5.2 Ratios, Group Size, and Qualifications for CCDF Providers

Lead Agencies must have child care standards for providers receiving CCDF funds, appropriate to the type of child care setting involved, that address appropriate staff:child ratios, group size limits for specific age populations, and the required qualifications for providers. Lead Agencies should map their categories of care to the CCDF categories. Exemptions for relative providers will be addressed in subsection 5.8. 5.2.1 Age classifications Describe how the Lead Agency defines the following age classifications (e.g., Infant: 0 – 18 months). a. Infant. Describe: 6 weeks to 12 months old b. Toddler. Describe: 13 - 36 months old c. Preschool. Describe: 3 - 5 years old d. School-Age. Describe: at least 5 and under 13 years old 5.2.2 Ratio and group size limits Provide the ratio and group size limits for settings and age groups below. a. Licensed CCDF center-based care: i. Infant. Ratio: 1:4 Group size: 8 ii. Toddler. Ratio: 1:4 or 1:5 Group size: 10-12 iii. Preschool. Ratio: 1:7, 1:8, or 1:10 Group size: 21, 24, or 20 iv. School-Age. Ratio: 1:13 Group size: 50 v. Mixed-Age Groups (if applicable). Ratio: It is based on the age of the youngest child in attendance. Group size: It is based on the age of the youngest child in attendance. b. If different, provide the ratios and group size requirements for the license-exempt center- based providers who receive CCDF funds under the following age groups: i. [x] Not applicable. There are no differences in ratios and group size requirements. ii. Infant: iii. Toddler: iv. Preschool: v. School-Age: vi. Mixed-Age Groups: c. Licensed CCDF family child care home providers: i. Infant (if applicable) Ratio: 1:4, or one provider may care for three infants, three preschoolers and two school age children. Two providers may care for eight infants, or three providers can care for twelve children. Group size: 4, 8, 12 ii. Toddler (if applicable) Ratio: One provider may care for three toddlers, three preschoolers and two school age children, two providers can care for six toddlers and six preschoolers. Group size: 8 or 12 iii. Preschool (if applicable) Ratio: One provider may care for eight preschoolers and two school age children; two providers may care for twelve preschoolers. Group size: 10 or 12 iv. School-Age (if applicable) Ratio: 1:12 Group size: 12 v. Mixed-Age Groups Ratio: One provider may care for three infants, three preschoolers and two school age children; or one provider may care for eight preschoolers and two school age children. Two providers may care for eight infants, two providers can care for twelve preschool children, or two providers can care for six children under two and six children over two, or three providers can care for twelve children. Group size: 8, 10, 12 d. Are any of the responses above different for license-exempt family child care homes? [ ] No. [x] Yes. If yes, describe how the ratio and group size requirements for license- exempt providers vary by age of children served. There are no rules established for exempt providers with the exception that a License- Exempt Provider may not care for more than two children that do not reside in the home. [ ] Not applicable. The Lead Agency does not have license-exempt family child care homes. e. Licensed in-home care (care in the child’s own home): i. Infant (if applicable) Ratio: N/A Group size: N/A ii. Toddler (if applicable) Ratio: N/A Group size: N/A iii. Preschool (if applicable) Ratio: N/A Group size: N/A iv. School-Age (if applicable) Ratio: N/A Group size: N/A v. Mixed-Age Groups (if applicable) Ratio: N/A Group size: N/A f. Are any of the responses above different for license-exempt in-home care? [ ] No. [x] Yes. If yes, describe how the ratio and group size requirements for license- exempt in-home care vary by age of children served. A Non-Relative In-home Child Care Provider, who provides Child Care Services in the Child’s home and must be: eighteen (18) years of age or older, a Maine resident, and providing Child Care Services to a family unit receiving CCAP. In addition, the provider cannot care for more than two (2) of their own children while providing services. 5.2.3 Teacher/caregiver qualifications for licensed, regulated, or registered care Provide the teacher/caregiver qualifications for each category of care. a. Licensed center-based care i. Describe the teacher qualifications for licensed CCDF center-based care (e.g., degrees, credentials, etc.), including any variations based on the ages of children in care: All staff shall have a high school diploma or equivalent or be attending high school or be enrolled in a GED (General Educational Development) preparation program or HiSET (Highschool Equivalency Test). Lead Teacher: The lead teacher or person having the primary responsibility for a group of children in a program with thirteen (13) or more children shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age and meet one of the following; 1.Child Development Associate (CDA) as awarded by the CDA National Credentialing Program or a Maine State-approved credential, or 2. Twelve (12) months of direct Child Care experience or, 3. One year (30 credit hours) of college work including one course in a child related subject and 6 months experience. ii. Describe the director qualification for licensed CCDF center-based care, including any variations based on the ages of children in care or the number of staff employed: Facilities licensed for 13-20 Children must employ a minimum of one director or lead teacher. The Director/lead teacher may be the owner of the Child Care Facility. The director and/or lead teacher must be at least 21 years of age and must meet one of the following requirements: Graduation from an accredited high school or its equivalent, and 12 months of employment in a licensed Child Care Program and 12 hours of training in healthy, safe environments; Child development; observation and assessment; developmentally appropriate