EDUC 655: Pennsylvania Childcare Center State Requirements Analysis

This assignment analyzes the childcare regulations in Pennsylvania, addressing the requirements for licensing, staff, and facilities. It defines the term used for childcare centers and outlines the information required in each child's record, including health reports, consent forms, and accident details. The assignment details staff requirements, including criminal record checks, age, training, and health records, and clarifies the requirements for volunteers. It also covers the qualifications for directors of childcare centers, including education and experience. The assignment further examines facility regulations, such as building codes, health department inspections, temperature and space requirements, and fire drills. It defines the age groups of children and outlines staff-to-child ratios, prohibited actions, and other interesting regulations, such as space heater restrictions and Keystone STARS program. The assignment is well-researched and provides a comprehensive overview of Pennsylvania's childcare regulations, referencing relevant state codes and guidelines.

Running head: STATE REGULATION FORM
STATE REGULATION FORM
Name of Student:
Name of University:
Author’s Note:

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Licensing of child care centers in Pennsylvania State
Web address for regulations in your
state:
https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/licensing/regulation/chapter-
3270-child-day-care-center
https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/licensing/state/PA
What is the name of the organization
that gives childcare licenses in your
state?
In the state of Pennsylvania, Department of Human Service
offers license for childcare. It became effective in 2008 to
provide child care facilities where there is the need to
follow certain rule and regulations mentioned in the link.
What term is used in your state for a
child daycare center? How is it
defined?
Child day care center term is used in Pennsylvania. It is
defined as the principle in which effective care and
concern is given to the minimum of seven children or more
at a time who are not related to their operator.
What information must be maintained
in each child's record?
The report of child must contain following significant
information:
 Health report of the child
 Important dates related to application issue and
release of child.
 Signed consent form by the parent for medical
emergency.
 Approval form by the parent for first aid of their
child.
 Written permission for transportation and extra
curriculum activities.
 Any details of medical injury/ illness or incidence
of accident in child that has brought them in care.
The medical report by the child care center must be
present to the parent and included in report of child.
 Agreement form that took place between the
parents and operator of child care center. The copy
of the agreement along with written report must be
included and retained in the by both parents and
facility.
 As per the rule of § 3270.181, parents have to
review and inform emergency contact number and
financial agreement every six month from the
admission.
What does your state require of staff
of a childcare center?
Criminal record checks?
Age requirement?
Pennsylvania has certain information of their staffs
involved in child care center which is mentioned under the
section 3270.192. Those details are outlined as:
 Name of the person.
 Address and contact information of the staffs.

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Training or education requirement?
References?
Health records (e.g., tuberculosis)?
Verified document of following data:
 Age
 Experience certificate in child care’s training and
education both prior and after the service at the
facility.
 The verification of experience certificate of their
education, training which can be any diploma or
transcript or signed letter from the responsible
authority.
 Health assessment report both before and at the
time of service. The health assessment must include
the test of tuberculin skin test and X-ray report
which gives relevant information about the
tuberculosis status of the staffs.
 A clearance information report of the staffs which
mention that they have no criminal or child abuse
offence history, along with the disclosure statement
under CPSL.
 Referral written copy of the staffs by non-family
members which must be attested with mentioning
suitability of person to work in child care center as
facility members.
Do the same requirements apply to
volunteers?
Not all requirements that applies to the staffs of child care
center are similar to the volunteer.
Following requirement of volunteer must be included for
the child care center:
 The volunteer staffs needs to fulfill any one of the
qualification which is met by applicable staffs for
the same position in which the individual wishes to
work or perform.
 At least 50% of the staffs engaged in facility must
be qualified person and executed the role of
supervisor or assistant supervisor or directors. Less
than or equals to 50% of the staffs must meet the
aide level of qualification.
 The staff person who has experience in the work of
assistant group supervisor shall give effective
training and supervise the volunteers.
 When there is involvement of care of more than
one children, the facility staffs who are competent
to give effective first aid must also be more than
one.
What requirements/qualifications According to the section 3270.34, the director of the child

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apply to directors of childcare centers? care center must have one of the following requirement
and qualification:
 The director must have completed bachelor’s
degree in early childhood development,
development of child, human service field or
special/elementary education from reputed and
accredited university or college.
 Must have one year experience in care of children.
 Must have attained 30 hours credit in bachelor’s
degree course.
 Have two years’ experience in child care center.
 Have associate degree in early childhood
development, development of child, human service
field or special/elementary education and above
mentioned course from accredited college and
university with four year practical experience in
care of children.
 The facility have to employ the director and they
must be present for minimum of 30 hours per week.
 If the facility have less than or equal to 45 children,
director have to work as group supervisor.
The responsibilities of the directors is to manage the work
of facility by following undermentioned duties:
 Administering finance and maintenance.
 Administering transportation, planning of meal and
its overall preparation.
 Regulating the objective and work of program of
facility.
 Planning of the program in regular way.
 Controlling the activities of school age program
along with the group supervisor.
 Evaluate the work of staff person in regular basis.
 There is the need to evaluate the work of staff
facility once in every 12 month by the directors.
What regulations does your state have
concerning the facilities of a child day
center?
Asbestos inspection?
Building and fire codes?
Health Department inspection for
water, sewage, and food service?
 In Pennsylvania, according to the building code
3270.15, there is the need of certificate of
occupancy which is the evidence of compliance to
be issued by the legal entity in order to provide
certificate of compliance by the department. It is
the important obligation of the department of labor
and industry which is linked with the child care
facilities (34, 403.23)
 State of Pennsylvania have numerous regulation of
certain things. For example area of toilet have

