Child Abuse Recognition and Intervention Training for Initial Licensure and License Renewal

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 24

January 30, 2004

INFORMATIONAL

TO:

Division Superintendents

FROM:

Jo Lynne DeMary

Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT:

Child Abuse Recognition and Intervention Training for Initial Licensure and License Renewal

As you are aware, the 2002 Virginia General Assembly amended the Code of Virginia to require that individuals seeking initial licensure and license renewal on and after July 1, 2004, must complete study in child abuse recognition and intervention in accordance with curriculum guidelines approved by the Board of Education. All instructional personnel required to hold a license for their positions are required to complete this requirement.

School divisions submitting requests for renewal or initial licensure prior to June 30, 2004, are not required to verify that their instructional personnel have met the child abuse recognition and intervention study requirement. Effective July 1, 2004, individuals who have completed study in child abuse recognition and intervention will receive a notation on their licenses verifying the completion of the requirement. Detailed information regarding the verification of the completion of this requirement will be sent to school division human resources directors and school division licensure specialists.

Superintendents Memorandum Number 209, dated December 12, 2003, provided you with the approved Board of Education Curriculum Guidelines for Child Abuse Recognition and Intervention Training. School divisions may design their own training or utilize other training opportunities to fulfill this requirement. You may access the curriculum guidelines at the following website:

/administrators/superintendents_memos/2003/inf209a.pdf

Since the amendment by the 2002 Virginia General Assembly to require this instruction, several providers have shared instructional opportunities to fulfill this requirement with the Department of Education. You may want to consider these resources as you continue to work with school personnel to satisfy this license responsibility.

1. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Social Works Virginia Institute for School Services Training Activities (VISSTA) Program, is offering an on-line course that will fulfill the requirement entitled Child Abuse and Neglect: Recognizing, Reporting, and Responding for Educators. The course will become available, at no cost, on February 2, 2004, at: www.vcu.edu/vissta/training/va_teachers.

In March, school principals will receive the course in CD Rom format as an alternative to the on-line course. The CD Rom may be duplicated by school divisions.

2. Selected local departments of social services are providing two-hour child abuse and neglect workshops, utilizing a curriculum developed by the Virginia Department of Social Services. There is no cost for this service if available in your area.

3. The Management Institute at the University of Richmond provides programs for recognition and intervention training, for a fee, utilizing the Virginia Department of Social Services curriculum. For more information, call the Management Institute at (804) 289-8019 or go to their Web site at: http://www.richmond.edu/mgmt_institute.

4. Childhelp USA Virginia provides in-service training for teachers in Northern Virginia for a fee. For more information call Childhelp USA Virginia at

(703) 208-1500 or go to their website at: www.childhelpusa.org/virginia/prevention.htm#CARR.

5. A Child Abuse and Neglect Resource Packet has been distributed, by VCU/VISSTA, to Virginias colleges and universities with approved teacher education programs for incorporation into teacher education curricula. Individuals graduating from approved teacher education programs after July 1, 2004, will complete this requirement as a component of the program. These graduates will not be required to repeat this training upon employment in your divisions for the 2004-05 school year.

Additional information and materials on child abuse and neglect can be obtained from the Virginia Department of Social Services at: www.dss.state.va.us/family/cps_pub.html.

For further information or if you have questions regarding the licensure requirements, please contact Dr. Thomas A. Elliott at mailto: telliott@mail.vak12ed.edu assistant superintendent of teacher education and licensure, at (804) 371-2471. Inquiries regarding additional training resources may be directed to Douglas Cox, assistant superintendent for special education and student services, at mailto: dougcox@mail.vak12ed.edu at (804) 225-3252.

JLD:TAE:psp

c: Human Resource Directors

Deans and Chairs of Approved Teacher Preparation

Programs