The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings:
"Chapter" means the rules contained in the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers, as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:52, which reflect provisions that constitute minimum baseline requirements below which no center that is subject to the authority of 30:5B-1 to 15 is legally permitted to operate.
"Child" means any person under 13 years of age.
"Denial of a license or a Certificate of Life/Safety Approval" means the withholding by the Office of Licensing of an initial license or Certificate of Life/Safety Approval, for which a center has applied.
"Department" means the New Jersey Department of Children and Families.
"Director" means the on-site staff member responsible for the daily operation and management of the center.
"Early childhood program" means a supervised group program serving six or more children under six years of age.
"Health care provider" means a physician, nurse practitioner, physician's assistant, or other health care professional who is licensed or otherwise authorized by the state in which he or she practices to perform the applicable health care services specified in this chapter.
"Licensed capacity" means the maximum number of children a center can serve in the rooms approved as licensed space by the Office of Licensing.
"Office of Licensing" or "Office" means the Office of Licensing, New Jersey Department of Children and Families.
"Parent" means a birth or adoptive parent, legal guardian, or any other person having responsibility for, or custody of, a child.
"Person" means any individual, agency, corporation, company, association, organization, society, firm, partnership, joint stock company, the State or any political subdivision thereof.
"Refusal to renew a license or a Certificate of Life/Safety Approval" means the non-issuance of a license or a Certificate of Life/Safety Approval by the Office of Licensing to a center after its existing license or Certificate of Life/Safety Approval has expired.
"Regular Certificate of Life/Safety Approval" or "Regular Certificate" means a document issued by the Office of Licensing to a center that is eligible for such approval, indicating that the center is in full compliance with N.J.A.C. 3A:52-1.1(c).
"Regular license" means a document issued by the Office of Licensing to a center indicating that the center is in full compliance with all applicable provisions of this chapter.
"Revocation of a license or a Certificate of Life/Safety Approval" means a permanent removal of a center's current license or Certificate of Life/Safety Approval to operate.
"School-age child care program" means a supervised group program serving six or more children under 13 years of age who are enrolled in a public or private school, when their classes are not in session. The term, school-age child care program, may also include programs that serve: kindergarten children before or after their regular school session; and pre-kindergarten children before or after their regular school session if the pre-kindergarten children attend the program for no more than three and a half hours.
"Shall" denotes a provision of this chapter that a center must meet to qualify for a license.
"Should" denotes a recommendation reflecting goals towards which a center is encouraged to work.
"Sponsor" means any person(s), corporation, or governing board owning or legally responsible for operating a center.
"Sponsor representative" means any person who represents or acts on behalf of a sponsor.
"Staff member" or "staff" means any person(s) employed by or working for or at a center on a regularly scheduled basis. This includes full-time, part-time, voluntary, substitute, contract or consulting personnel, whether compensated or not.
"Suspension of a license or a Certificate of Life/Safety Approval" means a temporary removal of a center's current license or Certificate of Life/Safety Approval to operate.
"Temporary Certificate of Life/Safety Approval" or "Temporary Certificate" means a document issued by the Office of Licensing to a center that is eligible for such approval, indicating that the center is in substantial compliance with N.J.A.C. 3A:52-1.1(c), provided that no serious or imminent hazard affecting the children exists in the center.
"Temporary license" means a document issued by the Office of Licensing to a center that is in substantial compliance with the applicable provisions of this chapter, provided that no serious or imminent hazard affecting the children exists in the center.
N.J. Admin. Code § 3A:52-1.4