As used in this chapter unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Administrator" means the administrator of the division designated by the director to administer this chapter.

2. "Child" means a person under eighteen years of age.

3. "Child care center" or "center" means a facility providing child day care for seven or more children, except when the facility is registered as a family day care home or group day care home.

4. "Child day care" means the care, supervision, or guidance of a child by a person other than the parent, guardian, relative, or custodian for periods of less than twenty-four hours per day per child on a regular basis in a place other than the child's home, but does not include care, supervision, or guidance of a child by any of the following:

   a. An instructional program administered by a public or nonpublic school system accredited by the department of education or the state board of regents or a program provided under section 279.49 or 280.3A.

   b. A church-related instructional program of not more than one day per week.

   c Short-term classes held between school terms.

   d. A child care center for sick children operated as part of a pediatrics unit in a hospital licensed by the department of inspections and appeals pursuant to chapter 135B.

   e. A nonprofit program operated by volunteers for no charge for not more than two hours during any twenty-four hour period.

   f. A program provided by the state or a political subdivision, which provides recreational classes for a period of less than two hours per day.

   g. A program administered by a political subdivision of the state which is primarily for recreational or social purposes and is limited to children who are five years of age or older and attending school.

   h. An instructional program administered by a nonpublic school system which is not accredited by the department of education or the state board of regents.

5. "Child day care facility" or "facility" means a child care center, group day care home, or registered family day care home.

6. "Department" means the department of human services.

7. "Director" means the director of human services.
   8. a. "Family day care home" means a person or program which provides child day care to less than seven children at any one time or to less than twelve children at any one time as authorized by section 237A.3, subsection 1.

   b. "Group day care home" means a facility providing child day care for more than six but less than twelve children, or for less than sixteen children at any one time as authorized in accordance with section 237A.3, subsection 3, provided each child in excess of six children is attending school in kindergarten or a higher grade level.

9. "Licensed center" means a center issued a full or provisional license by the department under the provisions of this chapter or a center for which a license is being processed.

10. "Low-income family" means a family whose monthly gross income is less than the lower of:

    a. Eighty percent of the median income of a family of four in this state adjusted to take into account the size of the family; or ~

    b. The median income of a family of four in the fifty states and the District of Columbia adjusted to take into account the size of the family.

11. "Preschool" means a child day care facility which provides to children ages three through five, for periods of time not exceeding three hours per day, programs designed to help the children to develop intellectual skills, social skills and motor skills, and to extend their interest and understanding of the world about them.

12. "Relative" means a person who by marriage, blood or adoption is a parent, grandparent, brother, sister, stepfather, stepmother, stepbrother, stepsister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, or guardian.

13. "State child day care advisory council" means the state child day care advisory council established pursuant to sections 237A.21 and 237A.22.

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