New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 8 - SOCIAL SERVICES
Chapter 9 - EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE
Part 4 - CHILD CARE LICENSING; CHILD CARE CENTERS, OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMS, FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES, AND OTHER EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Section 8.9.4.31 - LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR HOMES

(1) APPLICATION FORM: An applicant will complete an application form provided by the licensing authority and include payment for the non-refundable application fee. Applications will be rejected unless all supporting documents are received within six months of the date indicated on the application. A 45 day extension will be granted if the licensee provides documentation to the licensing authority that documents were submitted to the appropriate agencies in a timely manner but, through no fault of their own, they have not received responses from these agencies.

(2) A home will submit a new application to the licensing authority before changing anything required to be stated on the license such as dates, capacity, operator, or address.

(3) BACKGROUND CHECK: In addition to the basic requirements at 8.9.4.19 NMAC of the general provisions an applicant will apply for a national criminal records check. The licensing authority will provide a copy of the most current version of the department's background check and employment history verification provisions (8.9.6 NMAC), regulations, fingerprint instructions, and forms for recording an employment history. The licensee will be responsible for obtaining background checks on all staff members, educators, volunteers, and prospective staff members, educators, volunteers, any person who may have unsupervised physical access to children, and all adults residing in the home as per the requirements outlined in the department's most current version of the background check and employment history verification provisions. A household member reaching the age of 18 must submit their background check in accordance with the most current provisions of 8.9.6 NMAC within 30 days after their eighteenth birthday. All requirements of the current background check and employment history verification provisions pursuant to 8.9.6 NMAC must be met prior to the issuance of an initial license. Prior to a staff member's employment, a staff member must receive a notice of provisional employment or obtain a background check in accordance with 8.9.6 NMAC. A background check must be conducted in accordance with 8.9.6 NMAC at least once every five years on all required individuals.

(4) ZONING AND OTHER APPROVALS: An applicant will have:

(5) SCHEDULE: All applications for a new license will include a description of the home's proposed activities and schedule.

(6) INITIAL SURVEY: The licensing authority will schedule a survey for a home when it receives a complete application with all supporting documents.

(1) The number of children in a home, either in total or by age, will not exceed the capacity stated on the license.

(2) The licensing authority will count all children in the care of the licensed home, including the educator's own children under the age of six, in the capacity of a home, even if the children are on a field trip or other outing outside the home. The licensed capacity must not be exceeded by the presence of non-residential school age children.

(3) A home may be licensed for up to 12 children.

(4) A home licensed as a family day care home under these regulations providing care for a maximum capacity of six children may care for up to four children under the age of two providing a second educator is present in the home and the home is licensed to provide such care. A home licensed as a group day care home under these regulations providing care for a maximum of 12 children may care for up to four children under age two providing a second educator is present in the home and the home is licensed to provide such care.

(5) A home must have 35 square feet of activity and sleeping space per child, excluding bathrooms, kitchens, halls and other built-in fixtures and offsets, with total capacity limited to no more than 12 children. A home must have at least one bathroom with a toilet and sink. For a home licensed for no more than six children, one activity room will be measured. For a home licensed for 12 children, no more than two rooms will be measured. Children shall not be cared for in unlicensed areas of the home.

(6) The home will have an outdoor play area, which must be contained by a fence. Outside play areas must be on the premises or approved by the licensing authority.

(1) The licensee will report to the appropriate authorities the following incidents. After making a report to the appropriate authorities, the licensee shall notify the licensing authority of the incident giving rise to its report as soon as possible but no later than 24 hours after the incident occurred. A report should first be made by telephone and followed with written notification. The licensee shall report any incident that has threatened or could threaten the health and safety of children and staff members, such as, but not limited to:

(2) A home will notify parents or guardians in writing of any incident, including notifiable illnesses, that has threatened the health or safety of children in the home. The licensee shall ensure that it obtains parent or guardian signatures on all incident reports within 24 hours of the incident. The licensee shall immediately notify the parent or guardian in the event of any head injury. Incidents include, but are not limited to, those listed in Paragraph (1) of Subsection C of 8.9.4.31 NMAC.

(3) Incident reports involving suspected child abuse and neglect must be reported immediately to children's protective services and local law enforcement. The licensing authority follows written protocols/procedures for the prioritization, tracking, investigation and reporting of incidents, as outlined in the complaint investigation protocol and procedures.