Licensing Standards for DayCare Centers

Staffing

(a) A file shall be kept on the licensed premises for each employee of the child day care center or group day care home which shall include:

1.a medical statement signed by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant, completed within twelve (12) months before the date of employment for new staff, and every twenty-four (24) months for current staff, such statement to document the presence of any known medical or emotional illness or disorder that would currently pose a risk to children in care or would currently interfere with effective functioning as an employee of a child day care center or group day care home;

2.upon employment, a written report of a negative tuberculin test completed within twelve (12) months prior to the date of employment or for a known prior reactor, no evidence of active tuberculosis on a chest x-ray;

3.documentation of continuing education for each full time or part time staff person who cares for the children.

(c) The operator shall maintain a staff adequate for the number, ages and developmental needs of the children to be accommodated.

1.A designated head teacher shall be on site for sixty percent (60%) of the time the child day care center is in operation on a weekly basis.

2.There shall be at least two (2) staff eighteen (18) years of age or older on the premises when one (1) or more children are in attendance. The staff shall be available to care for the children. All staff in the child day care center and group day care home shall have the personal qualities necessary to:

a) care for and work with children,

b) relate to adults, and

c) relate to parents.

3.Proper staff child ratios shall be maintained at all times.

a) There shall be at least one (1) program staff person for every ten (10) children, or fraction thereof in attendance.

b)When there is a mixed age group the lower required ratio for the age of the youngest child shall prevail.

4.Group size shall be maintained at all times. The group size shall not exceed twenty children. When there is a mixed age group the smaller required group size shall prevail.

5.During nap time the overall staff child ratios shall be maintained on the licensed premises.

(1) A designated head teacher shall submit to the Department written verification of being twenty (20) years of age or older, having the personal qualifications needed to supervise people, and having:

(A) in a child day care center,

(i) a high school diploma or equivalency certificate,

(ii) at least one thousand and eighty (1080) hours of documented supervised experience over a nine (9) month span of time, including working with children in a program with these standards or comparable standards in this or another state, which program serves children of the same ages and developmental stages who are served at the child day care center, and one of the following: a current center-based Child Development Associate Credential issued from the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition, or twelve (12) credits in early childhood education or child development from an accredited institution of higher education with program approval from the Board of Governors of Higher Education, or

(iii) approval by the Department as a head teacher prior to January 1, 1994;

(B) in a group day care home,

(i) a high school diploma or equivalency certificate,

(ii) at least one thousand and eighty (1080) documented hours of experience over a nine (9) month span of time working with unrelated children of the same ages and developmental stages to be served in this home;

(C) in a child day care center or group day care home,

(i) a four (4) year college degree in early childhood education or child development from an accredited institution of higher education with program approval from the Board of Governors of Higher Education, and

(ii) at least three hundred sixty (360) hours of documented supervised experience in working with unrelated children of the same age(s) to be served in this child day care center or group day care home with these standards or comparable standards in this or another state and at least one (1) semester of student teaching with children of the same age(s) and developmental stages that are served in the center or home.

(2) A second program person who works under supervision of the head teacher shall be eighteen (18) years of age or older and have at least one of the following:

(A) a high school diploma, or

(B) an equivalency certificate, or

(C) at least five hundred and forty (540) hours documented experience in working with unrelated children of the same age(s) to be served in this child day care center or group day care home.

(3) Other program assistants shall be able to work under supervision and shall be at least sixteen (16) years of age.

(4) Additional program staff shall be sufficient to provide care of children during all hours of operation in keeping with group size and ratio.

(1) It shall be at least six (6) hours in length.

(2) Instruction shall include, but not necessarily be limited to:

(A) the recognition and emergency management of bleeding, burns, poisoning, anaphylaxis, respiratory distress including choking, musculo-skeletal injury, seizures, wounds including insect bites, head injuries, shock, loss of consciousness, dental emergencies, child abuse and sexual abuse;

(B) communicable disease prevention, recognition and management which includes a discussion of transmission through the intestinal tract, the respiratory system, and direct contract; hygiene including hand washing, cleaning and disinfection; diapering techniques; signs and symptoms of illness, including fever, rash, and vomiting; temperature taking; education in specific communicable disease including, not necessarily limited to, diarrheal diseases, bacterial meningitis, chicken pox, hepatitis, strap throat, head lice, scabies, and vaccine-preventable diseases;

(C) accident prevention and safety including, but not necessarily limited to: safety for the indoor environment and outdoor play area, first aid supplies for day care centers, child restraint systems and seat belt safety in accordance with section 14-100a of the Connecticut General Statutes and section 14-100a-1 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.

(3) Instruction shall be provided by a person who meets at least one of the following requirements:

(A) a currently certified American Red Cross First Aid Instructor,

(B) a physician, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse or registered nurse, or

(C) a certified emergency medical technician.

(4) The course outline and all other written materials used in the course shall be submitted to the Department and shall not be used without approval by the Department.

(1) written verification from the American Red Cross that is signed and dated by a representative of the American Red Cross; or

(2) written verification by a representative of the organization, physician, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, registered nurse or certified emergency medical technician who conducted the training.

(1) The operator of the child day care center or group day care home shall develop, implement and maintain a written plan for continuing education in child care.

(2) The operator shall have documentation of continuing education as defined in section 19a-79-1a of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies for each staff member which shall be maintained and made available for review.

(1) These services shall include:

(A) an early childhood educational consultant available to the operator and staff for advice and support regarding the educational content of the program; anyone approved as an early childhood consultant prior to January 1, 1994, will continue to be an approved early childhood educational consultant, except for good cause shown;

(B) a physician, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse or registered nurse consultant available to the operator and staff for advice regarding the health of the children and the health program;

(C) a dentist or dental hygienist consultant available to the operator and staff for advice regarding the dental health of children or a dental health education program;

(D) a social service consultant available to the operator and staff for advice regarding the emotional needs, staff support and the social service program;

(E) a registered dietitian consultant available to the operator and staff for advice regarding nutrition and food service for those programs that serve meals.

(2) The written plan for each consultative service shall include but not necessarily be limited to:

(A) annual review of policies;

(B) annual review of inservice education programs;

(C) availability by telecommunication for advice regarding problems;

(D) availability, in person, of the consultant to the program.

(3) Program staff may not serve as consultants for programs in which they provide direct care or direct program supervision.

Home               About Us               Login               Sign-Up               Products            Contact Us