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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>78956</law_id><section_number>22.1-289.046</section_number><catch_line>Regulations for child day programs and family day systems</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="22.1">Education</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="14.1">Early Childhood Care and Education</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="7">Regulations and Interdepartmental Cooperation</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall adopt regulations for the activities, services, and facilities to be employed by persons and agencies required to be licensed under this chapter, which shall be designed to ensure that such activities, services, and facilities are conducive to the welfare of the children under the control of such persons or agencies.
			Such regulations shall be developed in consultation with representatives of the affected entities and shall include matters relating to the sex, age, and number of children and other persons to be maintained or cared for, as the case may be, and to the buildings and premises to be used, and reasonable standards for the activities, services and facilities to be employed. Such limitations and standards shall be specified in each license and renewal thereof. Such regulations shall not require the adoption of a specific teaching approach or doctrine or require the membership, affiliation, or accreditation services of any single private accreditation or certification agency.
			Such regulations governing <span class="dictionary">child day programs</span> providing care for school-age children at a location that is currently approved by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> or recognized as a private school by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> for school occupancy and that houses a public or private school during the school year shall not (i) prohibit school-age children from using outdoor play equipment and areas approved for use by students of the school during school hours or (ii) in the case of public schools, require inspection or approval of the building, vehicles used to transport children attending the <span class="dictionary">child day program</span> that are owned by the school, or meals served to such children that are prepared by the school.
			Such regulations governing orientation and training of <span class="dictionary">child day program</span> staff shall provide that <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">parents</span></span> or other persons who participate in a cooperative preschool center on behalf of a child attending such cooperative preschool center, including such <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">parents</span></span> and persons who are counted for the purpose of determining staff-to-child ratios, shall be exempt from orientation and training requirements applicable to staff of <span class="dictionary">child day programs</span>; however, such regulations may require such <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">parents</span></span> and persons to complete up to four hours of training per year. This orientation and training exemption shall not apply to any <span class="dictionary">parent</span> or other person who participates in a cooperative preschool center that has entered into a <span class="dictionary">contract</span> to provide child care services funded by the Child Care and Development Block Grant. <a id="paragraph-282797" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-289.046/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall adopt or <span class="dictionary">amend</span> regulations, policies, and procedures related to child day care in collaboration with the Virginia Recreation and Park Society. No regulation adopted by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall prohibit a <span class="dictionary">child day center</span> from hiring an armed security officer, licensed pursuant to Article 4 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/9.1-138/">9.1-138</a> et seq.) of Chapter 1 of Title 9.1, to provide protection for children placed in the care of the <span class="dictionary">child day center</span> or employees of the center. The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall adopt or <span class="dictionary">amend</span> regulations related to therapeutic recreation programs in collaboration with the Virginia Park and Recreation Society and the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. <a id="paragraph-282798" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-289.046/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2020, cc. 860, 861.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
