Child Care Center Rules
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5101:2-12-02.2 Transitional Pandemic Requirements for a Licensed Child Care Center
CCCMTL 25
Effective Date: May 29, 2020

(A)What are transitional pandemic requirements for a licensed child care center?

Transitional pandemic requirements are licensing requirements that are followed as Ohio transitions out of pandemic child care for the COVID-19 pandemic and back to child care licensing requirements.

(B)When does a licensed child care center follow these requirements?

Licensed child care centers shall follow these requirements when the governor of Ohio declares a state of emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic and or directs ODJFS to issue transition requirements.

(C)What are the licensing requirements for a transitional child care?

The child care center shall follow all of the licensing requirements of this chapter, with the following exceptions and additions:

(1)The center shall follow all guidelines set by the governor of Ohio or the director of the Ohio department of health.

(2)The center shall ensure that the following staff child ratios and maximum group size limitations are maintained at all times:

(a)One child care staff member per four infants with no more than six children in the room.

(b)One child care staff member per six toddlers with no more than six children in the room.

(c)One child care staff member per nine preschool children with no more than nine children in the room.

(d)One child care staff member per nine school-age children with no more than nine children in the room.

(3)The center shall follow all handwashing procedures pursuant to rule 5101:2-12-13 of the Administrative Code with the following additions:

(a)All administrators, child care staff members and employees shall wash their hands upon entering a classroom and prior to leaving for the day.

(b)All children shall wash their hands prior to leaving for the day.

(4)The center shall ensure that all administrators, employees, child care staff members and children take their temperature prior to or as soon as they arrive each day.

(a)The center shall immediately send home any child or administrator, child care staff member or employee who has a temperature of one hundred degrees or higher.

(b)The individual shall not return to the center until he or she has been fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication for at least twenty-four hours.

(c) If the individual has had known contact with someone confirmed or probable to have COVID-19, prior to returning to the center he or she must complete isolation or quarantine procedures for COVID-19 in coordination with the local health department.

(d)The requirements of this paragraph also apply to anyone whose temperature is taken after arrival.

(5)The center may use non-permanent sinks to meet the handwashing requirements of this chapter.

(6)If an administrator, employee, or child care staff member employed by the center or a child enrolled in the center tests positive for COVID-19, the program shall:

(a)Notify ODJFS by the next business day in the Ohio child licensing and quality system as a serious incident pursuant to rule 5101:2-12-16 of the Administrative Code.

(b)Notify the local health department by the next business day.

(c)Ensure that the person completes isolation or quarantine procedures for COVID-19 in coordination with the local health department prior to being permitted to return to the program.

(7)If the center needs to divide a room into smaller spaces to serve multiple groups of children, dividers may be used if they meet the following requirements:

(a)The dividers are at least six feet in height.

(b)The dividers are made from a nonporous material or other material that can be sanitized.

(c)The dividers meet any requirements set by the department of commerce, local building department, state fire marshal or local fire safety inspector.

(D)How long is the transitional pandemic rule effective?

The transitional pandemic rule is valid until the governor of Ohio rescinds the state of emergency and or directs ODJFS to return to full child care licensing requirements.

Effective: 5/29/2020

Certification: CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY

Date: 05/29/2020

Promulgated Under: 119.03

Statutory Authority: 5104.015, 5104.016

Rule Amplifies: 5104.015, 5104.032, 5104.05