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Temperature regulation?
Space requirements per child?
Outdoor play space requirements per
child?
Number of bathrooms required?
following regulations: (3270.82)
 The ratio of flushing the toilet to the trained
children regarding toilet- Same age group children
which includes young to old toddler and children
going to preschool are approx.. 15:1.
 The ratio of sink to number of applied children
compiles to the ratio of same age children both
young and old toddler and individual going to the
preschool 25: 1.
 There is the rule that sink must be installed near or
in the area of toilet.
 The training chair need to be sanitized and emptied
at every time when it is used because it is not a
flushing toilet.
 The sanitation solution is also specific. The
solution must have quarter cup of bleach chemicals
which is mixed with the 1 gallon water. The
solution must be regarded as toxic chemical and
must be used with precaution.
 The height of the both toilet and sink must be as per
the height of the children who always used it. It
should be easily approachable to every child with
the help of platform and steps.
 The training chair or the toilet should not be in that
area where cooking or eating is being done.
 The area of toilet and fixtures need to be sanitized
and cleaned every day. Additionally, it should be in
good working condition.
 Certain good habit must be given to every child in
the center and must be followed by facility service
as well. For example like they should be
encouraged to wash their hands before eating and
after coming from toilet. Well written post
mentioning all such requirement must be circulated
and posted in toilets, diapering area and training
chair.
 The area of toilet, flushing chair, sink and diapering
area must be equipped with the lidded and clean
dustbin.
 In the area of toddler and diapering, must also be
equipped with the source of water for the purpose
of hand wash. The running water must be linked to
the sewage system or it must flow into the drain.
 Receptacle are attached to the source to hold the
water for hand washing.
 The receptacle then need to be cleaned and emptied

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at least one time in a day.
As per the section of 3270.70, the temperature of indoor
have following guideline:
 The minimum temperature of the indoor
environment should not be more than 650F.
 If there is the situation where the temperature goes
high to 820 F in the area of children, the mechanical
circulation of air must be functioning till the
temperature drops to permissible degree.
The section 3270.94 deals with fire drills which have
following guidelines:
 The fire drill need to be held for minimum of 60
days.
 The facility and children should take part in fire
drill.
 All the details of the fire drill like location, timing,
and number of children involved and date must be
recorded and maintained.
 There should be different timing of drill either at
night or day or can be both of the time.
 At the course of children, fire drill must be
executed.
 The location of the fire drill must be keep on
changing.
 The route of fire drill evacuation should be posted.
 The evacuation program should include all the
person from the area.
The section 3270.62 has identified the indoor and outdoor
space. The guidelines are as follows:
 The facility must give extra space for both indoor
and outdoor play for the children which include the
activities like running and jumping.
 The space for each child should be minimum of 65
square feet. However, for the infants the space must
be 40 sq and for young children it should be 50sq
feet.
 The activities in indoor and outdoor activity must
be safer.
 The space shall not be used for other purpose other
than care and development of children.
How does your state define the ages of
children?
Pennsylvania defines the age of children by as follow;

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0 month- 1 year – infants
1-2 years- young toddler
2-3 years-older toddler
>3 years- preschool child
3 years till attained 4th standard- young school age child
4th standard till 15 years- old school age child.
What are the staff-to-children ratio
requirements?
The requirement is underline in the section 3280.52 which
is as follows:
1 staff for <6 children
2 staffs for children in excursion
1 staff for 4-6 infants
1-5 staffs for 15 young toddler
1-6 staffs for 12 old toddler
1-12 staffs for 12 young age school
1-15 staffs for 15 children
What actions toward children are
prohibited?
Following actions are prohibited towards children:
 Forceful action to eat
 Discrimination among the children for any health
issue.

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List 3 other interesting regulations
from your state.
The three interesting regulations in the state of
Pennsylvania are:
 The space heater and portable heater is not allowed
in the child care center. (3270.92).
 The age limit to become volunteer or staffs is
minimum of 16 years and they must be supervised
every time.
 The program of keystone STARS involves rating of
child care program if they give safety regulation,
friendly atmosphere accompanied with good
mentors. This interesting program play important
role to improvise the service given to the children
and their families.

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Bibliography
Licensing Regulations. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/licensing/state/PA
National database for child care. (2018). Pennsylvania Code. Retrieved from
https://www.pacode.com/secure/data/055/chapter3270/chap3270toc.html
Pennsylvania Code. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/055/chapter3270/chap3270toc.html