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The new National Association for the Education of Young Children Accreditation Criteria will require that programs have their outdoor play spaces inspected by a playground safety inspector. Early childhood program directors are wondering: who has this certification and what does it mean?
A variety of professionals might be certified in playground safety. These professionals include early childhood staff, nurses, school administrators, park officials and recreation specialists. During the safety training, participants learn to identify the most common playground problems, how to recognize potential safety problems on the playground and how to document that playgrounds are inspected, maintained and repaired on timely basis.
Currently, there are two places in the US where professionals can take a class and become certified in playground safety. One course is offered by the National Recreation and Park Association and the other course is offered by the National Program for Playground Safety. The course from the first organization is offered around the county in a variety of locations. This is the oldest and perhaps more recognized certification in playground safety. The location of training closest to your center can be found here (www.nrpa.org/ content/ default.aspx?documentId=1002) .
The cost of the course is around $340, and the exam is $100. This certification lasts for three years. The second course, called the Annual Safety School, is offered at the National Program for Playground Safety at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Rapids. This course covers similar topics and is provided several times throughout the year at the university. The course cost is around $400, and the exam is $100. More information about this course can be found at
www.playgroundsafety.org/school/
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