Child Care Facility Knowledge
The goals of this course are to help you understand:
- How the Florida Statues determines their roles and responsibilities as child care professionals.
- The role of the Florida Statues in the provision of child care in Florida.
- Specific Florida Statutes related to child care in Florida.
- How to apply knowledge of the Florida Statutes as it relates to your daily work as a child care provider.
Why do centers exist?
Ideal Center
What is the ideal Florida child care center?
Let's start with the requirements for Gold Seal Quality Care
Section 402.281 Gold Seal Quality Care program – Retrieved from: http://www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/child-care/goldseal-statutory 4/2014
(1) Child care facilities, large family child care homes, or family day care homes that are accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting association whose standards substantially meet or exceed the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the National Association of Family Child Care, and the National Early Childhood Program Accreditation Commission shall receive a separate "Gold Seal Quality Care" designation to operate as a gold seal child care facility, large family child care home, or family day care home.
(2) In developing the Gold Seal Quality Care program standards, the department shall consult with the Department of Education, the Florida Head Start Directors Association, the Florida Association of Child Care Management, the Florida Family Day Care Association, the Florida Children's Forum, the State Coordinating Council for School Readiness Programs, the Early Childhood Association of Florida, the National Association for Child Development Education, providers receiving exemptions under s. 402.316, and parents, for the purpose of approving the accrediting associations.
(3) In order to obtain and maintain a designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider, a child care facility, large family child care home, or family day care home must meet the following additional criteria:
(a) The child care provider must not have had any class I violations, as defined by rule, within the 2 years preceding its application for designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of a class I violation shall be grounds for termination of the designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the provider has no class I violations for a period of 2 years.
o “Violation” means a finding of noncompliance by the department or local licensing agency with a licensing standard. Violations can be classified based on their severity.
§ A “Class I” violation is the most serious in nature, pose an imminent threat to a child including abuse or neglect and which could or does result in death or serious harm to the health, safety or well- being of a child. Examples include:
·Child left unattended by the operator/staff or child absconds from the facility
·Violation of additional supervision requirement for swimming activities
·Child given wrong medication, incorrect dosage, or medication without parental authorization
·Failure to provide one person with certified lifeguard certificate or equivalent for swimming activities.
·Inappropriate child discipline
(b) The child care provider must not have had three or more class II violations, as defined by rule, within the 2 years preceding its application for designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of three or more class II violations within a 2-year period shall be grounds for termination of the designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the provider has no class II violations for a period of 1 year.
§ “Class II” violations are less serious in nature than Class I violations and could be anticipated to pose a threat to the health, safety or well-being of a child, although the threat is not imminent. Examples include:
·Improper Staff/child ratios.
·Toxic/hazardous materials left out
·Harmful supplies/medication not labeled or stored properly
·Fencing violation, outdoor hazard
·Transportation log not maintained, and/or incomplete
(c) The child care provider must not have been cited for the same class III violation, as defined by rule, three or more times within the 2 years preceding its application for designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of the same class III violation three or more times during a 2-year period shall be grounds for termination of the designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the provider has no class III violations for a period of 1 year.
§ “Class III” violations are less serious in nature than either Class I or Class II violations and pose a low potential for harm to children. Examples include:
·Incomplete first aid supplies.
·Personnel and children’s records violations (excluding screening and CPR/First Aid training).
·Violations of isolation area requirements.
·Insufficient number of cribs, inappropriate crib
·Training violations
Let's start with the requirements for Gold Seal Quality Care
Section 402.281 Gold Seal Quality Care program – Retrieved from: http://www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/child-care/goldseal-statutory 4/2014
(1) Child care facilities, large family child care homes, or family day care homes that are accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting association whose standards substantially meet or exceed the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the National Association of Family Child Care, and the National Early Childhood Program Accreditation Commission shall receive a separate "Gold Seal Quality Care" designation to operate as a gold seal child care facility, large family child care home, or family day care home.
(2) In developing the Gold Seal Quality Care program standards, the department shall consult with the Department of Education, the Florida Head Start Directors Association, the Florida Association of Child Care Management, the Florida Family Day Care Association, the Florida Children's Forum, the State Coordinating Council for School Readiness Programs, the Early Childhood Association of Florida, the National Association for Child Development Education, providers receiving exemptions under s. 402.316, and parents, for the purpose of approving the accrediting associations.
(3) In order to obtain and maintain a designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider, a child care facility, large family child care home, or family day care home must meet the following additional criteria:
(a) The child care provider must not have had any class I violations, as defined by rule, within the 2 years preceding its application for designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of a class I violation shall be grounds for termination of the designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the provider has no class I violations for a period of 2 years.
o “Violation” means a finding of noncompliance by the department or local licensing agency with a licensing standard. Violations can be classified based on their severity.
§ A “Class I” violation is the most serious in nature, pose an imminent threat to a child including abuse or neglect and which could or does result in death or serious harm to the health, safety or well- being of a child. Examples include:
·Child left unattended by the operator/staff or child absconds from the facility
·Violation of additional supervision requirement for swimming activities
·Child given wrong medication, incorrect dosage, or medication without parental authorization
·Failure to provide one person with certified lifeguard certificate or equivalent for swimming activities.
·Inappropriate child discipline
(b) The child care provider must not have had three or more class II violations, as defined by rule, within the 2 years preceding its application for designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of three or more class II violations within a 2-year period shall be grounds for termination of the designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the provider has no class II violations for a period of 1 year.
§ “Class II” violations are less serious in nature than Class I violations and could be anticipated to pose a threat to the health, safety or well-being of a child, although the threat is not imminent. Examples include:
·Improper Staff/child ratios.
·Toxic/hazardous materials left out
·Harmful supplies/medication not labeled or stored properly
·Fencing violation, outdoor hazard
·Transportation log not maintained, and/or incomplete
(c) The child care provider must not have been cited for the same class III violation, as defined by rule, three or more times within the 2 years preceding its application for designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of the same class III violation three or more times during a 2-year period shall be grounds for termination of the designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the provider has no class III violations for a period of 1 year.
§ “Class III” violations are less serious in nature than either Class I or Class II violations and pose a low potential for harm to children. Examples include:
·Incomplete first aid supplies.
·Personnel and children’s records violations (excluding screening and CPR/First Aid training).
·Violations of isolation area requirements.
·Insufficient number of cribs, inappropriate crib
·Training violations
Statute Hiring Hunt
Using the Florida statutes on DCF website: http://ccrain.fl-dcf.org/documents/1/451.pdf#nameddest=402.26 search for statutes describing Florida hiring policies and create a poster, cartoon (using ToonDoo or other cartoon creating site), or paper/pencil describing steps for hiring in child care center. Make sure it includes:
- Any age restrictions
- Any background checks
- Any training requirements