Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
Department 290 - RULES OF DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Chapter 290-2 - FAMILY AND CHILDREN SERVICES
Subject 290-2-2 - DAY CARE CENTERS
Rule 290-2-2-.11 - Operations, Health, Safety and Activities
Universal Citation: GA Rules and Regs r 290-2-2-.11
Current through Rules and Regulations filed through September 23, 2024
Each center shall be operated in accordance with the following:** *
(a) Policies and Procedures. Each center shall establish policies and procedures which shall be kept current and made available to the parents and used to govern the operations of the center. The policies and procedures shall:** *
1. Be consistent with applicable laws, regulations and these rules;** *
2. Include a written description of services to be provided which specifies the following:** *
(i) Ages of children served,** *
(ii) Months of operation,** *
(iii) Days of operation,** *
(iv) Hours of operation,** *
(v) Dates center is closed,** *
(vi) Admission requirements, including parental responsibilities for supplying and maintaining accurate required record information and escorting child to and from center,** *
(vii) Standard fees, payment of fees, fees related to absences and vacations and other charges such as insurance, transportation, etc.** *
(viii) Transportation provided, if any;** *
3. The policies and procedures shall also include written procedures for the following:** *
(i) Guidance and discipline techniques,** *
(ii) Handling emergency medical care, including place(s) the children will be taken for emergency medical care,** *
(iii) Administering medication and recording noticeable adverse reactions to the medication,**
(iv) Notifying parents of their child's:** *
(I) Illness,** *
(II) Injury, and** *
(III) Exposure to a notifiable communicable disease,** *
(IV) Noticeable adverse reactions to prescribed medication(s),** *
(v) Exclusion of sick children,** *
(vi) Exclusion of children with communicable diseases as defined on the chart of communicable diseases which contains recommendations for the exclusion of sick children and their readmission and is provided by the department,** *
(vii) Protection of children in the event of:** *
(I) Severe weather,** *
(II) Fire, and** *
(III) Physical plant problems, such as a power failure, that affects climate control or structural damages, and** *
(viii) the center's transportation of children to or from school or home, if provided, to include the procedure to be followed if no one is home or at the designated drop-off site to receive a transported child.** *
(b) Posted Notices. Each center shall post in a designated area for public viewing near the front entrance the following:** *
1. The current day care center license or commission,** *
2. A copy of these rules,** *
3. A notice provided by the Department which advises parents of their right to review a copy of the center's most recent licensure or commission evaluation report upon request to the center director. The center shall provide any parent with a copy of this evaluation report upon request.** *
4. A copy of the current communicable disease chart, as provided by the department,** *
5. A statement allowing parental access to all child care areas upon notifying any staff member of his or her presence,** *
6. Names of persons responsible for the administration of the center in the administrator's absence,** *
7. The current week's menu for meals and snacks,** *
8. Emergency plans for severe weather and fire; and** *
9. A statement requiring visitors to check in with staff when entering the center.** *
(c) Confidential Information. Information pertaining to the children enrolled at a center is considered confidential and may not be released by center staff without first obtaining written permission signed by the parents except in the following situations. Relevant information relating to the children's family situations, medical status and behavioral characteristics on the children enrolled at the center at any time shall be shared by center staff among caregivers on the center caregiver staff, with members of the Department or with other persons authorized by these rules or the law to receive such information, or with other persons in an emergency situation involving the child.**
(d) Parental Access. The custodial parent(s) of a child shall, at any time the child is in attendance, be permitted access to all child care areas of the center and shall make his or her presence known to center staff prior to removing the child from the center.**
(e) Health and Hygiene. The center shall meet the following minimum criteria:** *
1. The department's current communicable disease chart of recommendations for exclusion of sick children from the center and their readmission shall be followed.**
2. A child shall not be accepted nor allowed to remain at the center if the child has the equivalent of a one hundred and one (101) degree or higher oral temperature and another contagious symptom, such as, but not limited to, a rash or diarrhea or a sore throat.**
