Page 70
child care services may secure information about the registration and inspection process for a child care facility by contacting staff of the State or Regional Child Care Licensing Office. (3) Facilities owned and operated by a local church congregation, established religious denomina- tion, religious college or university which receive funds through the state or federal government or which voluntarily elect to be licensed, may secure information about the licensing process by contacting staff of the State or Regional Child Care Licensing Office. B. Registration (1) An application for a registration shall be completed on appropriate Department forms and shall be signed by the director. The Department representative shall provide the applicant with the required number of forms, a copy of current regulations, a copy of Section 20–7–2700 et seq., Code of Laws of South Carolina (1976), and a copy of Sections of the Children’s Code related to child abuse and neglect with an explanation of procedures and information required by the Department. The Department representative shall request in writing that health and fire officials make inspections of the facility. (2) After giving the applicant at least two working days notice, Department staff shall arrange a registration study during an on-site visit to the proposed facility for determining compliance with applicable regulations. (3) Upon request of the Department, health and fire officials shall inspect the facility to determine compliance with appropriate regulations and shall put in writing on appropriate forms the results of their inspections. (4) The Department shall review the completed application form, completed inspection report, completed health and fire inspection reports, current child abuse and criminal history background records checks, written policies and other information specified by the Department to make a determination of issuance or non-issuance of a registration and shall take one of the following actions: (a) Issue a regular registration if all the provisions of the regulations and statute for the operation of a child care center have been met; (b) Issue a provisional registration with an accompanying correction notice if one or more violations have been cited which do not seriously threaten the health, safety or well-being of children; or (c) Deny the issuance of a registration if one or more violations seriously threaten the health, safety or well being of the children. (5) Failure of Department staff, except as provided by statute, to approve or deny any complete application within ninety days shall result in the granting of a provisional registration. (6) If a registration is issued, the Department staff shall mail the registration directly to the director. (7) The registration shall state clearly the name of the director; the address and type of child care facility, the date on which the registration was issued and will expire, and the maximum number of children to be present in the center at any one time. (8) Department staff shall notify the director as follows if a provisional registration is issued or an application for a registration is denied: (a) If a provisional registration is issued, the Department shall notify the director in writing of violations to be corrected. The violations shall be cited by regulation number and shall include a form issued by the Department for the director to complete a written plan to correct each violation as approved by the Department; or (b) If a registration is denied or suspended, the Department shall give the applicant written notice by certified mail indicating the reason(s) for the denial or suspension and inform the operator of the right to appeal the decision through administrative channels to the department and according to established appeals procedure for the department. Upon appeal, the decision of the department is final unless appealed by a party pursuant to an Administrative Law Judge.