South Carolina Code of Regulations
Chapter 114 - DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
Article 5 - LICENSING
Subarticle 1 - DAY CARE FACILITIES
REGULATIONS FOR THE LICENSING OF GROUP CHILD CARE HOMES
Section 114-511 - Definitions

(1) Applicant: A person 21 years of age or older, who has completed, signed and submitted a Department of Social Services application form and other requirements to the Department in order to obtain a group child care license.

(2) Blood-Borne Pathogens: Pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood that can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

(3) Central Registry of Child Abuse and Neglect: An automated, computerized listing, maintained by the Department of Social Services containing the names(s), address(es), birth date(s), identifying characteristics and other information about individual(s) who have been listed on the registry due to the determination of perpetrating abuse or neglect upon a child.

(4) Child: An individual, from birth through 15 years of age (chronologically), receiving care in a child care facility; or up to 18 years of age if the child qualifies as special needs.

(5) Complaint: Statement(s) reporting unsatisfactory conditions in a child care facility.

(6) Complete Application: An application is complete on the date of receipt of the last document required by the Department in order to issue a license.

(7) Department: Refers to the Department of Social Services.

(8) Emergency Person: An individual 18 years of age or older, not regularly employed by the group child care home who is immediately available to serve as staff in emergency situations. This person shall meet all requirements of an employed teacher/caregiver, with the exception of training.

(9) Group Child Care Home: A residence occupied by the operator in which he/she regularly provide child care for at least seven but not more than twelve children, unattended by a parent or a legal guardian including those children living in the home and children received for child care who are related to the resident teacher/caregiver. However, an occupied residence in which child care is provided only for a child or children related to the resident teacher/caregiver or only for the child or children of one unrelated family or only for a combination of these children is not a group child care home.

(10) Infant: A child under 12 months of age.

(11) License: A written notice issued by the Department to a private facility approving the commencement of operations of a group child care home.

(12) Lifeguard: A person having the qualifications of and possessing a current American Red Cross, YMCA, or equivalent Lifeguard Certificate, current First Aid Certificate and current CPR (which includes adult, child, and infant) Certificate.

(13) Operator: The person held legally responsible for the group child care home operation.

(14) Parent: The biological or adoptive mother or father, the legal guardian of the child or the individual agency with custody of the child.

(15) Preschool Child: A child 3 or 4 years of age or older but not yet eligible for public kindergarten.

(16) Provisional License: A license issued by the Department to an operator when the operator is temporarily unable to comply with all the requirements for a license.

(17) Regular License: A license issued by the Department for two years to a operator showing that the licensee is in compliance with the regulations of the Department at the time of issuance and authorizing the licensee to operate in accordance with the regulations of the Department.

(18) Renewal: To grant an extension of a regular registration.

(19) Revocation: To void the regular license of a child care facility.

(20) School-Aged Child: A child at least old enough to enroll in public kindergarten.

(21) Sex Offender Registry: A statewide computerized listing of names and other identifying information on convicted sex offenders maintained and updated by the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and authorized by Section 23-3-400 et. Seq., Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, as amended.

(22) Staff: Full-time and part-time management, administrative, teaching/caregiving, program, maintenance, food service and service personnel; emergency and substitute personnel; supervised students; supervised student teachers and supervised volunteers.

(23) Supervision: Care provided to an individual child or a group of children. Adequate supervision requires staff awareness of and responsibility for the ongoing activity of each child, knowledge of activity requirements and children's needs and accountability for their care. Adequate supervision also requires the operator, and/or staff being near and having ready access to children in order to intervene when needed. Supervision requires adequate staff to meet staff:child ratios, being in the room at all times or on the playground at all times when children are present.

(24) Teacher/Caregiver: Any persons whose duties include direct care, supervision and guidance of children in a child care facility.

(25) Toddler: A child 12 months of age or older, but younger than 24 months of age.

(26) Training: Participation by child care home staff, in workshops, conferences, educational or provider associations, formal schooling, in-service training, or planned learning opportunities provided by qualified individuals. Training shall be age appropriate for the child population served by the group child care home and in such subject areas related to: child care, child growth and development and/or early childhood education, nutrition, infection control/communicable disease management and causes, health and safety, signs and treatment of child abuse and/or neglect and shall include alternatives to corporal punishment. Training for operators may also be in areas related to supervision of child care staff or program administration.

(27) Two-year olds: A child 24 months of age or older but younger than three years of age.

(28) Volunteer: An individual parent, grandparent, other professional or skilled individual artist or crafts person at least 16 years of age infrequently assisting with the daily activities for children in a child care center who provides services without compensation and who is supervised by staff at all times when providing direct care to children. An individual meeting this definition is not required to undergo a fingerprint background check or health screening and is not counted in staff:child ratios.