EXCERPT FROM: MLive.com
By Lynn Moore
WEST MICHIGAN -- About 800 relatives and in-home day care aides who provide child care in Muskegon County must receive six hours of training to continue getting paid with state child care subsidies.
The new regulation is effective immediately for new care providers, and goes into effect Sept. 17 for existing providers.
"Actually, it's for their benefit as well as the children that they are now able to participate in professional development," said Joyce Bos, program director for a child care resource center that serves much of West Michigan.
Bos' center -- the Great Start Regional Resource Center, operated by Holland-based Pathways -- is providing the necessary "Great Start to Quality Orientation" training for free. The six hours of one-time training will cover first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, nutrition, health and safety, shaken baby syndrome and safe sleep practices.
Caregivers affected by the new rule are relatives who are caring for children as well as day care aides -- people who come into a child's home to provide care, Bos said.
Other licensed day care providers have another set of training requirements they must follow.
Relatives and aides who don't receive the training will not be able to collect child care subsidies from the DHS. The subsidies are provided to low-income families to pay for their day care and amount to a maximum of $1.85 per hour for children under 2 1/2 and $1.60 for older children.
Relatives and aides who pursue another 10 hours of training per year can earn an additional 25 cents per hour per child from DHS. That training covers such topics as child development, learning through play, managing behavior, caring for children with special needs and business basics.