§ 1306.35 - Family child care program option.

(a) Grantee and delegate agency implementation. Grantee and delegate agencies offering the family child care program option must:

(1) Hours of operation. Ensure that the family child care option, whether provided directly or via contractual arrangement, operates sufficient hours to meet the child care needs of families.

(2) Serving children with disabilities. (i) Ensure the availability of family child care homes capable of serving children and families with disabilities affecting mobility as appropriate; and

(ii) Ensure that children with disabilities enrolled in family child care are provided services which support their participation in the early intervention, special education, and related services required by their individual family service plan (IFSP) or individual education plan (IEP) and that the child's teacher has appropriate knowledge, training, and support.

(3) Program Space-indoor and outdoor. Ensure that each family child care home has sufficient indoor and outdoor space which is usable and available to children. This space must be adequate to allow children to be supervised and safely participate in developmentally appropriate activities and routines that foster their cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical development, including both gross and fine motor. Family child care settings must meet State family child care regulations.

(4) Policy Council role. The Policy Council must approve or disapprove the addition of family child care as a Head Start or Early Head Start program option. When families are enrolled in the Head Start or Early Head Start family child care program option, they must have proportionate representation on the Policy Council or policy committee.

(b)Facilities—(1) Safety plan. Grantees and delegate agencies offering the family child care program option must ensure the health and safety of children enrolled. The family child care home must have a written description of its health, safety, and emergency policies and procedures, and a system for routine inspection to ensure ongoing safety.

(2) Injury prevention. Grantee and delegate agencies must ensure that:

(i) Children enrolled in the Head Start family child care program option are protected from potentially hazardous situations. Providers must ensure that children are safe from the potential hazards posed by appliances (stove, refrigerator, microwave, etc). Premises must be free from pests and the use of chemicals or other potentially harmful materials for controlling pests must not occur while children are on premises.

(ii) Grantee and delegate agencies must ensure that all sites attended by children enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start are equipped with functioning and properly located smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

(iii) Radon detectors are installed in family child care homes where there is a basement and such detectors are recommended by local health officials;

(iv) Children are supervised at all times. Providers must have systems for assuring the safety of any child not within view for any period (e.g. the provider needs to use the bathroom or an infant is napping in one room while toddlers play in another room);

(v) Providers ensure the safety of children whenever any body of water, road, or other potential hazard is present and when children are being transported;

(vi) Unsupervised access by children to all water hazards, such as pools or other bodies of water, are prevented by a fence;

(vii) There are no firearms or other weapons kept in areas occupied or accessible to children;

(viii) Alcohol and other drugs are not consumed while children are present or accessible to children at any time; and

(ix) Providers secure health certificates for pets to document up to date immunizations and freedom from any disease or condition that poses a threat to children's health. Family child care providers must ensure that pets are appropriately managed to ensure child safety at all times.

(c) Emergency plans. Grantee and delegate agencies offering the family child care option must ensure that providers have made plans to notify parents in the event of any emergency or unplanned interruption of service. The provider and parent together must develop contingency plans for emergencies. Such plans may include, but are not limited to, the use of alternate providers or the availability of substitute providers. Parents must be informed that they may need to pick the child up and arrange care if the child becomes ill or if an emergency arises.

(d) Licensing requirements. Head Start programs offering the family child care option must ensure that family child care providers meet State, Tribal, and local licensing requirements and possess a license or other document certifying that those requirements have been met. When State, Tribal, or local requirements vary from Head Start requirements, the most stringent provision takes precedence.

[73 FR 1296, Jan. 8, 2008]