As a working mother, you might be surprised to discover how widely state laws about child care provider training vary. On average, states require just 10-12 hours of training for child care workers. On the other hand, states require between 200-600 hours of training for nail technicians, and for hairdressers, the training hours can be in the thousands. So it's likely that the person who touches up your highlights clocked in more training hours than the person who watches your child every day.

But training for child care providers is not only important— it makes a huge difference. Researchers have identified the education and training of child care providers as one of the most crucial components of a quality child care setting. In fact, studies have shown that providing training has a greater impact on program quality than any other single activity. Better trained providers are more likely to promote your child’s positive growth and development and have more quality interactions with your child. How do you find out your state’s training requirements?

Start by contacting your local Child Care Resource and Referral agency (CCR&R). Your CCR&R can help you make sense of state regulations that help ensure providers are trained and child care facilities operate safely. You can find your local CCR&R by calling 800-424-2246 toll-free or visiting www.childcareaware.org.

In the meantime, do some homework. Here are the most important questions to ask your provider about basic training:

1. Have the adults been trained to care for children?

Staff with training in early childhood education (along with experience) provide higher quality programs for your child, implement more appropriate activities and do a better job of preparing your child for school. If your child is in a center, ask if the director has a degree and some experience caring for children. Do the teachers have a credential (such as the Child Development Associate) or associate’s degree and experience caring for children? If your child is in a family child care home, find out if the provider has had specific training in child development and experience caring for children.

2. Is there always someone present who has current CPR and first-aid training?

At least one child dies from choking on food every five days in the U.S., and more than 10,000 children are taken to a hospital emergency room each year for food-choking injuries, according to the New York State Department of Health. There should always be someone on site who is trained in emergency first aid and infant/toddler CPR. Some states, such as Minnesota, have recently passed laws that require that all child care staff have CPR training.

3. Are the adults continuing to receive training on caring for children?

If the adults caring for your child continue to receive training, they will be up-to-date on the latest information about how to protect your child’s health and safety, from fighting childhood obesity to reducing the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). By following the latest research, they will also know how to better promote children’s development. Providers should have a training and professional development plan in place for employees—and follow it.

4. Have the adults been trained on child abuse prevention and how to report suspected child abuse?

Caregivers should be trained in identifying and reporting child abuse. They should know how to respond and who to notify if they suspect a child has been mistreated.

For more information about how provider training improves the quality of child care, click here. For a checklist of other questions to ask your provider about training and more quality indicators to look for in a child care provider, download Child Care Aware of America’s brochure Is This the Right Place for My Child?