Child Maltreatment Policy Required in Child Care Programs

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has announced a new certification requirement for child care providers to develop a policy and procedure to identify the prevention of shaken baby syndrome, abusive head trauma, and child maltreatment.

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The Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) requires child abuse reporting and does not address the prevention of the acts defined in the law as child abuse, including shaking a baby, abusive head trauma and child maltreatment. Child abuse includes, but is not limited to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly:

• Causing bodily injury to a child through any recent act or failure to act

• Creating a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to a child through any recent actor failure to act

• Forcefully shaking a child under one year of age

In addition to trainings required of all staff employed at a child care program, providers must have a policy and procedure to identify the prevention of shaken baby syndrome, abusive head trauma, and child maltreatment. The policy must include, but is not limited to:

• Recognition of potential signs and symptoms of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma

• Strategies for coping with a crying, fussing, or distraught child

• The prevention and identification of child maltreatment

PA Department of Human Services certified child care providers can reference Caring for Our Children Basics (CFOCB): Health and Safety Foundations for Early Care and Education, which represents the minimum health and safety standards experts believe should be in place where children are cared for outside of their homes for policy and procedure development. Policies must be in place by April 29, 2022.

Questions

For more information, read the full announcement from OCDEL. Child care providers can direct comments and questions regarding this announcement to their Regional Office of Child Development and Early Learning. The Western Region office number is 800-222-2149.