Ariz. Admin. Code § 9-5-501

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 40, October 4, 2024

Section R9-5-501 - General Child Care Program, Equipment, and Health and Safety Standards

A. A licensee shall ensure that:

1. In addition to complying with the requirements in this Chapter, the health, safety, or welfare of an enrolled child is not placed at risk of harm;

2. Except for an enrolled school-age child, drinking water is provided sufficient for the needs of and accessible to each enrolled child in both indoor and outdoor activity areas;

3. For an enrolled school-age child, if drinking water is not accessible in an indoor or outdoor activity area, drinking water sufficient to meet the individual needs of each enrolled school-aged child is available;

4. An enrolled child is placed in an age-appropriate or developmentally-appropriate group;

5. Indoor activity areas used by enrolled children are decorated with age-appropriate articles such as mirrors, bulletin boards, pictures, and posters;

6. Age-appropriate toys, materials, and equipment are provided to enable each enrolled child to participate in an activity;

7. Storage space is provided in the facility for indoor and outdoor toys, materials, and equipment in areas accessible to enrolled children;

8. Clean clothing is available to an enrolled child when the enrolled child needs a change of clothing;

9. If a staff member places an enrolled child in a feeding chair when feeding the enrolled child:

a. The feeding chair is constructed to prevent toppling;

b. The tray or feeding surface of the feeding chair is smooth and free of cracks; and

c. The staff member:

i. Cleans the feeding chair before and after each enrolled child's use;

ii. Sanitizes the tray or feeding surface before and after each enrolled child's use; and

iii. If the feeding chair was manufactured with a safety strap, fastens the feeding chair's safety strap while the enrolled child is in the feeding chair;

10. At least one indoor activity area in the facility is equipped with at least one cot or mat, a sheet, and a blanket, where an enrolled child can rest quietly away from other enrolled children;

11. Outdoor activities are scheduled to allow not less than 75 square feet for each enrolled child occupying the facility's outdoor activity area or indoor activity area substituted for outdoor activity area at any time;

12. The facility premises, including the buildings, are maintained free from hazards;

13. Toys and play equipment, required in this Article, are maintained:

a. Free from hazards, and

b. In a condition that allows the toy or play equipment to be used for the original purpose of the toy or play equipment;

14. Temperatures are maintained between 68° F and 82° F in each room used by enrolled children;

15. Except when an enrolled child is napping or sleeping, each room used by an enrolled child is maintained at a minimum of 30 foot candles of illumination;

16. When an enrolled child is napping or sleeping in a room, the room is maintained at a minimum of 5 foot candles of illumination;

17. Each enrolled child's toothbrush, comb, washcloth, cloth towel, and clothing is maintained in a clean condition and stored in an identified space separate from those of other enrolled children;

18. Each enrolled child's pacifier is labeled with an identifier that is specific to the enrolled child and maintained in a clean condition;

19. Except as provided in subsection (A)(20), the following are stored separate from food storage areas and are inaccessible to an enrolled child:

a. All materials and chemicals labeled as a toxic or flammable substance;

b. All substances that have a child warning label and may be a hazard to a child; and

c. Lawn mowers, ladders, toilet brushes, plungers, and other facility equipment that may be a hazard to a child;

20. Hand sanitizers:

a. When being stored, are stored separate from food storage areas and are inaccessible to enrolled children; and

b. When being provided for use, are accessible to enrolled children; and

21. Except when used as part of an activity, the following are stored in an area inaccessible to an enrolled child:

a. Garden tools, such as a rake, trowel, and shovel; and

b. Cleaning equipment and supplies, such as a mop and mop bucket.

B. A toy or piece of play equipment, which is free from hazards and in a condition that does not allow the toy or play equipment to be used for the toy or play equipment's original purpose, may be in an activity area but is not counted as one of the toys or play equipment required in this Article.

C. A licensee shall ensure that a staff member:

1. Supervises each enrolled child at all times;

2. Does not smoke or use tobacco:

a. On facility premises, except in designated areas separated from the children; or

b. On a field trip or when transporting an enrolled child;

3. Except for an enrolled child who can change the enrolled child's own clothing, changes an enrolled child's clothing when wet or soiled;

4. Except as provided in subsection (D), prepares and posts in each indoor activity area, a current schedule of children's age-appropriate activities, including the times the following are provided:

a. Meals and snacks;

b. Naps;

c. Indoor activities;

d. Outdoor or large muscle development activities;

e. Quiet and active activities;

f. Teacher-directed activities;

g. Self-directed activities;

h. Activities for individuals, groups of five or fewer children, and groups of six or more children; and

i. Activities that develop small muscles;

5. Except as provided in subsection (D), prepares and posts a dated lesson plan in each indoor activity area for each calendar week, which is maintained on facility premises for 12 months after the lesson plan date and provides opportunities for each child to:

a. Gain a positive self-concept;

b. Develop and practice social skills;

c. Think, reason, question, and experiment;

d. Acquire language skills;

e. Develop physical coordination skills;

f. Participate in structured large muscle physical activity;

g. Develop habits that meet health, safety, and nutritional needs;

h. Express creativity;

i. Learn to respect cultural diversity of children and staff;

j. Learn self-help skills; and

k. Develop a sense of responsibility and independence;

6. If an activity in the lesson plan required in subsection (C)(5) includes screen time, include in the lesson plan the duration of the screen time in minutes;

7. Except as provided in subsection (C)(8), implements the schedule in subsection (C)(4) and lesson plan in subsection (C)(5);

8. If the schedule in subsection (C)(4) or lesson plan in subsection (C)(5) is not implemented, writes on the schedule or the lesson plan the activity that is implemented;

9. Does the following when a parent permits or asks a staff member to apply personal products on an enrolled child, such as petroleum jelly, diaper rash ointments, sun screen or sun block preparations, toothpaste, and baby diapering preparations:

a. Obtains the enrolled child's personal products from the enrolled child's parent or, if the licensee provides the personal products for use by the enrolled child, obtains written approval for use of the products from the enrolled child's parent;

b. Labels the personal products with the enrolled child's name; and

c. Keeps the personal products inaccessible to enrolled children;

10. When a parent permits, allows an enrolled school-age child to possess and use a topical sunscreen product without a note or prescription from a licensed health care professional.

11. In an indoor activity area that does not have a diaper changing area:

a. Stores an enrolled child's wet or soiled clothing in a sealed plastic bag labeled with the enrolled child's name; and

b. Sends an enrolled child's wet or soiled clothing home with the enrolled child when the facility releases the enrolled child to the enrolled child's parent; and

12. Monitors an enrolled child for overheating or overexposure to the sun. If the enrolled child exhibits signs of overheating or overexposure to the sun, a staff member who has the first aid training required by R9-5-403(E) shall evaluate and treat the enrolled child.

D. A licensee is not required to have a schedule required in subsection (C)(4) or a lesson plan required in subsection (C)(5) for an indoor activity area that is approved and used:

1. By enrolled children only for:

a. Snacks or meals, or

b. A specific activity,

2. To provide child care services to infants, or

3. As a substitute for an outdoor activity area.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-5-501

Adopted effective December 12, 1986 (Supp. 86-6). Section repealed; new Section adopted effective October 17, 1997 (Supp. 97-4). Amended by exempt rulemaking at 16 A.A.R. 1564, effective September 30, 2010 (Supp. 10-3). Amended by final expedited rulemaking at 24 A.A.R. 3429, effective 12/5/2018.