                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

REGULATIONS FOR CHILD DAY PROGRAMS AND FAMILY DAY SYSTEMS (§ 22.1-289.046)

A. The Board 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 child day programs providing care for school-age
children at a location that is currently approved by the Department or
recognized as a private school by the Board 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 child day program 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 child day program
staff shall provide that parents or other persons who participate in a
cooperative preschool center on behalf of a child attending such cooperative
preschool center, including such parents 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 child day programs; however,
such regulations may require such parents and persons to complete up to four
hours of training per year. This orientation and training exemption shall not
apply to any parent or other person who participates in a cooperative preschool
center that has entered into a contract to provide child care services funded by
the Child Care and Development Block Grant.

B. The Board shall adopt or amend regulations, policies, and procedures related
to child day care in collaboration with the Virginia Recreation and Park
Society. No regulation adopted by the Board shall prohibit a child day center
from hiring an armed security officer, licensed pursuant to Article 4 (&#xA7;
9.1-138 et seq.) of Chapter 1 of Title 9.1, to provide protection for children
placed in the care of the child day center or employees of the center. The Board
shall adopt or amend regulations related to therapeutic recreation programs in
collaboration with the Virginia Park and Recreation Society and the Department
of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

HISTORY: 2020, cc. 860, 861.