8.

01 Sampler of Childcare Rules

Directions: Use this handout to record information about typical health and safety policies for child care centers.
Each policy is based on a child care rule from the NC Child Care Center Handbook. Instructions are provided at the
top of each column.

Goal of
Policy:

Notes from
Text:

State a rationale
to explain why
each type of
policy is needed.

Record notes
from the
textbook(s) that
relate to this
topic or type of
policy.

1. Supervise
children at all
times

Rationale: If a
child gets hurt
you will know
how and why
they got hurt.
You will know
if someone
hurt them or
not. You will
know if they
hit someone
or threw
something.
2. Maintain
minimum
adult-child
ratios

Rationale: You
will be able to
watch all the
children
without
stressing you
want be able
to watch all

Sample Child Care Rule:

Find in the NC Child Care Center Handbook the Child
Care Rule referenced by code number; then copy the
rule in the block provided.

Interpretation of
Rule: Write in your own
words what each rule
means.

10A NCAC 09 .0714 - Other Staffing

Requirements
(f)Children must be adequately supervised at all
times. Adequate supervision means that staff
interact with the children while moving about the
indoor and outdoor area, and are able to hear
and see the children at all times, except when
emergencies necessitate that direct supervision
is impossible for brief periods of time.

The children need to

be watched at all
times. They need to
give them watch
them while going
outside, inside, and
you can hear and
see them. When
there is an
emergency, you
have to be quick so
you can watch the
other children.

10A NCAC 09.0712 - Staff/Child Ratios for

Centers with a Licensed Capacity of Less
than 30 Children
(a)Staff-child ratios must be maintained as
required for the number and ages of children in
care. When only one caregiver is required to
meet the staff-child ratio, and children under two
years of age are in care, that person cannot
concurrently perform food preparation or other
duties which are not direct child care
responsibilities. The staff-child ratio applicable
to a classroom must be posted in that
classroom in an area that parents are able to
view at all times. Children 13 years of age or

If you have one

teacher, the teacher
cant go do stuff
because they will be
the only teacher and
they have to watch
them. The ratios
must be somewhere
in the classroom
where the parents
can see all the time.

the children
by yourself.

older may receive child care on a voluntary

basis provided all applicable child care
requirements are met. This includes
requirements for staff-child ratio
Age of
Children

3. Provide a
safe
environment

Rationale: All
the children
will be safe
and you know
they will not
hurt
themselves

4. Require
medical
examinations
of staff
members

(Notes will
vary)

No.
Children

No.
Staff

Maximum
Group
Size

No.
Staff

0-12
months

10

12-24
months

12

2-3 years
old

10

20

3-5 years
old

15

25

5 years
old and
older

25

25

10A NCAC 09 .0601 - Safe Environment

A safe indoor environment must be provided for
the children in care. All hazardous items,
materials, and equipment must be used by
children only when adult supervision is
provided.

All items that

children do not need
to be in need to be
locked up away from
the children.

10A NCAC 09 .0701 Health Standards for

Staff
All staff must have on file within 60 days of
the date of employment, a statement signed
by a licensed physician or an authorized
health professional under his/her

The worker needs to

be physically and
emotionally able to
work with the
children.

Rationale:

Purpose of
Policy:
State a rationale to
explain why each
type of policy is
needed.

5. Keep medical
care information
for children on
file

Rationale:
If they get hurt or
something
happens, you will
know what to do.

6. Follow
regulations for
giving
medications

supervision, that indicates that the person is

emotionally and physically fit to care for
children.

Notes from Text:

Sample Child Care Rule:

Record notes from the

textbook(s) that relate
to this topic or type of
policy.

Find in the NC Child Care Center

Handbook the Child Care Rule referenced
by code number; then copy the rule in the
block provided.

Interpretation of
Rule: Write in your
own words what each
rule means.

10A NCAC 09 .0801 Application for

Enrollment
(b)Each child care facility must keep
accurate records on each child
receiving care in child care. All records
of any child care center, except
financial records, must be available for
review by a Division representative.

All records on the

child need to be in
for the child care
facility expect
finanicial records.

10A NCAC 09 .0803 Administering

Medication
(a)No prescription or over-the-counter
medication and no topical, non-medical

No medicine over
the counter or no
ointment, lotion,

Rationale: So you
do not give them
old medication.

7. Provide care
for mildly ill
children

Rationale:
Because when
children are
feeling bad they
want attention

ointment, repellent, lotion, cream, or

powder may be administered to any
child: without written authorization
from the childs parent, physician, or
other health professional; without
written instructions from the childs
parent, physician, or other health
professional; in any manner not
authorized by the childs parent,
physician, or other health professional;
after its expiration date; or for nonmedical reasons, such as to induce
sleep. When questions arise
concerning whether any medication
should be administered to a child, the
caregiver may decline to administer the
medication without signed written
dosage instructions from a licensed
physician or authorized health
professional.

10A NCAC 09 .0804 Infectious and

Contagious Diseases
(a)

(1)

(2)

cream, and powder.

Purpose of
Policy:
State a rationale to
explain why each
type of policy is
needed.

Notes from Text:

Sample Child Care Rule:

Record notes from the

textbook(s) that relate
to this topic or type of
policy.

Find in the NC Child Care Center Handbook

the Child Care Rule referenced by code
number; then copy the rule in the block
provided.

8. Exclude ill
children from
contact with well
children

10A NCAC 09 .0804 Infectious and

Contagious Diseases
(b)

Rationale: To
keep the children
from getting sick

(2)
.

9. Implement
sanitary practices

10A NCAC 09 .0805 Sanitary Food

Service
(a) In child care centers, milk and milk
products for drinking purposes shall be
stored in the original commercially filled
container. Serving containers may be
used for food service provided the
unused milk is discarded. (b) Ice shall
be made, handled, transported, stored
and dispensed in such a manner as to
be protected against contamination. Ice
shall be dispensed with scoops, tongs,
or other ice-dispensing utensils or
through automatic ice-dispensing
equipment. Ice- dispensing utensils
shall be stored on a clean surface or in

Rationale: To
keep the children
safe and healthy

Interpretation of
Rule: Write in your
own words what each
rule means.

Old milk should be

thrown out. Ice
needs to be
handles with
utensils and the ice
machine needs to
be cleaned.

the ice with the dispensing utensils

handle extended out o f the ice.
Between uses, ice transfer receptacles
shall be stored to protect them from
dust, drip, splash and other
contamination. Ice storage bins shall be
drained through an air gap.

10. Provide
parents access to
their children

Rationale: If you
dont allow
parents to come
in anytime they
want to, they will
think something
is up.

10A NCAC 09 .0205 Parental

Access

The parent, guardian or full-time

custodian of a child enrolled in any child
care center must be allowed unlimited
access to the center during its operating
hours for the purposes of contacting the
child or evaluating the center and the
care provided by the center.

The teacher must

allow parent to
come in anytime
they want to during
the day.