Inspection · 2024-07-31

No child may be accepted for care in a child care program unless the program has been furnished with a written statement signed by a health care provider verifying that the child is able to participate in child care and currently appears to be free from contagious or communicable diseases. A child's medical statement must have been completed within the 12 months preceding the date of enrollment.

The program must keep documentation of immunizations the child has received to date, in accordance with New York State Public Health Law.

The caregivers also must: obtain written consent at the time of admission from the parent which authorizes the provider or other caregivers to obtain emergency health care for the child;

The provisions specified on the license are binding and the group family day care home must operate in compliance with the terms of the license. The number and age range of children specified thereon are the maximum number and age range of children who may be in the care of the group family day care home at any one time.

A group family day care home must admit inspectors and other representatives of the Office onto the grounds and premises at any time during the hours of operation as documented with the Office on the application for group family day care. Such inspectors and representatives must be given free access to the building, the caregivers, employees and volunteers, the children and any program records.

The caregivers, employees and volunteers must be familiar with the regulations governing group family day care. Such regulations must be readily accessible to the caregivers for reference purposes and must be made available for review to a parent of a child in care upon request by a parent.

The caregivers, employees, volunteers and all members of the household must be in good health and be of good character and habits.

The program must maintain on file at the group family day care home, available for inspection the name, address, gender, and date of birth of each child and each child's parents names, addresses, telephone numbers and place(s) at which parents or other persons responsible for the child can be reached in case of an emergency;

The program must maintain on file at the group family day care home, available for inspection the names and addresses of persons authorized to take the child(ren) from the group family day care home;

In addition to a smoke detector on each floor, there must be a smoke detector located either within rooms where children nap, or in adjoining rooms. In the case of rooms used for napping or sleeping which have doors, a smoke detector is required inside that room.

Each program must hold two shelter-in-place drills annually during which procedures and supplies are reviewed. Parents must be made aware of this drill in advance.

Operating carbon monoxide detectors must be used in all group family day care homes when required, and located in areas of the home in accordance with applicable laws.

Except while sleeping, awaking or going to sleep, an infant must not be left in a crib, playpen or other confined space for more than 30 minutes at any one time. Other than at meals or snack time, a child must not be left in a high chair for longer than 15 minutes.

Other than for school age children, sleeping and napping arrangements must be made in writing between the parent and the program. Such arrangements shall include: the area of the home where the child will nap; whether the child will nap on a cot, mat, bed or a crib; and how the napping child will be supervised, consistent with the requirements of section 416.8 of this Part.

Children cannot be left without competent supervision at any time. Competent supervision includes awareness of and responsibility for the ongoing activity of each child. It requires that all children be within a caregiver's range of vision except as provided in section 416.8(b) of this Part and that the caregiver be near enough to respond when redirection or intervention strategies are needed. Competent supervision must take into account the child's age, emotional, physical and cognitive development.

Children may be outside a caregiver's range of vision only as follows: With the prior written permission of the parent, children who are napping or sleeping may do so in a room where an awake approved caregiver is not present, the doors to all rooms must be open; the approved caregiver must remain on the same floor as the children; and a functioning electronic monitor must be used in any room where children are sleeping or napping and an awake approved caregiver is not present.

One caregiver may care for a maximum of six children younger than school age, or eight children when at least two of the eight children are school aged.

When care is provided for children under the age of two years, there must be at least one caregiver present for every two children under the age of two years in attendance.