The director of children and youth shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code governing the operation of child care centers, including parent cooperative centers, part-time centers, and drop-in centers. The rules shall reflect the various forms of child care and the needs of children receiving child care or publicly funded child care and shall include specific rules for school-age child care centers that are developed in consultation with the department of education and workforce. The rules shall include the following:
(A) Submission of a site plan and descriptive plan of operation to demonstrate how the center proposes to meet the requirements of this chapter and rules adopted pursuant to this chapter for the initial license application;
(B) Standards for ensuring that the physical surroundings of the center are safe and sanitary including the physical environment, the physical plant, and the equipment of the center;
(C) Standards for the supervision, care, and discipline of children receiving child care or publicly funded child care in the center;
(D) Standards for a program of activities, and for play equipment, materials, and supplies, to enhance the development of each child; however, any educational curricula, philosophies, and methodologies that are developmentally appropriate and that enhance the social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development of each child shall be permissible. As used in this division, "program" does not include instruction in religious or moral doctrines, beliefs, or values that is conducted at child care centers owned and operated by churches and does include methods of disciplining children at child care centers.
(E) Admissions policies and procedures;
(F) Health care policies and procedures, including procedures for the isolation of children with communicable diseases;
(G) First aid and emergency procedures;
(H) Procedures for discipline and supervision of children;
(I) Standards for the provision of nutritious meals and snacks;
(J) Procedures for screening children that may include any necessary physical examinations and shall include immunizations in accordance with section5104.014of the Revised Code;
(K) Procedures for screening employees that may include any necessary physical examinations and immunizations;
(L) Methods for encouraging parental participation in the center and methods for ensuring that the rights of children, parents, and employees are protected and that responsibilities of parents and employees are met;
(M) Procedures for ensuring the safety and adequate supervision of children traveling off the premises of the center while under the care of a center employee;
(N) Procedures for record keeping, organization, and administration;
(O) Procedures for issuing, denying, and revoking a license that are not otherwise provided for in Chapter 119. of the Revised Code;
(P) Inspection procedures;
(Q) Procedures and standards for setting initial license application fees;
(R) Procedures for receiving, recording, and responding to complaints about centers;
(S) Procedures for enforcing section5104.04of the Revised Code;
(T) Minimum qualifications for employment as an administrator or child care staff member, which shall not include requiring an administrator or child care staff member to hold or obtain a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree;
(U) Requirements for the training of administrators and child care staff members, including training in first aid, in prevention, recognition, and management of communicable diseases, and in child abuse recognition and prevention;
(V) Standards providing for the needs of children who have disabilities or who require treatment for health conditions while the child is receiving child care or publicly funded child care in the center;
(W) A procedure for reporting of injuries of children that occur at the center;
(X) Standards for licensing child care centers for children with short-term illnesses and other temporary medical conditions;
(Y) Minimum requirements for instructional time for child care centers rated through the step up to quality program established pursuant to section5104.29of the Revised Code;
(Z) Any other procedures and standards necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter regarding child care centers.
Last updated January 1, 2025 at 7:19 AM