3. Parents of any child who becomes ill or is injured shall be notified immediately of any illness or injury requiring professional medical attention, or any illness which may not require professional medical attention but which produces symptoms causing moderate discomfort to the child, such as, but not limited to, any of the following: elevated temperature, vomiting or diarrhea.**
(i) Parent's specific instructions shall be obtained, and followed if appropriate, until the child is picked up or is able to return to the child's group.**
(ii) When a child shows symptoms of illness during the day, the child shall be moved to a quiet area away from other children where the child shall be supervised and provided the necessary attention until such time as the child leaves the center or is able to return to the child's group.**
4. If the child becomes ill or experiences an adverse reaction to a prescribed medication or is injured during the day and the illness, reaction or injury does not warrant professional medical attention or causes less than moderate discomfort to the child, the parents shall be notified of the illness, reaction or injury by the end of the day on which the illness, reaction or injury occurred.**
5. Parents of all children enrolled shall be notified, in writing, of the occurrence of any of the illnesses on the communicable disease chart, as provided by the department, within twenty-four (24) hours after the center becomes aware of the illness or the next working day.**
6. The center shall have a written plan which outlines how emergency medical services will be obtained. When a medical emergency arises involving a child, the center staff shall seek prompt emergency medical treatment and provide any certified or licensed emergency medical persons with immediate access to the child.** *
7. Each building of the center and any vehicle used by the center for transportation of children shall have a first aid kit which shall at least contain:** *
(i) Scissors,** *
(ii) Tweezers,** *
(iii) Gauze pads,** *
(iv) Adhesive tape,** *
(v) Thermometer,** *
(vi) Syrup of ipecac (to be used only upon the advice of the physician or the poison control center),** *
(vii) Ban-aids, assorted sizes,** *
(viii) An anti-bacterial ointment,** *
(ix) Insect-sting preparation,** *
(x) An antiseptic cleansing solution,** *
(xi) Triangular bandages,** *
(xii) Rubber gloves, and** *
(xiii) Cold pack.** *
8. The first aid kit, together with a first aid instruction manual which must be kept with the kit at all times, shall be stored so that it is not accessible to children but is easily accessible to staff.**
9. Except for first aid, personnel shall not dispense prescription or nonprescription medications to a child without specific written authorization from the child's physician or parent:**
(i) Authorizations to dispense medications shall be limited to two (2) weeks, unless otherwise prescribed by a physician.**
10. Personnel shall only dispense medications that are provided by the parent and meet the following criteria:**
(i) The medication shall be in the original labeled container,**
(ii) The medication container shall be labeled with the child's full name, and**
(iii) Medicines which are no longer to be dispensed shall be returned to the child's parent immediately.**
11. Non-emergency injections shall only be administered by appropriately licensed persons unless the parent and physician of the child sign a written authorization for the child to self-administer the injection.**
12. the center shall maintain a record of all medications dispensed to children by personnel to include: the date, time and amount of medication that was administered, any noticeable adverse reactions to the medication and the signature or initials of the person administering the medication.**
13. all prescription and non-prescription medications shall be kept in a locked storage cabinet or container which is not accessible to the children and stored separate from cleaning chemicals, supplies or poisons.**
14. Medications requiring refrigeration shall be placed in a leakproof container in a refrigerator that is not accessible to the children.**
15. Personnel shall, to the extent possible, keep children clean, dry and comfortable.**
16. Children's hands shall be washed with soap and running water:**
(i) Prior to eating meals or snacks, and**
(ii) After toileting.**
17. Washcloth hand washing shall be restricted to children under the age of two (2) years and to those children with special needs who are not capable of washing their own hands.**
(i) An individual washcloth shall be used for each child.**
(ii) Washcloths shall be used only one time between laundering.**
18. Between each diaper change, unless the child is changed in his own crib, the diaper change surface shall be:**
(i) Cleaned with a disinfectant, and**
(ii) Dried with a single-use disposable towel.**
19. Personnel shall wash their hands with soap and warm running water immediately:**
(i) Before feeding each child,**
(ii) After:**
(I) Each diaper change,**
(II) Using tobacco products,**
(III) Eating,**
(IV) Drinking,**
(V) Toileting,**
(VI) Being contaminated by other means; and**
(VII) Prior to eating.**
20. The diaper changing area shall be clear of:
(i) Formulas,
(ii) Food, food utensils and food preparation items, and
(iii) Any items which a child could reach while being changed which might harm a child.
