Sprouts Employee Requirements (Checks and Training) New Hire

The following list outlines all required paperwork for checks, trainings, etc. for any volunteer/employee through a Sprouts direct care employee. Administrative assistants, facility persons, etc. will have varying requirements depending on their job description and level of exposure to the children.

PLEASE NOTE: Unless otherwise stated, a staff member must complete the trainings, checks, etc. of ALL PREVIOUS SECTIONS in addition to their own. For example, a classroom aide must complete everything from their section, PLUS that of kitchen staff and facility persons.

Facility Persons (with or without regular direct child contact, in the building during child care open hours):

1. State Police Check
2. Child Abuse: You need to make a login first if you don't have one. If you have previously done this type of background check, you can use the same login, just make sure you chose the one for EMPLOYMENT for the new check. This is required even for volunteers in a child care center.
3. FBI Fingerprinting: You register and set up an appointment, then go get fingerprints. You are being fingerprinted under code: 1KG738
4. NSOR: The pdf application is a little ways down the page, and directions for emailing it in are on the form itself.
5. We need 2 non-family reference letters, which includes contact information on the person who wrote it. The letter should speak about how long they have known you, your character, and how you interact with children if they have seen it.
6. Proof of Age: This can be a copy of an ID, driver's license, birth certificate, etc.
7. Disclosure Statement: This has to have a witness. Typically this is done the first day worked in-person.
8. Home address: This can just be written on a piece of paper or on an ID/Driver's License. The preferred location however would be in Trinet.

Kitchen Staff (with or without direct child contact):

1. Health Report with TB test: This can be done with your PCP, Med Express, or anywhere that says they do "work physicals." TB test and can physical can technically be done separately, but sometimes doctors refuse to sign off on the physical without the TB first.
2. General food safety training with administration (with signed record), or Servsafe Food Handler or Manager Certification, as applicable.
3. USDA Trainings as applicable to the programs they serve (CACFP, At Risk, SFSP, school pantry, etc.) This may be in person trainings with the Kitchen Manager or Administration, or specific courses found at Child Nutrition Toolbox. You will have to make a login first when completing online courses.
4. Civil Rights Training: This is a printed, 2-part, slide deck with a signature page attesting that it has been reviewed. The slides are the required training for GPCFB and the USDA.
5. Emergency Plan Training: This is completed with an administrator (with a signature page attesting it has been reviewed), or via a Google Form.
6. Mandated Reporter Training: You need to make a login first if you don't have one. If you have previously done this training, you can use the same login.

All direct care staff members (Sprouts Administrators, Aides, AGS, and GS):

1. "Get Started with Center-Based Care – Revised 2022" 10 hours course must be completed on Better Kid Care. You will need to create a login. It will ask many questions about our center. Answers to those questions can be found here.
2. High School Diploma/GED, or highest level of education if more than high school. This can be unofficial transcripts or a diploma. Incomplete degrees should also be collected (such as a few college credits).
3. Hours worked with children. This is different based on education level and college credits earned in ECE/social sciences. It will be 0-2500 hours and can be a total among multiple sources.
   1. Hours documentation for volunteering or with no access to pay stubs should be completed on this form. PLEASE NOTE: Sometimes the form may need adjusted for instances such as hours at a large one-time event. The most important information is the date(s), number of hours worked with children, and signature/contact person verifying.
4. Create a PA Keys account and complete the following:
   1. Verify employment with Sprouts/Tree of Life
   2. Take the self-assessment
   3. Enter at least one goal in the PD Plan area
   4. Apply for the career pathway
5. "Overview of Keystone STARS: Pennsylvania's Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS)" must be completed on PA Keys. You will need to create a login (as mentioned in another requirement).
6. Fire Safety course must be completed. This can be in person (sometimes in conjunction with CPR/First Aid), or online via PA Keys.
7. CPR/First Aid that i conducted by a PQAS instructor. It can be blended or in person, but canNOT be virtual only.
8. Continuing education credits:
   1. Every 3 years they need to be in designated categories according to STARS requirements.
   2. CEUs of any kind totaling 12 must be completed annually after the first year of employment.

Other considerations:

1. There must be proof that background checks have been SENT before the first day. Final result is due before 60 days.
2. All checks, reports, etc. must be less than 12 months old at time of first day.
3. If you have had legal residence outside of the state of PA in the past 5 years, additional checks for previous states will be required. Administration retains a master list for all 50 states regarding the required checks.
4. Renewal Intervals:
   1. All background checks must be renewed every 5 years. (FBI, Police, Child Abuse, NSOR, Disclosure Statement)
   2. Mandated Reporter Training must be renewed every 5 years.
   3. Emergency Plan and Civil Rights must be reviewed annually.
   4. Health Report must be renewed every 2 years, BUT the TB test is only required the first time.
5. Many direct care requirements are at 60 and 90 days of employment, but the employee must be treated as an aide until they are complete.
6. Staff may utilize this reference sheet when orienting and completing trainings for which web site/portal to go to for various requirements.