FL DCF Child Care Behavioral Observation and Screening (BOSR) 2025/2026

FL DCF Child Care Behavioral Observation and Screening (BOSR) 2025/2026 Child care professionals observe and screen children so they can 1. Facilitate the growth and development of every child in their program, 2. Detect early signs of developmental delay or disability, 3. Identify signs of child abuse or neglect. Observation and screening describe how early childhood professionals use certain methods to help them pay attention to the behavior and development of children under their care. Observation is an ongoing process in which child care professionals recognize and document identifiable developmental milestones as they appear, using tools such as checklists, anecdotal records, and running records. Screening is an ongoing process in which child care professionals use specialized observation and documentation tools to identify, document, and monitor typical development or possible developmental delay. The three main reasons child care programs observe and screen children are to 1. To foster growth and development in every child, 2. Detect early signs of developmental delay or disability, and 3. Identify signs of child abuse and neglect.