School-based child care services and parenting and child
development education offered in accordance with Chapter 767, P.L. 1988, shall
meet the following requirements:
A.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. Instructional Staff
Parenting and child development education courses shall be
taught by individuals certified to teach in the areas of Consumer & Home
Economics Education, Early Childhood Education or Vocational Child Care.
Note: See 20-A MRSA Chapter 502, Certification of Educational
Personnel and DE implementing rules 115 and 115-A.
2. Curriculum
a. The curriculum shall provide for a minimum
of one semester of theoretical and laboratory instruction in parenting and
child development for the student parents of the children in the
program.
b. The curriculum shall be
developmentally based and provide for sequential instruction encompassing the
stages of human growth and development physical, intellectual, social and
emotional.
One example of a satisfactory curriculum may be found in DE
Child Care Curriculum Guide which may be obtained from the office of the
Vocational Child Care Consultant
c. The program shall provide for supervised
teen parent/child interactions in conjunction with the parenting and child
development curriculum.
d.
Continued attendance or successful completion of a parenting and child
development education program as described in Section
III shall be a requirement for the
receipt of child care services by the teen parent.
3. Materials and Resources
a. Instructional materials and resources
shall be accurate in content and up-to-date to reflect current parenting/child
development concepts and practices.
b. Instructional materials and resources
shall be adequate in quantity and quality for the achievement of the prescribed
curriculum objectives.
4. Child Care Providers
a. Must be a high school graduate or
equivalent.
b. Must be at least 18
years of age.
c. Must meet minimum
health requirements as promulgated in DHS Chapter 28, Rules for the Licensing
of Day Care Homes.
d. Must have a
minion of three years work experience in licensed day care/nursery school;
or
Possess appropriate credentials/license/ certification in
pediatrics, early childhood, home economics, or elementary education.
5. Staff/Child Ratio
for Child Care Services
a. At a minimum, the
staff/child ratio identified in DHS Chapter 28, Rules for the Licensing of Day
Care Homes shall be adhered to.
b.
Within the context of this chapter, notwithstanding the requirements of
paragraph 4 above, the teen parent may be counted as "staff" while providing
care for his/her own child.
c.
Within the context of this chapter, notwithstanding the requirements of
paragraph 4 above, students, other than teen parents, enrolled in child care
and development training programs may be counted as staff while on site at the
child care services facility, provided that such students function under the
direct supervision of a certified teacher.
6. Program Accessiblity: Written Policies
a. The program shall be available on a
priority basis first to children of students in the school administrative unit
and second to children of teachers or other employees in the unit;
and
b. The school administrative
unit shall enforce local school policies relative to admission, retention,
dismissal and completion.
7. Record Keeping
The SAU shall adhere to the minimum requirements for record
keeping as outlined in DHS Chapter 28, Rules for the Licensing of Day Care
Homes Such records shall be made available for inspection by DE.
B. FACILITY AND
EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS
1. Facilities
a. Facilities shall meet the minimum
standards contained in DHS Chapter 28, Rules for the Licensing of Day Care
Homes.
b. Facilities for child care
services shall be on-site or adjacent to the school(s) which the teen parents
attends.
c. Facilities shall meet
all applicable Federal/ State/local requirements for health, sanitation, and
safety.
2. Equipment
Requirements
Equipment shall be sufficient to meet the objectives of the
training program and shall be maintained in good condition.
