South Carolina wants the best Do you know the questions to ask when selecting a child care provider? Check out our for its children – and that means website for helpful resources. Look. Listen. Ask. Know before they go. ensuring safe, nurturing environments in which they can thrive. Highlighted

in this guide are just a few of the laws

Child Care Licensing that licensed child care centers must Few factors determine the Center Requirements follow to make sure that children are quality of a child’s care more than the individuals providing it. protected while in their care. The Therefore, it is crucial that all persons For More Information employed by a child care center meet This brochure contains only a few of the laws and complete regulations may be found at regulations that protect children in child care certain criteria. centers. For more information, visit our website www.scchildcare.org and have been or call one of the following DSS licensing offices: developed because of the care and State Office(Columbia): 1.800.556.7445 Staff Region I (Greenville): 1.800.637.8550 commitment of countless parents, • To work in a child care center, every adult must Region II (Columbia): 1.888.202.1469 pass background checks, including federal and state fingerprint checks through the State Law Region III (Charleston): 1.800.260.0211 state officials and licensed child care Region IV (Florence): 1.800.464.9138 Enforcement Division (SLED) and the Federal Emergency: 1.800.556.7445 Bureau of Investigation (FBI). providers. Naturally, it is through the • Anyone who has committed an act of child abuse or neglect as defined by law cannot www.scchildcare.org cooperation of all of these groups that work in a child care facility. • Teachers must be at least 18 years old and our state will succeed in protecting center directors must be at least 21 years old, and they must meet certain educational requirements. Click here to find your our children and the bright futures • Teachers must complete 15 hours of training child care provider each year; center directors are required to that lie ahead of them. complete 20 hours.

SC Child Care Licensing is a division of SC Child Care Services. Supervision Physical Site or Building The following staff-to-child ratios apply most of the time. There must always be a certain number of adults • All indoor and outdoor areas used by present to supervise children; this varies by the age children must be safe, clean, and sanitary. There may be different requirements for nap times or of the children in the room. • Children must not be exposed to household cleaners or other when children are engaged in swimming pool activities. In addition to ratios, there are other important poisonous substances. regulations that are related to the supervision of Please visit the website at www.scchildcare.org for a complete list. • Floors, walls, ceilings, windows, doors, children: and other surfaces must be free from AGE RANGE RATIO AGE RANGE RATIO • Children must be directly supervised at all times hazards such as peeling paint, broken by qualified staff. or loose parts, loose or torn flooring or birth to 1 year 1 to 5 4 to 5 years 1 to 17 • There must be at least 2 qualified child care staff carpeting, sharp edges, splinters, exposed in the center at all times. bolts, and openings that could cause a 1 to 2 years 1 to 6 5 to 6 years 1 to 20 • Staff must be in the same room with infants and child harm. • Playground equipment must be safe and toddlers and must keep the children within sight 2 to 3 years 1 to 8 6 to 12 years 1 to 23 at all times. sturdy, free from rust or poisonous materials, • Staff must be physically near, aware, responsible, and cannot have sharp objects. It must also have 3 to 4 years 1 to 12 and able to intervene in the activities of pre- approved cushioning material underneath it. school and school-age children. • Outdoor metal equipment must be located in • Children in feeding chairs must be constantly shaded areas that are protected from the sun. supervised. • Children must be accounted for at all times. Other Program Requirements Incident Reporting This means that staff must have a written plan Health and Safety • e Ther must be a written, planned, daily program Any injury or accident that results in medical and account for children whether entering or • f Staf must make sure that the hands and faces of of activities for children. treatment for a child must be reported to DSS and exiting the center, or traveling from room to room children are clean. • Written parental consent is required for center the parents must be notified immediately. The within the center, or during transportation to a • Furniture, toys, and other equipment that come staff to give medication to any child. following must be reported: new location. into contact with the mouths of children must be • If there is a medical emergency, staff must take • Any death occurring at the center. • Except in certain emergencies, centers can only washed and sanitized immediately. the child’s emergency information with them to • Any child who is missing or left unattended in a serve as many children as they • Linens, blankets, cribs, cots, and mats must be the hospital and must remain with the child until vehicle. are licensed to keep. The cleaned at least weekly. the parents arrive. • Any major structural damages or man-made capacity, or number of • Staff should wash their hands frequently, especially • Food must be served that suits the child’s age disasters that cause a facility to close. children, is listed on the after diapering children. and appetite, and second portions must be made • Any charges or convictions of crimes against the license, and centers are • Centers must have fire and health inspections. available to the child. owner, director, or staff of a center. required to post a copy of • There must be at least one staff member trained in • All food must be properly labeled and stored to • Any suspected child abuse or neglect. their license for everyone CPR and First Aid present in the center at all times. protect against contamination. • Any instance affecting the health and safety of to see. • Centers should have written plans for • There will be at least two unannounced visits each the children that requires a fireman or policeman emergencies, including a plan for evacuating the year from DSS Licensing staff. to come to the center. children from the center in the event of a fire. • Infants should not be left in cribs all day. • All cribs must meet federal standards.