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: A child, birth to 11 months b. Toddler. Describe: A child, 12 months through 29 months c. Preschool. Describe: A child, 30 months through 6 years and not attending kindergarten or elementary school. d. School-Age. Describe: a child, age 5 years through 12 years and attending kindergarten or elementary school. 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: 1:7 Group size: 14 iii. Preschool. Ratio: 1:10 Group size: 20 iv. School-Age. Ratio: 1:15 Group size: 30 v. Mixed-Age Groups (if applicable). Ratio: Mixed Age group Birth to 36 months: 1:4 or 1:3 depending on group size. A larger group size requires a lower ratio. Mixed Age group 12 to 36 months: 1:7 or 1:5 depending on group size. A larger group size requires a lower ratio. Mixed Age group 36 months thru kindergarten: 1:10. Mixed Age group 4.5 years through 9 years: 1:10. The ratio is determined based on the age of the youngest child in the group. Group size: Mixed Age group Birth to 36 months: 8 or 9 depending on ratio. Decreasing the ratio allows for a larger group size. Mixed Age group 12 to 36 months: 14 or 15 depending on ratio. Decreasing the ratio allows for a larger group size. Mixed Age group 36 months thru kindergarten: 20 or 26. Mixed Age group 4.5 years thru 9 years: 20 or 26. Group size is determined based on the age of the youngest child. 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. [ ] Not applicable. There are no differences in ratios and group size requirements. ii. Infant: Programs on Tribal land that are Certified for Payment Only are not subject to group size or ratio requirements and instead follow their processes documented in their CCDF Plans. Programs within Military jurisdictions follow requirements as specified by the Department of Defense. iii. Toddler: Programs on Tribal land that are Certified for Payment Only are not subject to group size or ratio requirements and instead follow their processes documented in their CCDF Plans. Programs within Military jurisdictions follow requirements as specified by the Department of Defense. iv. Preschool: Programs on Tribal land that are Certified for Payment Only are not subject to group size or ratio requirements and instead follow their processes documented in their CCDF Plans. Programs within Military jurisdictions follow requirements as specified by the Department of Defense. v. School-Age: Programs on Tribal land that are Certified for Payment Only are not subject to group size or ratio requirements and instead follow their processes documented in their CCDF Plans. Programs within Military jurisdictions follow requirements as specified by the Department of Defense. vi. Mixed-Age Groups: Programs on Tribal land that are Certified for Payment Only are not subject to group size or ratio requirements and instead follow their processes documented in their CCDF Plans. Programs within Military jurisdictions follow requirements as specified by the Department of Defense. c. Licensed CCDF family child care home providers: i. Infant (if applicable) Ratio: 1:2 if the provider is alone and up to 1:4 with a qualified assistant Group size: Varies depending on the ages of children in care. Group size 6 if there are two children under the age of 2. Maximum group size of 12 with four children under the age of 2 with a qualified assistant. ii. Toddler (if applicable) Ratio: 1:4 if provider is alone and up to 1:8 with a qualified assistant. Group size: Mixed group size of various ages over 12 months. If provider is alone, there can be8 toddlers, with a qualified assistant there can be 12. iii. Preschool (if applicable) Ratio: 1:10 if the provider is alone and 1:12 with a qualified assistant. Group size: 10 if the provider is alone and 12 with a qualified assistant. iv. School-Age (if applicable) Ratio: 1:10 if provider is alone and 1:12 with a qualified assistant. 1:12 for School-Age only, no assistant needed if all are school age. Group size: 10 if provider is alone and 12 with a qualified assistant. v. Mixed-Age Groups Ratio: 1:4 for birth to 24 months 1:10 for preschool 1:12 for school age. Group size: Up to 12 for children age birth through 12 years. A second staff is required whenever more than 2 children do not walk independently, more than 6 children are in care and any child is under 2 years of age, more than 8 children are in care and any child is under 3 years of age, or more than 10 children are in care and any child is under school age. 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. A provider must not care for more than six children, including their own children, at any one time. [ ] 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: NA Group size: NA ii. Toddler (if applicable) Ratio: NA Group size: NA iii. Preschool (if applicable) Ratio: NA Group size: NA iv. School-Age (if applicable) Ratio: NA Group size: NA v. Mixed-Age Groups (if applicable) Ratio: NA Group size: NA 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 provider must not care for more than six children, including their own children, at any one time. 