Illinois Licensing Standards for Day Care Centers

b) All swimming pools and wading pools, whether at the day care center or elsewhere, shall comply with the Illinois Department of Public Health rules 77 Ill. Adm. Code 820, Illinois Swimming Pool and Bathing Beach Code.

c) All in-ground pools located in areas accessible to the children shall be fenced. The fence shall be at least five feet in height and secured with a locked gate. Day care centers that are licensed currently have until January 1, 1999 to comply with this requirement.

d) All above-ground pools shall have nonclimbable sidewalls that are at least four feet high or shall be enclosed with a fence in accordance with subsection (c) of this Section. When the pool is not in use, steps shall be removed from the pool or otherwise protected to insure they cannot be accessed.

e) When children are swimming, supervision shall include at all times at least one person currently certified as a lifeguard or water safety instructor by the American Red Cross or an equivalent water safety program. If swimming is being done at a pool open to other persons and a lifeguard or lifeguards are provided by the pool or beach operator, an additional lifeguard is not necessary.

f) All adults counted in the staff/child ratio for swimming shall receive basic water safety instruction from a person certified as a lifeguard or water safety instructor per subsection (e) of this Section.

g) The following staff/child ratio shall be maintained when children are swimming, whether at the center or at other public or private swimming pools, lakes or recreational swimming facilities. A minimum of two adults must be present at all times.

AGE OF CHILDREN	NUMBER OF CHILDREN PER STAFF
Infants/toddlers (under 2 years)	1
Two-year-olds	2
Three-year-olds	5
Four-year-olds	8
Five-year-olds	8
School-age children from six to eight years of age	10
School-age children nine years of age and older	15

h) In addition to the lifeguard and staff required in subsection (g) of this Section, one adult shall be present to serve as bathroom monitor and provide other general out-of-water supervision.

i) Whenever swimming is included in the program of the child care center, the program shall be offered on an optional basis with alternative activities available for children who do not participate in swimming.