Tots Around The Clock

Rule .32(4) - Center Cap. 19+/ Separate ages: (4) For Centers with a licensed capacity of 19 or more, children under three (3) years of age shall be housed in separate physical areas from older children and cannot be mixed with older children except at the following times and circumstances:

Rule .32(1) - Ratios: (1) A center must establish groupings of children for care and maintain staff:child ratios as follows: Ages of Children Staff:Child Ratio* Maximum Group Size** Infants less than one (1) year old or children under eighteen (18) months who are not walking 1:6 12 One (1) year olds who are walking 1:8 16 Two (2) year olds 1:10 20 Three (3) year olds 1:15 30 Four (4) year olds 1:18 36 Five (5) year olds 1:20 40 Six (6) years and older 1:25 50 * Staff, such as the director or service workers (food, maintenance and clerical staff, etc.), shall be counted in the staff:child ratio only during the time that they are giving full attention to the direct supervision of the children. Service staff routinely acting as child care workers shall meet the qualifications of the respective caregivers. ** Maximum group size does not apply to outdoor play on the playground routinely used by the center or for special activities in the center lasting no more than two (2) hours. However, required staff:child ratios must be maintained.

Rule .15(2)(a) - Infant feeding: (a)Center Personnel shall hold and feed infants under six (6) months of age and older children who cannot hold their own bottles or sit alone. Baby bottles shall never be propped; the infant's head shall be elevated while feeding.

Rule .03(9) - Rough play: (9) Staff shall not engage in, or allow children or other adults to engage in, activities that could be detrimental to a child’s health or well-being, such as but not limited to, horse play, rough play, wrestling, and picking up a child in a manner that could cause injury.

Rule .03(6) - Confining Equipment/Floor play: (6) Activities for Children Under Three. Children less than three (3) years of age shall not spend more than one-half (1/2) hour of time consecutively in confining equipment, such as swings, highchairs, jump seats, carriers or walkers. Children shall use such equipment only when they are awake. Such children shall be allowed time to play on the floor daily. Infants shall have supervised tummy time on the floor daily when they are awake.

Rule .32(7) - Supervision-Watchful Oversight: (7) Supervision. Children shall be supervised at all times appropriate to the individual age, needs and capabilities of each child. Such supervision must include, but not be limited to, indoor and outdoor activities, mealtimes, naptime, transportation, field trips, and transitions between activities. "Supervision" means that the appropriate number of Staff members are physically present in the area where children are being cared for and are providing watchful oversight to the children, volunteers and Students-in-Training. The persons supervising in the child care area must be alert, positioned to maximize their ability to hear and see the children at all times, and able to respond promptly to the needs and actions of the children being supervised, as well as the actions of the volunteers and Students-in-Training, and provide timely attention to the children's actions and needs. Staff shall be attentive and participating with all children during mealtimes and shall be seated within an arm’s length away from children thirty-six (36) months of age and younger.

Rule .26(9) - Playground-Safe/Clean (Recite-Not Met): (9) Safety and Upkeep of Playground. Playgrounds shall be kept clean, free from litter and free of hazards, such as but not limited to rocks, exposed tree roots and exposed sharp edges of concrete.

Rule .26(4) - Fence-playground (Recite-Not Met): Fence or Approved Barriers. Playgrounds shall be protected from traffic or other hazards by a four (4) foot or higher secure fence or other barrier approved by this Department. Fencing material shall not present a hazard to children and shall be maintained so as to prevent children from leaving the playground area by any means other than through an approved access route. Fence gates shall be kept closed except when persons are entering or exiting the area.

Rule .18(10) - Garbage: (10) Garbage. Garbage shall be stored in trash containers with lids. Containers shall be emptied and cleaned as needed. Acceptable facilities, including water and detergent or steam, shall be provided and used for cleaning containers. Areas around outside containers shall be kept clean.

Rule .15(5) - Menu requirements: (5) Menus. The Center shall provide a menu listing all meals and snacks to be served during the current week except for School-age Centers where the food may be provided by the Parent(s) by agreement between the School-age Center and the Parents. Substitutions shall be recorded on the posted menu. Menus shall be retained at the Center for six (6) months.

Rule .14(2)(b) - First Aid/CPR trained Staff in each classroom: (b) There must always be one staff person present in each classroom where children are present that has current and valid pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and pediatric first aid training.

Rule .32(1) - Ratios: (1) A center must establish groupings of children for care and maintain staff:child ratios as follows: Ages of Children Staff:Child Ratio* Maximum Group Size** Infants less than one (1) year old or children under eighteen (18) months who are not walking 1:6 12 One (1) year olds who are walking 1:8 16 Two (2) year olds 1:10 20 Three (3) year olds 1:15 30 Four (4) year olds 1:18 36 Five (5) year olds 1:20 40 Six (6) years and older 1:25 50 * Staff, such as the director or service workers (food, maintenance and clerical staff, etc.), shall be counted in the staff:child ratio only during the time that they are giving full attention to the direct supervision of the children. Service staff routinely acting as child care workers shall meet the qualifications of the respective caregivers. ** Maximum group size does not apply to outdoor play on the playground routinely used by the center or for special activities in the center lasting no more than two (2) hours. However, required staff:child ratios must be maintained.

Rule .26(9) - Playground-Safe/Clean: (9) Safety and Upkeep of Playground. Playgrounds shall be kept clean, free from litter and free of hazards, such as but not limited to rocks, exposed tree roots and exposed sharp edges of concrete.

Rule .26(8) - Fall Zones and Surfacing: (8) Fall Zones and Surfacing. Climbing and swinging equipment shall have a resilient surface beneath the equipment and the fall zone from such equipment must be adequately maintained by the Center to assure continuing resiliency.

Rule .26(4) - Fence-playground: Fence or Approved Barriers. Playgrounds shall be protected from traffic or other hazards by a four (4) foot or higher secure fence or other barrier approved by this Department. Fencing material shall not present a hazard to children and shall be maintained so as to prevent children from leaving the playground area by any means other than through an approved access route. Fence gates shall be kept closed except when persons are entering or exiting the area.

Rule .33(3) - Staff Training-Health and Safety Orientation (Recite-Not Met)

Rule .30(2)(c) - Sleep in safety-approved cribs: (c) Infants shall not sleep in equipment other than safety-approved cribs, such as, but not limited to, a car safety seat, bouncy seat, highchair, or swing. Infants who arrive at the Center asleep or fall asleep in such equipment, on the floor or elsewhere, shall be transferred to a safety-approved crib.

Rule .30(1)(c) - Pillows: (c) Pillows. Pillows shall not be used by children under two (2) years of age. When used for children two (2) years of age or older, pillows shall be assigned for individual use and covered with pillow cases that are marked for individual use or covered with cases that are laundered daily. Pillow cases that are marked for individual use shall be laundered weekly or more frequently as needed.

Rule .25(13) - Indoor Storage-Hazards: (13) Indoor Storage Areas. Potentially hazardous equipment, materials and supplies shall be stored in a locked area inaccessible to children. Examples of items to be stored include non-food related products under pressure in aerosol dispensing cans, flammable and corrosive materials, cleaning supplies, poisons, insecticides, office supplies and industrial-sized or commercial buckets with a capacity of three gallons or more or any other similar device with rigid sides which would not tip over if a toddler fell into the container head first.