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: Lead teachers must be 18 years of age, have a high school diploma or equivalent, take preservice child care basics training, and have or make progress towards an ECE initial certificate or equivalent. All staff must have background clearance; negative tuberculosis test; blood borne pathogens training; first aid/CPR training; training recognizing and reporting suspected child abuse, neglect, and exploitation; emergency preparedness training; shaken baby syndrome training (if licensed for infants); training on serving children experiencing homelessness; safe sleep training (if licensed for infants); medication management training; and food handlers training if preparing or serving food. 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: Directors must be 18 years of age, complete all preservice requirements and trainings, and have an ECE state certificate or equivalent (or meet the minimum for hire below while meeting the requirements). Directors, assistant directors, and program supervisors must have completed a number of college credits in early childhood education core competencies based on the number of children for which the site is licensed: - 12 or fewer children: 10 credits - 13 to 24 children: 25 credits - 25 or more children: 45 credits 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: Providers must be 18 years of age, have a high school diploma or equivalent, complete preservice requirements and training including child care basics prior to licensing, and have an ECE initial certificate within 5 years. 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: The individual must: (a) Be eighteen years of age or older; (b) Complete the approval process that will include, but not be limited to, providing: (i) Legal name, current street address, telephone number, and email address; (ii) Documents required to establish that the individual meets legal employment eligibility requirements that may include, but are not limited to: (A) A legible copy of the individual's valid Social Security card; and (B) A legible copy of the individual's nonexpired government issued photo identification, such as a driver's license, Washington state identification, or passport An individual will not be approved to receive CCDF payment if the individual is; (a) The child's biological or adoptive parent, step-parent, or the parent's live-in partner; (b) The child's legal guardian or the guardian's spouse or live-in partner; (c) An adult acting in loco parentis or that adult's spouse or live-in partner; (d) An adult sibling who lives in the same household as the children needing care; (e) Living outside of Washington state and wants to provide care in his or her home; (f) Disqualified based on the requirements contained in chapter WAC; or (g) Receiving temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) benefits on behalf of the eligible child. 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. Programs on Tribal land that are Certified for Payment Only are not subject to state requirements and instead follow their processes documented in their CCDF Plans. Programs within Military jurisdictions follow requirements as specified by the Department of Defense. b. License-exempt home-based child care. Programs on Tribal land that are Certified for Payment Only are not subject to state requirements and instead follow their processes documented in their CCDF Plans. Programs within Military jurisdictions follow requirements as specified by the Department of Defense. c. License-exempt in-home care (care in the child’s own home). The individual must: (a) Be eighteen years of age or older; (b) Complete the approval process that will include, but not be limited to, providing: (i) Legal name, current street address, telephone number, and email address; (ii) Documents required to establish that the individual meets legal employment eligibility requirements that may include, but are not limited to: (A) A legible copy of the individual's valid Social Security card; and (B) A legible copy of the individual's nonexpired government issued photo identification, such as a driver's license, Washington state identification, or passport An individual will not be approved to receive CCDF payment if the individual is; (a) The child's biological or adoptive parent, step-parent, or the parent's live-in partner; (b) The child's legal guardian or the guardian's spouse or live- in partner; (c) An adult acting in loco parentis or that adult's spouse or live-in partner; (d) An adult sibling who lives in the same household as the children needing care; (e) Living outside of Washington state and wants to provide care in his or her home; (f) Disqualified based on the requirements contained in chapter WAC; or (g) Receiving temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) benefits on behalf of the eligible child.