October 2, 2024 Mandated Reporter Training Offered for Free Through iLookOut Penn State College of Medicine is inviting teachers and other child care staff to complete their mandated reporter training for free through iLookOut. Learn More The mandated reporter training requirements can be completed at no cost through iLookOut’s online, interactive, and story-based training. It can be completed over multiple sessions on a smartphone, tablet, or computer. The training includes two parts: Mandated Reporter Training: a three-hour, interactive video-based storyline Advanced Training: a three-hour series of five- to 12-minute animated micro-learning exercises Training Benefits Those complete the trainings will be able to: Satisfy Act 31 mandated reporter training requirements and Act 126 requirements for Pennsylvania teachers Receive six hours of early childhood professional development credit from the PA Key Learn how to better support at-risk children and their families Help to determine the most effective way to prepare mandated reporters Receive a $15 gift card for completing both trainings and a follow-up quiz The training sessions can be completed on iLookOut’s website.
September 10, 2024 Early Childhood Educators Should Update Mandated Reporter Training for New School Year Early childhood educators looking to update mandated reporter training for the school year should visit iLookOut for new online courses. Update Mandated Reporter Training Educators are required to keep up to date with their required three hours of Act 31-mandated reporter training. The iLookOut for Child Abuse Project offers online courses about protecting and supporting children and their families free of charge. Visitors to the site will learn how to support at-risk children and their families and meet required training with interactive, video-based storyline training. The site includes eight- to 12-minute micro-learning exercises and is available to all Pennsylvania-mandated reporters. Participants can receive a $15 gift card for completing iLookOut’s mandated reporter training. About iLookOut iLookOut is a multimedia, online learning program that prepares mandated reporters to meet their professional, ethical, and legal responsibilities for identifying and reporting suspected child abuse. Part of Penn State College of Medicine’s Department of Humanities and Center for the Protection of Children, iLookOut engages learners through real-life scenarios that raise concerns about possible child abuse. Through video and narrative, interactive learning activities help participants acquire and operationalize knowledge to protect children from harm. For more information and to update mandate reporter training, visit iLookOut’s website.
May 6, 2024 iLookOut Enrolling for Free Mandated Reporter Training iLookOut’s enrollment is currently open for mandated reporter training. The iLookOut Core Training was designed to ensure that professionals can master basic information about how to identify signs of child abuse. Learn More iLookOut’s Core Training provides instructional activities along with various didactic exercises and resource handouts, requiring participants to master the learning objectives. iLookOut is a multimedia, online-learning program that prepares mandated reporters through evidence-based training to meet their professional, ethical, and legal responsibilities for identifying and reporting suspected child abuse. The iLookOut Training can be completed over multiple sessions on your smartphone, tablet, or computer, and has two parts: Mandated Reporter Training: interactive video-based storyline (three hours total) Advanced Training: 5-12-minute animated micro-learning exercises (three hours total) Those who participate in both trainings can: meet their required three hours of Act 31 mandated reporter training meet Act 126 requirements for PA teachers receive six hours of early childhood Professional Development credit from the PA Key receive a $15 gift card for completing the training sessions. During the course, they will learn about supporting at-risk children and their families. For more information, visit the iLookOut website.
January 11, 2023 Mandated Reporter Training Available in Spanish iLookOut’s interactive, online training is now available in Spanish for all mandated reporters in Pennsylvania. Learn More This evidence-based training meets Pennsylvania’s Act 31 requirements, can be completed over multiple sessions, and is free of charge. iLookOut provides online courses initially designed for people who work or volunteer at child care programs. iLookOut uses a story-based approach for preparing mandated reporters to identify and help protect children who may be experiencing abuse, and was developed under the aegis of Penn State’s Center for the Protection of Children. To access it in Spanish, toggle the language from English to Español on the website.
January 27, 2022 Updates to Health and Safety Training Requirements for Child Care Providers The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has issued an announcement updating health and safety training requirements for child care providers. About Due to updated guidance on the federal requirements for Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), all staff in certified child care programs must have preservice or orientation training (to be completed within three months) and an annual minimum of 12 hours in health and safety professional development in topics including: pediatric first aid and pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) safe sleep practices, including risk reduction of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome/Sudden Unexplained Infant Death (SIDS/SUID) prevention and control of infectious diseases (including immunizations) prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions prevention of shaken baby syndrome/abusive head trauma/child maltreatment building and physical premises safety emergency preparedness and response planning handling and storing hazardous materials safely transporting children mandated reporter training Until pre-trainings have been completed, staff can’t care for children unsupervised. All child care staff, who have not already completed the required health and safety trainings, will be expected to show completion and documentation by April 29, 2022. Find Required Trainings The pre-service training is available on the Better Kid Care (BKC) website. The BKC’s online pre-service training courses meet the CCDBG health and safety required training topics and are the only modules that meet the pre-service training requirements for all child care staff. Health and safety training topics can be found on the Professional Development (PD) Registry. Recognition and Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (Mandated Reporter Training) is available through Keep Kids Safe. Additional training options include PA Child Welfare Resource Center and PA Family Support Alliance. All child care staff must have documentation and verification of completion of preservice training and on-going annual professional development retained in the facility person’s file or maintained in an electronic PD Registry. The documentation must include, but is not limited to: Signature of representative or trainer of the professional development entity Title of a representative or trainer of the professional development entity Date professional development training was completed Questions Read the full announcement for more information and details. 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.
December 13, 2021 2021 State of Child Welfare Report Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children has released their 2021 State of Child Welfare Report, which raises concerns about the need to strengthen the child welfare system. Data was collected in 2020, highlighting only the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report shows a decrease in child protective services reporting and the number of children placed in foster care statewide. Report Findings In 2020 there were 32,919 CPS reports, which was a 22% decline in reports from 2019, but the substantiation of reports was the highest in the last five years, with 14% of reports being investigated and found to be true. Notably, stay-at-home orders, moving to virtual learning, and less contact with medical professionals created a significant decrease in mandated reporting trends during the year for which the most recent data is available. While substantiation rates did increase, data from 2021 will be significant to see how trends shift as schools resumed in-person instruction. There was subsequently more interaction between mandated reporters, such as teachers, with children and families. We anticipate the 2021 data will show an increase in referrals and a potential decrease in substantiation as the system struggles to respond to the needs of children experiencing abuse and neglect during an unprecedented time of crisis. In 2020, 21,689 children were served in the Pennsylvania foster care system, a 12% decrease in the total population from the prior year. Fewer referrals being made by mandated reporters means fewer occasions to identify abuse leading to placement. Additional Information The full 2021 State of Child Welfare report, as well as a snapshot for each county, can be viewed on the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children website.
