West Virginia Code of State Rules
Agency 78 - Human Services
Title 78 - LEGISLATIVE RULE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES BUREAU FOR SOCIAL SERVICES
Series 78-19 - Family Child Care Home Registration Requirements
Section 78-19-7 - Home Safety Requirements

Universal Citation: 78 WV Code of State Rules 78-19-7

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 38, September 20, 2024

7.1. Home Requirements.

7.1.a. A family child care home shall have heat, electricity, indoor plumbing, and a working telephone.

7.1.b. A family child care home shall meet the following requirements:
7.1.b.1. Bathrooms shall be equipped with a sink that has hot and cold running water and an operating toilet;

7.1.b.2. Kitchens shall have a sink that has hot and cold running water, a working stove for cooking, and a working refrigerator;

7.1.b.3. Interior doors shall lock from the inside and also shall be able to be unlocked from the outside;

7.1.b.4. Floors, walls, ceilings, steps, railings, doors, windows, and furnishings in the home shall be kept clean and in good repair;

7.1.b.5. Windows or artificial lighting shall supply sufficient illumination for children's activities;

7.1.b.6. A working flashlight shall be available in the home for emergency lighting; and

7.1.b.7. The home shall have a minimum of 35 square feet of indoor space per child. This space does not include hallways, bathrooms, or rooms not intended for or approved for children's use.

7.2. Safety Barriers.

7.2.a. All indoor or outdoor stairways, hallways, and exits shall be unobstructed except for safety barriers.

7.2.b. Stairs of four or more steps shall have hand railings when children under age five years are in care.

7.2.c. Safety gates shall be provided at the top and bottom of stairs to which infants and toddlers have access.
7.2.c.1. Accordion expansion gates are prohibited.

7.2.c.2. Pressure mounted gates shall not be used at the top of a set of stairs.

7.2.d. Balconies, decks, porches, ramps, and play or living areas that are elevated more than 36 inches shall be equipped with secure, child-proof railings and barriers.

7.3. Hazards. -- Family child care homes shall:

7.3.a. Keep children from areas undergoing remodeling or construction;

7.3.b. Store cleaning supplies, detergents, aerosol cans, pesticides, poisons, flammable materials, poisonous or unknown plants, medicines, medical cannabis, and alcoholic beverages or toxic materials out of the reach of children under six years of age;

7.3.c. Store hazardous materials separately from food items;

7.3.d. Store guns, ammunition, hunting knives, bows and arrows, and other weapons in a locked cabinet or closet, and store keys out of children's reach; and

7.3.e. Keep strings and cords long enough to encircle a child's neck (six inches or more) out of the children's reach.

7.4. Emergency Exits.

7.4.a. Rooms used by children, except bathrooms, shall have at least two exits.

7.4.b. All levels of the home used by children shall have two unobstructed outside exits. The second exit from a room and from a level may be a window.

7.4.c. Windows used as exits shall be located no more than 44 inches from the floor.

7.4.d. A basement used by children shall have a door that exits directly to the outside.

7.4.e. In apartment buildings, where two exits are not available from the apartment, safe and continuous passageways, aisles, or corridors that provide two exits shall serve to meet the requirements of subdivision 7.4.b.

7.5. Electrical Safety.

7.5.a. Electrical cords shall be maintained in good condition.

7.5.b. Extension cords shall be heavy duty UL approved and not run under carpets or rugs, nor through common walkways, unless stabilized to prevent tripping.

7.5.c. Protective covers shall be installed on all unused electrical outlets accessible to children who are under five years of age.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. West Virginia may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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