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Recently NYS passed some new regulations. They go into effect May 1, 2014. Here are some of them:
1) We must now have a strategy for sheltering in place; and how the health, safety and emotional needs of children will be met in the event it becomes necessary to shelter-in-place; and a plan for notification of the children's parents.
Each program must hold two shelter-in-place drills annually during which procedures and supplies are reviewed. Parents must be made aware of this drill in advance.
The registrant must maintain on file a record of each shelter-in-place drill conducted, using forms provided by the Office or approved equivalents.
2) It is now required that: The phone used at the family day care must remain in a designated visible location during all hours that children are in care. I am interpreting this as a requirement to have a landline...no cell phone as the only phone available.
3)A new requirement: When care is provided to infants less than six months of age, the daily schedule must include short supervised periods of time during which the awake infant is placed on his or her stomach, back or side allowing them to move freely and interact socially, thus developing motor skills and social skills. Well, duh. Sad that this has to be spelled out for some.
4) Children may not sleep or nap in car seats, baby swings, strollers, infant seats or bouncy seats. Should a child fall asleep in one of these devices, he or she must be moved to a crib/cot or other approved sleeping surface.
I know a lot of you already have this reg...it is a new reg in NY.
5) Sleeping surfaces, including bedding, which is the removable and washable portion of the sleeping environment, must not come in contact with the sleeping surfaces of another child’s rest equipment during storage. Mats and cots must be stored so that the sleeping surfaces do not touch when stacked.
6)If television or other electronic visual media is used, it must be part of a planned developmentally appropriate program with an educational, social, physical or other learning objective that includes identified goals and objectives. Television and other electronic visual media must not be used solely to occupy time.
7) The use of any type of device for social or entertainment purposes, listening to music on headphones, playing screen games, using the Internet, or making personal calls by caregivers while supervising children is prohibited. Use of any devices for brief and necessary communications or purposes directly related to the child care program such as communication with parents or the Office and its representatives is allowable.
8) This is new and follows the section outlawing physical restraint.
Physical intervention is permitted. Physical intervention is the act of using bodily contact as a short- term immediate response to prevent children from incurring substantial or serious injury to themselves or injuring others. It may involve: picking a child up and moving him or her away from danger or conflict, holding the child’s hands or gently touching the body to direct their movement, rocking a child to soothe them, blocking a child’s path when they are about to injure themselves or others or destroy property. This technique allows the child to regain self-control as quickly and safely as possible. A consultation with a child’s parent is required if the child is not receptive to physical intervention.
9) The initial medical statement for providers, assistants, and substitutes must include the results of a Mantoux tuberculin test or other federally approved tuberculin test performed within the 12 months preceding the date of the application. Thereafter, tuberculin tests are only required at the discretion of the employee’s health care provider or at the start of new employment in a different child care program. This used to be an annual or biannual requirement.
10) Children must be kept clean and comfortable at all times. Diapers must be changed when wet or soiled. The diaper changing area must be as close as possible to a sink with soap and hot and cold running water. This area or sink must not be used for food preparation. Diaper changing surfaces must be cleaned and disinfected after each use with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered product that has an EPA registration number on the label Only the bolded part is new. Sounds like we have the choice to use something other than bleach.
What do you think about these new regs? Are they similar to things already on the books in other states?
1) We must now have a strategy for sheltering in place; and how the health, safety and emotional needs of children will be met in the event it becomes necessary to shelter-in-place; and a plan for notification of the children's parents.
Each program must hold two shelter-in-place drills annually during which procedures and supplies are reviewed. Parents must be made aware of this drill in advance.
The registrant must maintain on file a record of each shelter-in-place drill conducted, using forms provided by the Office or approved equivalents.
2) It is now required that: The phone used at the family day care must remain in a designated visible location during all hours that children are in care. I am interpreting this as a requirement to have a landline...no cell phone as the only phone available.
3)A new requirement: When care is provided to infants less than six months of age, the daily schedule must include short supervised periods of time during which the awake infant is placed on his or her stomach, back or side allowing them to move freely and interact socially, thus developing motor skills and social skills. Well, duh. Sad that this has to be spelled out for some.
4) Children may not sleep or nap in car seats, baby swings, strollers, infant seats or bouncy seats. Should a child fall asleep in one of these devices, he or she must be moved to a crib/cot or other approved sleeping surface.
I know a lot of you already have this reg...it is a new reg in NY.
5) Sleeping surfaces, including bedding, which is the removable and washable portion of the sleeping environment, must not come in contact with the sleeping surfaces of another child’s rest equipment during storage. Mats and cots must be stored so that the sleeping surfaces do not touch when stacked.
6)If television or other electronic visual media is used, it must be part of a planned developmentally appropriate program with an educational, social, physical or other learning objective that includes identified goals and objectives. Television and other electronic visual media must not be used solely to occupy time.
7) The use of any type of device for social or entertainment purposes, listening to music on headphones, playing screen games, using the Internet, or making personal calls by caregivers while supervising children is prohibited. Use of any devices for brief and necessary communications or purposes directly related to the child care program such as communication with parents or the Office and its representatives is allowable.
8) This is new and follows the section outlawing physical restraint.
Physical intervention is permitted. Physical intervention is the act of using bodily contact as a short- term immediate response to prevent children from incurring substantial or serious injury to themselves or injuring others. It may involve: picking a child up and moving him or her away from danger or conflict, holding the child’s hands or gently touching the body to direct their movement, rocking a child to soothe them, blocking a child’s path when they are about to injure themselves or others or destroy property. This technique allows the child to regain self-control as quickly and safely as possible. A consultation with a child’s parent is required if the child is not receptive to physical intervention.
9) The initial medical statement for providers, assistants, and substitutes must include the results of a Mantoux tuberculin test or other federally approved tuberculin test performed within the 12 months preceding the date of the application. Thereafter, tuberculin tests are only required at the discretion of the employee’s health care provider or at the start of new employment in a different child care program. This used to be an annual or biannual requirement.
10) Children must be kept clean and comfortable at all times. Diapers must be changed when wet or soiled. The diaper changing area must be as close as possible to a sink with soap and hot and cold running water. This area or sink must not be used for food preparation. Diaper changing surfaces must be cleaned and disinfected after each use with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered product that has an EPA registration number on the label Only the bolded part is new. Sounds like we have the choice to use something other than bleach.
What do you think about these new regs? Are they similar to things already on the books in other states?
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