21. Separate containers shall be used for storing soiled disposable items, such as disposable diapers and disposable washcloths and soiled non-disposable items such as cloth diapers, washcloths and bed linens.
22. Soiled item storage containers shall be:
(i) Waterproof or equipped with a leakproof disposable liner,
(ii) Covered,
(iii) Easily cleaned, and
(iv) Maintained in such a manner so as the contents of the container are never accessible to the children.
23. Children's soiled or wet clothing shall be stored in individual plastic bags after having been rinsed thoroughly.
24. After each use, toilet potty chairs shall be:
(i) Emptied by disposal in a flush toilet, and
(ii) Cleaned with a disinfectant.
25. Soiled laundry shall be stored in covered containers and kept separate from clean laundry.**
26. If laundry is done on center premises, the laundry area shall:
(i) Be located outside the children's activity rooms or areas, and
(ii) Not be used as a passageway by children to travel from one area to another whenever any soiled or clean laundry is exposed.
27. All parts of the center shall be kept clean and in good repair.** *
28. Hygienic measures, such as, but not limited to, screened windows, covered containers for food and proper waste disposal procedures shall be utilized to minimize the presence of rodents, flies, roaches and other vermin at the center.** *
29. Floor coverings shall be tight, smooth, free of odors and washable or cleanable.** *
30. The following shall be cleaned with a disinfectant as specified:
(i) Tubs after each use,
(ii) Showers after each use,
(iii) Bathroom areas daily, and
(iv) Food service areas daily.
31. The following children's personal items shall be kept clean:** *
(i) Combs,** *
(ii) Toothbrushes, and** *
(iii) Cloth towels.** *
32. Each child's personal items shall:**
(i) Be kept on individually labeled racks, in cubbies or lockers,
(ii) Separated from the articles used by other children, and,**
(iii) Not used by any other child prior to being laundered or disinfected.**
33. No persons shall be permitted to use the same utensil for drinking or eating without the utensil having been thoroughly cleaned between uses.**
34. Drinking fountains, if available, shall;** *
(i) Be safe and kept clean,** *
(ii) Have regulated pressure,**
(iii) Not be mounted on sinks used for diaper changing activities, and** *
(iv) Have an angle jet with an orifice guard above the rim.** *
35. Single service drinking cups shall be provided when appropriate drinking fountains are not available.** *
(i) Cups shall be discarded after each use unless the cups are sanitized in a dishwasher between each use.** *
36. Garbage and organic waste shall be stored in containers lined with plastic liners and having tight fitting covers.** *
37. Trash and garbage shall be removed from the building daily, or more often if necessary, to maintain the premises in a clean condition.** *
38. Rooms with toilets and lavatories shall be equipped within easy reach of children with the following:** *
(i) Soap,** *
(ii) Toilet tissue, and** *
(iii) Single use towels or cloth towels used only once in between launderings.** *
39. To reduce the transfer of airborne diseases, sleeping and resting equipment shall be placed in the children's area as follows:
(i) There shall be a minimum of a twenty-four inch (24") corridor between each row of sleeping or resting equipment,
(ii) There shall be a minimum of twelve inches (12") between each piece of sleeping and resting equipment in each row of equipment, and
(iii) Children shall be placed on sleeping equipment so that one child's head is toward another child's feet in the same row.
