Free template · Staff

Staff training checklist

Tracks each staff member's training: orientation, child protection, mandated reporting, emergencies, medication, first aid, pickup and confidentiality.

Download PDF Word version

What's in it

What the training checklist covers

At the top: Use one checklist for each staff member. Check each item when it's done and add the date and the trainer's initials. Keep this checklist and any certificates in the staff file. New staff finish [child protection, emergency procedures and pickup procedures] before working with children.

Staff member

Name
Position
Start date
Trainer or supervisor

Orientation

Mission, program schedule and daily routines
Tour of the site, including exits, meeting spots and first aid kits
Staff handbook received and signed
Job description reviewed
Dress code, phone use and social media rules
Who to ask for help and how to call in sick
Date and trainer's initials

Child protection

Child protection policy, including no one-on-one time out of sight of other adults
Appropriate touch, language and boundaries, including phones and social media
Signs of abuse and neglect
Supervision: headcounts, transitions, bathrooms and field trips
Background check cleared (date)
Date and trainer's initials

Mandated reporting

Who must report suspected abuse or neglect under our state's rules
What to do when a child tells you something (listen, don't promise secrecy and don't investigate)
How, where and how fast to report: [state hotline or website]
Our internal steps: [who to tell and what to write down]
Date and trainer's initials

Emergency procedures

Fire and evacuation routes, meeting spots and drills
Severe weather and shelter areas
Lockdown and shelter in place
Missing child steps
Medical emergencies and when to call 911
Reunification site and how children are released
Date and trainer's initials

Medication

Medication policy and where medicine is stored
Giving and recording medicine, with the five checks: right child, medicine, dose, time and way
Epinephrine auto-injectors and inhalers
Allergy roster and food safety
Date and trainer's initials

First aid and CPR

First aid kit and AED locations
Gloves and cleaning up blood and body fluids
Incident and accident reports
First aid certified (date and expiration)
CPR certified (date and expiration)
Date and trainer's initials

Behavior guidance

Code of conduct and the steps when rules are broken
Positive guidance: clear expectations, praise and redirection
Helping an upset child calm down
Never allowed: physical punishment, shaming, threats or withholding food
When to call the director
Date and trainer's initials

Pickup procedures

Sign-in and sign-out sheet
Authorized pickup lists and checking photo ID
Court orders and adults who may not pick up
Late pickup steps
What to do if an adult seems impaired or unsafe to drive
Date and trainer's initials

Confidentiality

Keeping children's health and family information private
No photos or details of children on personal social media
The photo release list and which children can't be photographed
Where records are kept and who can see them
Date and trainer's initials

Other training for your program

Swimming and water safety (if offered) and date
Driving and transportation (if staff drive) and date
Other topic and date
Other topic and date

Sign-off

I've completed the training checked above, and I'll follow these policies.

Staff printed name
Staff signature and date
Supervisor signature and date

Free to use and change, but not legal or medical advice. Check your state's licensing rules and your insurer's requirements, and have a lawyer review any consent or waiver language.

Tips

How to use it well

Finish child protection, emergency and pickup training before a new staff member works with children.
Mix short talks with practice: walk the evacuation route, role-play a pickup by an adult staff don't know and practice with a trainer auto-injector.
Check your state's licensing rules for required training hours, topics, certifications and records.
Repeat key topics every season, and keep the checklist and certificates in each staff file.

Rules on ratios, medication and reporting vary by state. See your state in our state-by-state rules for youth programs.

FAQ

Questions, answered

What training do camp and after-school staff need?

At a minimum: orientation, child protection and mandated reporting, emergency procedures, supervision, behavior guidance, pickup procedures and confidentiality, plus first aid and CPR. Staff who give medicine also need medication training. Your state's licensing rules may require specific hours or topics.

Are camp counselors mandated reporters?

In many states, people who work with children must report suspected abuse or neglect, and in some states everyone must. Check your state's rules, train every staff member on how to report and make sure staff know that telling a supervisor may not be enough on its own in your state.