practice; guidance; relationships with families; individual and cultural diversity; Children with special needs; business and professional development, Child care, or early Childhood education; or 30 credit hours of college courses including six credit hours in early Childhood education or closely related subjects and six months of experience (employment or college practicum) in a licensed Child Care Program; or Current Child Development Associate (CDA) credential as awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition, or a Maine State-approved credential, and six months of direct Child care experience (employment or college practicum). Facilities licensed for 21 ￿ 49 Children must employ a Director and/or lead teacher who is at least 21 years of age, and meets one of the following requirements: An Associate Degree in Arts/Associate in Science (AA/AS) in Early Childhood Education; or An AA/AS with 12 credits in Early Childhood Education or a Department-approved related field, and two years of direct Childcare experience; or 30 college credits in Early Childhood Education, and one year of direct Child care experience; or Child Development Associate (CDA) as awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition or a Maine State-approved credential, and three years’ direct Child care experience; or Five years of direct Child care experience, and 135 hours of training in early childhood education including healthy, safe, and inclusive environments; Child development; observation and assessment; developmentally appropriate practice; guidance; relationships with families; and cultural diversity. Facilities licensed for 50 or more Children must employ a Director and/or lead teacher who is at least 21 years of age, and meets one of the following requirements: A Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts (BA/BS) in Early Childhood Education; or A BA/BS in a Department-approved related field with 18 credit hours in Early Childhood Education and three years of direct Child care experience; or An Associate in Arts/Associate in Science (AA/AS) in Early Childhood Education and three years of direct Child care experience; or An AA/AS in a related field with 18 credit hours in Early Childhood Education and three years of direct Childcare experience; Current CDA as awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition or a Maine State-approved credential, with five years of direct Childcare experience; Seven years of experience and 180 hours of training in the topics listed in Section 7(F)(4)(e) above; or Meet Level 5, 6, 7, or 8 on the Maine Roads to Quality Career Lattice. Directors and/or lead teachers of school-age Child Care Facilities must have an AA/AS in Early Childhood Education or 30 college credits in a closely related field such as elementary education, Child development, or recreation management. b. Licensed family child care Describe the provider qualifications for licensed family child care homes, including any variations based on the ages of children in care: The applicant must be at least 18 years old. A provider must be at least 16 years old, and, if younger than 18 years old, must be under the direct supervision of an adult. The provider and all Staff Members must have a high school diploma or equivalent, be attending high school, or be enrolled in a General Educational Development (GED) or HISET (High School Equivalency Test) preparation program. Either the provider or at least one staff member must hold a current certification in adult and pediatric first aid and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and have completed at least 6 hours of pre-licensing training in healthy, safe environments; Child development; observation and assessment; developmentally appropriate practice; guidance; relationships with families; individual and cultural diversity; children with special needs, business, and professional development; or childcare practices. c. Licensed, regulated, or registered in-home care (care in the child’s own home by a non- relative) Describe the provider qualifications for licensed, regulated, or registered in-home care providers (care in the child’s own home) including any variations based on the ages of children in care: N/A 5.2.4 Teacher/caregiver qualifications for license-exempt providers Provide the teacher/provider qualification requirements (for instance, age, high school diploma, specific training, etc.) for the license-exempt providers under the following categories of care: a. License-exempt center-based child care. License-exempt CCAP providers providing center- based care are recreation programs operated by municipalities and are required to have staff that are Maine Residents, 18 years of age or older. The programs must meet all CCDF requirements, including background checks for staff, training requirements, health and safety standards, and annual inspection visits. Recreational Programs must provide a copy of the owner or Director’s background check approval letter and a statement that they will have all staff background checks on file for viewing during inspections. Allow the Department to perform at least annual health and safety monitoring visit. The Department may also inspect License-Exempt Child Care Providers’ facilities upon receipt of a report or complaint, and to conduct random health and safety inspections, all with or without notice at the Department’s sole discretion. b. License-exempt home-based child care. License-exempt CCAP providers providing home- based care are required to be eighteen (18) years of age or older, a Maine Resident, and meet CCDF requirements, including background checks, training requirements, and health and safety standards. c. License-exempt in-home care (care in the child’s own home). License-exempt CCAP providers providing in-home care are required to be eighteen (18) years of age or older, a Maine Resident, and meet CCDF requirements, including background checks, training requirements, and health and safety standards.