40. Sleeping equipment shall be arranged in the child care areas during evening and nighttime care so that the children's sleep will not be unnecessarily interrupted by delivery and pick-up of other children.
(f) Activities. The center shall provide a variety of daily activities appropriate for the children's chronological ages and developmental levels. Children with special needs shall be integrated into the activities provided by the center unless contraindicated medically or by parental agreement.**
1.
Variety of Activities. Activities shall be planned for each group to allow for:**
(i) Indoor and outdoor play,**
(ii) A balance of quiet and active periods,**
(iii) A balance of supervised free choice and caregiver-directed activities,**
(iv) Individual, small group, and large group activities,**
(v) Large muscle activities, such as, but not limited to, running, riding, climbing, balancing, jumping, throwing, or digging;**
(vi) Small muscle activities, such as, but not limited to, building with blocks or construction toys, use of puzzles, shapes, nesting or stacking toys, pegs, lacing, sorting beads, or clay;
(vii) Language experiences such as, but not limited to, listening, talking, rhymes, fingerplays, stories, use of film strips, recordings or flannel boards;
(viii) Arts and crafts, such as, but not limited to, painting, coloring, cutting, or pasting;
(ix) Dramatic play such as, but not limited to, play in a home center, with dolls, puppets, or dress up;
(x) Rhythm and music such as, but not limited to, listening, singing, dancing, or making music; and
(xi) Nature and science experiences such as; but not limited to, measuring, pouring, activities related to the "world around us" such as nature walks, plants, leaves or weather, or experiences in using the five senses through sensory play.
2.
Schedules. A daily schedule for each group shall be developed to reflect routines and activities. Schedules shall be:*
(i) Flexible but routinely followed to provide structure,*
(ii) Posted in each group's room or area, and*
(iii) Made available to parents upon request.*
3.
Outdoor Activities. Outdoor activities shall be provided daily, weather permitting, in accordance with the following:**
(i) Centers operating five (5) hours or more per day shall provide each child who is not an infant at least one and one half(1 1/2) hours of outdoor activity per day:**
(I) Infants shall spend at least one (1) hour daily out of doors; and
(ii) Centers operating less than five (5) hours per day shall provide a brief outdoor period for the children daily.**
(iii) A child may be excused from outdoor activities for a limited period of time if there is documentation that outdoor activity is medically contraindicated or there is an occasional written request by the parent that the child be excused from outdoor activities for a very limited amount of time because of special circumstances.**
4.
Individual Attention. Personnel shall provide individual attention to each child as evidenced by:**
(i) Responding promptly to the child's distress signals and need for comfort.**
(ii) Playing with and talking to the children.**
(iii) Providing and assisting the child with personal care in a manner appropriate to the child's age level, i.e. providing the child privacy in dressing, diapering and toileting functions as the chronological age of the child dictates.**
5.
Routines for Children. Personnel shall provide routines for toileting, eating, resting, napping (depending upon the age of the children), intervals between activities, and doing school homework, if any.**
(i) Children shall be allowed as they feel the need to:
(I) Go to the toilet, and
(II) Get drinking water;
(ii) Supervised nap or rest periods during the day shall be provided for children under five (5) years of age;
(iii) Quiet activities for school age children, and other children who are not asleep shall be provided.**
(I) Children who do not sleep during nap or rest period shall not be required to remain lying down for more than one (1) hour during the day; and
(iv) Opportunities for each child to make choices in a variety of activities shall be offered.**
(I) The use of entertainment media, such as television, video taped programs or movies and video or computer games shall be limited to:**
I. Television programs or computer software produced for the benefit of audiences comprised of young children;
II. "G" - rated movies, i.e. movies that have been rated by the motion picture industry as suitable for a general audience which includes young children, or movies that have not been rated but which have been fully previewed by the administrator who has determined that the movies were produced for the benefit of young children and are appropriate for viewing by young children.
III. No more than two (2) hours daily per child or group; and**
IV. Provided only at times when alternative activities are available for children who choose not to participate.**
(v) Staff shall assist and encourage each child to become independent in the development of self-help skills, such as washing hands and face, dressing, eating and toileting.
