Child Care Facility Laws

Facilities

• You should have enough physical facilities to cater for the needs of the children. There should be cribs for young children to sleep whenever the need arises and chairs and tables to be used during meal times and lessons. You should have toys for the young children. The premises should also be designed to offer a high level of safety to children. Make sure the electrical sockets are in places where children cannot easily access them to prevent accidental electrocution. The sinks too should be far from the reach of the children to avoid drowning accidents.

Number of Staff

• A day-care facility should have enough staff to serve the number of children it has. If your facility has 50 children but only two caregivers, it is likely to have its license revoked, as some children will face neglect or inadequate attention. Most states don't have a specific requirement for the qualification of child care facility staff. However, many day-care facilities now require their staff to have day-care training. First aid knowledge is essential so that the staff can deal with medical emergencies. Staff should not have a criminal record.

Hygiene

• Ensure there is a high level of hygiene. Most states require that the premises be clean and that children be washed and have their clothes and diapers changed regularly. They are also obliged to provide the food in adequate portions and at regular intervals. The food should be prepared in a hygienic manner.

Daily Schedule

• Day-care facilities are supposed to provide a roaster of daily programs before they are licensed. They should indicate what time lunch will be taken, what time the children will be engaging in games and what time they will be taught lessons.

Management

• The management of the day-care facility must have the capacity to run it. Most states will want to have information about the person who will be in charge of the facility, as he will be ultimately responsible for everything that happens there.

Health Records

• Day-care facilities are supposed to ensure that the children under their care are in good health. Records of each child's health condition must be kept at the facility. Every child should monitored so that if there is any sign of poor health, the matter can be referred to a doctor.