Orientation, Pre-Service Requirements and Professional Development Planning 

Orientation is required for new employees who serve a program as a provider, substitute provider, uncompensated provider, family child care home operator or additional caregiver who will have contact with children. The orientation content is the same but depending upon the program served (i.e. center or family child care home), the timeframe for orientation completion is different.

Each center shall ensure that each new employee who is expected to have contact with children receives a minimum of 16 clock hours of on-site orientation within the first six weeks of employment. As part of this orientation, each new employee shall complete six clock hours of orientation within the first two weeks of employment.

Staff responsible for supervising school-age children, shall complete six clock hours of on-site orientation within the first two weeks of employment. An additional three clock hours of training will need to be received within the first six weeks of employment.

Each Family Child Care Home shall ensure that each caregiver, including substitutes and volunteers who are expected to provide care with children receives a minimum of 16 clock hours of orientation prior to the individual caring for children.

Verification of orientation completion is required.

Topic related training as outlined on the “Orientation Documentation” form(s), available from the DCDEE website under Provider Documents and Forms, will need to be completed and maintained on file.

Prior to exercising child caring responsibilities, providers, substitute providers, and uncompensated providers counted toward meeting the staff/child ratio requirements shall meet the qualifications for staff.

For specific information about staff qualifications, please refer to the applicable section number(s) referenced below (located within Chapter 9 – Child Care Rules) and Chapter 110 General Statutes Child Care Facilities:

• Child Care Providers, Substitute Providers and Uncompensated Providers

Section .0700, .1100, .1700 & .2500 and G.S. 110-91(8)

• Child Care Administrators

Section .0700, .1100 & .2510 and G.S. 110-91(8).

• Lead Teachers and Teachers

Section .0700 & .1100 and G.S. 110-91(8)

• Other Staff

Section .0700, .1000, & .2500 and G.S. 110-91(8)(13)

Individuals who do not meet the requirements identified in G.S. 110-91(8) when assuming lead teacher or administrative duties, the individual will need to submit documentation to the Division of completion of the coursework or credential to be considered for equivalency within six months of assuming the duties.

If you have questions, or need assistance related to Educational Qualifications; Applications; Official Transcripts; Registration Review; Submission Uploads; and/or DCDEE WORKS access, please reach out to the DCDEE Workforce Education Unit by email [email protected], or by phone (919) 814-6350.

A professional development plan must be completed within one year of employment, for center administrators and staff, and a review of the plan must occur annually. The plan must include the following:

• Document an individual's professional development goals

• Be appropriate for the ages of children in their care

• Include the continuing education, coursework, or training needed to meet the individual’s planned goals

• Be completed by the administrator and staff member in a collaborative manner

• Be maintained in their personnel file

Center based early educators and family child care home providers can access a Professional Development Plan template from following link Provider Documents and Forms.