6.
Activities for Children under Three. Children less than three (3) years of age shall:
(i) Be allowed time to play on the floor daily;
(ii) Not be routinely left in cribs or playpens except for rest or sleep; and
(iii) Not spend more than one-half(1/2) hour of time consecutively in confining equipment, such as swings, highchairs,jumpseats, carriers or walkers.
7. Evening Activities. During evening and nighttime care, activities shall be provided based on children's ages, hours of care and length of time in care:
(i) Quiet activities and experiences shall be available immediately prior to bedtime.
8.
Field Trips. The center shall obtain written permission from the parent in advance of the child's participation in any field trip.**
(i) The field trip permission notice shall provide details of the trip including:**
(I) The name/address of the trip destination,**
(II) The date of the trip,**
(III) Time of departure, and**
(IV) Estimated arrival time back at the center; and**
(ii) The written parental approval shall include:**
(I) Field trip destination,**
(II) Parent's signature, and**
(III) Date of approval.**
(iii) A list of children and adults participating in the field trip and an emergency medical information card on each child to include allergies, special medical needs and conditions, current prescribed medications that the child is required to take on a daily basis for a chronic condition, the name and phone number of the child's doctor, the local medical facility that the center uses in the area where the center is located and the telephone numbers where the parents can be reached, shall be:**
(I) Left at the center; and**
(II) Taken on the trip and in the possession of the adult in charge of the trip.**
(iv) Each child on a field trip shall have on his person:
(I) His or her name; and
(II) The center's name, address and telephone number.
(g) Safety. Disciplinary actions used to correct a child's behavior, guidance techniques and any activities in which the children participate or observe at the center shall not be detrimental to the physical or mental health of any child.**
1. Personnel shall not:**
(i) Physically or sexually abuse a child, or engage in or permit others to engage in sexually overt conduct in the presence of any child enrolled in the center, or**
(ii) Inflict corporal/physical punishment upon a child, or**
(iii) Shake, jerk, pinch or handle roughly a child, or**
(iv) Verbally abuse or humiliate a child which includes, but is not limited to, the use of threats, profanity, or belittling remarks about a child or his family, or**
(v) Isolate a child in a dark room, closet, or unsupervised area, or**
(vi) Use mechanical or physical restraints or devices to discipline children, or**
(vii) Use medication to:**
(I) Control children's behavior without written medical authorization issued by a licensed professional and given with the parent's written consent, or**
(II) Discipline, or**
(viii) Restrict unreasonably a child from going to the bathroom, or**
(ix) Punish toileting accidents, or**
(x) Force feed a child or withhold feeding a child regularly scheduled meals and/or snacks, or**
(xi) Force or withhold naps, or**
(xii) Allow children to discipline or humiliate other children, or**
(xiii) Confine a child for disciplinary purposes to a swing, highchair, infant carrier, walker or jumpseat, or**
(xiv) Commit any criminal act, as defined under Georgia law which is set forth in O.C.G.A. Sec. 16-1-1et seq., in the presence of any child enrolled in the center.**
2. Sleeping and resting equipment shall be arranged to:
(i) Avoid obstructing access to exit doors,
(ii) Provide the teacher-caregiver access to each child, and
(iii) Prevent children's access to cords hanging from window treatments and other hazardous objects.
3. Children shall not be permitted:**
(i) In the kitchen except as part of a planned, supervised learning experience, or**
(ii) To wear around their necks or attached to their clothing, pacifiers or other hazardous items, or
(iii) To participate in a swimming activity or any activity away from the center without the parents' written permission.**
4. Infants and children shall not be left unattended while being diapered or having their clothes changed on the diaper changing surface.
5. All unused electrical outlets within reach of children shall have protective caps specifically designed to prohibit children from placing anything in the receptacle. Electrical outlets in use which the children can reach shall be made inaccessible to the children.
