Iowa State University Extension

Problem:
New staff are continually being hired in child care centers. The quality of training and support of these new employees during the first few weeks on the job sets the tone for a positive work experience.

Response:
The New Staff Orientation curriculum provides new child care center staff with a full, center-based orientation that can be initiated immediately, on-site and with director supervision and input. The 30 unit curriculum includes brief 15-minute video observations and lessons. Each lesson is designed to be easily completed by staff during nap time or other small blocks of time as staff/child ratios permit. The 30 topics cover supervision of children, healthy environments, child development, job stress, behavior management and parent partnerships. Directors attend a 6-hour introduction program to learn how to implement the New Staff Orientation (NSO) curriculum. Five 6-hour trainings were held in Decorah, Dubuque, and Postville in 2007, reaching child care center staff in nine counties in Northeast Iowa.

Impact:
These 71 child care center directors, assistant directors, or education coordinators supervise 1,218 staff who serve 6,135 children in 9 counties in the Northeast Iowa Extension Area. The evaluations showed three major composite results at the conclusion of the program:

1) organization so can provide consistent content for each new staff member (increase of 1.65)
2) implementation of in-depth, comprehensive new staff orientation, specific to their program policies and practices (increase of 1.59)
3) most effective use of time to adequately train new staff (increase 1.40)

Additionally, 92% of program participants planned to use this training with both new staff and experienced staff. With 52% planning to use the New Staff Orientation DVD's to provide group training for their child care center staff.

Contact:
Beverly Berna
Dubuque County Extension
14858 West Ridge Lane
Dubuque, IA 52003
563-583-4696
bberna@iastate.edu