6. Heating and cooling equipment shall be protected to prevent children from touching it.
7. Fans, space heaters, etc. shall be positioned or installed so as to be inaccessible to the children.**
8. An operable telephone shall be readily available in the center with the following telephone numbers posted in a conspicuous place next to each telephone. In those areas of the state serviced by the 911 emergency number, 911 may be posted in lieu of the phone numbers required for (ii), (iii) and (iv) below:** *
(i) A physician or hospital,** *
(ii) An ambulance or rescue squad service,** *
(iii) The local fire department,** *
(iv) The local police department,** *
(v) The county health department, and** *
(vi) The regional poison control center.** *
9. Construction and maintenance work shall take place only in areas that are not accessible to the children.** *
10 Interior center door locks shall permit personnel to open the locked room from the outside of the room in an emergency.
11. All floor level windows or full-length glass doors shall be constructed of safety glass with decals applied at the eye level of the children or such windows or doors shall have protective devices covering the glass designed to prevent the children from getting cut by the glass should it break for any reason.** *
12. Doors to rooms not approved for child care, other than the kitchen doors, shall be latched or locked so children cannot wander into those areas. Children shall not be permitted access to any area not approved for child care, including the kitchen.** *
13. The center premises shall be free of plants and shrubs which are poisonous or hazardous.** *
14. When permanent swimming or wading pools are located on the center premises, applicable local regulations regarding the design, construction, operation, and maintenance shall be followed.**
15. All swimming and wading pools shall be:**
(i) Inaccessible to children except during supervised activities; and**
(ii) Operated and maintained in accordance with acceptable health standards.**
16. The center shall have available at all times:** *
(i) A licensed driver; and**
(ii) A vehicle which meets vehicle safety rules; or** *
(iii) A plan approved by the department for alternative emergency transportation.** *
17. Children shall not be transported in vehicles, or parts thereof, which are not designed for the purpose of transporting people, such as but not limited to truck beds, campers or any trailered attachment to a motor vehicle.**
18. The center shall develop a written transportation plan to ensure that children who are using transportation contracted for or provided by the center are accounted for in all situations arising from the use of the transportation.** *
(i) The transportation plan shall include a checklist for accounting for the loading, and unloading of children at any location.
(ii) All transportation checklists shall contain the signature of the person conducting the check.
(iii) All transportation checklists shall be turned over to the person in charge of the center immediately upon arrival of the children at the center.
(iv) Following delivery of children to homes/designated destinations, either an oral or written report, shall be submitted to the person in charge of the center.
(I) When an oral report is given, the written checklist shall be turned over to the person in charge on the next day of operation.
(v) Transportation checklists shall be maintained as part of the records of the center for one (1) year.
(vi) At the completion of every trip, each vehicle shall be checked to assure that no child is left on the vehicle.**
(vii) Immediate action shall be taken to locate children missing from the transporting vehicle, the field trip site, the center or the children's homes if the center was responsible for transporting the children to their homes and the children were not delivered to the physical possession of the parents or other designated adults.**
(viii) Vehicles used for transporting children shall be maintained in accordance with these standards established by the department:** *
(I) Each vehicle shall have a satisfactory annual safety check of: tires, headlights, horn, tail-lights, brakes, suspension, exhaust system, steering, windshields and windshield wipers;** *
(II) A copy of the inspection report (Form #699), or its equivalent, shall be maintained in the center or in the vehicle.** *
(ix) The transportation plan shall require that an emergency medical information record be maintained in the vehicle on each child being transported by the center. The emergency medical information card for each child shall include a listing of the child's allergies, special medical needs and conditions, current prescribed medications that the child is required to take on a daily basis for a chronic condition, the name and phone number of the child's doctor, the local medical facility that the center uses in the area where the center is located and the telephone numbers where the parents can be reached.** *
(I) Inspection reports shall include the name of the person performing the safety check and the date that the inspection was performed.** *
I. The interior of each transportation vehicle shall be;** *
A. Equipped with a fire extinguisher inaccessible to the children and a functioning heating system;** *
B. Clean;** *
C. Free of hazardous objects or other non-essential items which could impede the children's access or egress from the vehicle or could cause injury to the children if the items were thrown about the vehicle as a result of a collision;** *
D. In safe repair; and,**
II. No window, except the driver's in a transporting vehicle shall be opened to more than fifty percent (50%) of its capacity at any time children are on board.
III. Each vehicle used to transport children shall contain the following current information:**
A. Names of all children transported and each child's:**
(A) Pick up location,**
(B) Pick up time,**
(C) Delivery location,**
(D) Delivery time,**
(E) Length of time on the vehicle,**
(F) Alternate delivery location if parent is not at home, and**
(G) Name of person to receive the child:**
a. A child shall not be dropped off at any location if there is no one to receive the child; and**
B. Identification of the center's:**
(A) Name,**
(B) Driver, and**
(C) Telephone number.**
19. The motor shall be turned off, the brake set and the keys removed whenever the driver leaves the vehicle.**
20. Transporting vehicles shall be parked or stopped so that no child will have to cross the street in order to:**
(i) Meet the vehicle; or**
(ii) Arrive at a destination.**
21. Any vehicle used by the center to transport children shall have vehicle seats which are securely fastened to the body of the vehicle.** *
22. All children under three (3) years of age transported in a vehicle provided by or used by the center shall be secured in a child passenger restraining system approved by the United States Department of Transportation under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 in effect on January 1, 1983. The child passenger restraining system must be installed and used in accordance with the manufacturer's directions for such system.*
23. There shall be no more than three (3) persons in the front seat of a transporting vehicle, including the driver. However, no child under the age of four (4) shall be permitted to ride in the front seat of the vehicle.**
24. In all vehicles required by federal or state law to be equipped with seat safety belts and those vehicles which have seat safety belts, all transported children three (3) years of age and older shall be secured with a safety seat belt installed in accordance with the manufacturer's directions and used in accordance with the manufacturer's directions with respect to restraining, seating or positioning the child being transported in the vehicle. No vehicle used by the center in transporting children shall exceed the manufacturer's rated seating capacity for the vehicle. The center shall maintain on file proof of the manufacturer's rated seating capacity for each vehicle the center uses.** *
25. A child shall not be left unattended in a vehicle.**
26. Unless accompanied by his parent, no child shall be required to travel more than forty-five (45) minutes on each trip between the day care center and destination point, excluding field trips.
27. The center shall assume responsibility for the child from the time and place the child is picked up until the child is delivered to his or her parents or to a responsible person designated by his parents.**
28. Animals shall be controlled to assure that:** *
(i) Proper sanitation of the premises is maintained; and** *
(ii) Animals are not a hazard to children, personnel or visitors at the center. No animals, such as, but not limited to, pit bull dogs, ferrets and poisonous snakes, which may have a vicious propensity, shall be permitted on the day care center premises at any time there are children on the premises; and**
(iii) Horses or other farm animals shall not be quartered on any property over which center staff exercises any control that is located within five hundred (500) feet of the building in which the center is located.** *
29. All animals shall be confined in pens or covered areas except for specific teacher-directed learning experiences.** *
(i) Animal pens and confinement areas shall be kept clean and,** *
(ii) Animals shall be properly vaccinated and documentation of the vaccinations shall be maintained at the center.**
30. Immediately prior to the center closing and being locked at the end of the business day, the staff member charged with the responsibility of locking the center shall make a physical inspection of the entire premises to verify that no child is left on the center's premises.**
31. The center shall not allow any person to remain on the center premises if the person does not have a legitimate reason for being on the premises.**
32. The center staff shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations.**
O.C.G.A. Chapter 49-5-12 (1982 and 1982 Supp.); O.C.G.A. Secs. 40-8-76, 49-5-1et seq.
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