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(a) Accreditation. In determining teaching staff qualifications, the Department may accept documentation from schools, colleges and universities approved by the State Education Department or other teacher accreditation organizations acceptable to the Department certifying that such persons have met the specific Code requirements. All documents pertaining to teaching staff qualifications must be submitted for review to an agency designated by the Department. All foreign language documents pertaining to teaching staff qualifications shall be accompanied by an English language translation of such documents performed by a translator on the list of foreign language evaluation services maintained by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services.
(b) Pending certifications. A permittee may temporarily employ an education director or group teacher whose application for certification is fully submitted and pending certification by the State Education Department or other accreditation organization or whose study plan for obtaining certification is fully submitted and pending approval by the Department, provided that the permittee has complied with criminal justice and Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR) screening requirements for staff set forth in this Article. No individual qualifying as an education director under this subsection may serve in that capacity with a pending certification for a total of more than 6 months. All relevant documentation must be kept on site and made available to the Department upon request.
(c) Education director. Except as provided in 24 RCNY Health Code §§ 47.15 or 47.17, every child care program must designate a certified group teacher as the education director, who shall be in charge of staff training, educational and child development programs and shall supervise all teaching staff at each permitted child care program. An education director may serve in such capacity for a maximum of two programs, and only if such programs are co-located and operated by the same legal entity.
(1) Coverage for education director. Except as provided herein, a program's education director must be on site at all times while the program is caring for one or more children. At any time when the education director is not on the premises to supervise a child care program, the permittee must designate an individual to act as education director. Except as provided in 24 RCNY Health Code §§ 47.15 or 47.17, such individual must be a certified group teacher or a group teacher whose application for certification is fully submitted and pending certification by the State Education Department or other accreditation organization, or whose application for certification is fully submitted and pending approval by the Department, provided that the permittee has complied with criminal justice and SCR screening requirements for staff set forth in this Article. In addition, the permittee must notify the Department in writing within 5 business days of the separation from service of the education director. When the education director is separated from service or will be on leave for more than 5 business days, the permittee must notify teaching staff and the Department in writing of the certified teacher who has been designated as education director and make this written communication available to the Department for inspection upon request.
(2) Teaching duties. The education director shall have no teaching duties when the attendance at a child care program is greater than 40 children, or if the education director is serving in such capacity for two co-located programs. If the child care program holding a permit is part of an elementary school offering classes from grades one through six, and has either child care programs for children under three years of age or has voluntarily applied for a permit, pursuant to this Article, and such school also has a principal with no teaching duties, the education director shall not have any teaching duties when more than 60 children are enrolled in the child care program.
(A) A baccalaureate degree in early childhood education or a related field of study approved by the Department and at least two years of documented experience as a group teacher in a program for children under six years of age; and
(B) Valid certification issued by the State Education Department, pursuant to 8 NYCRR § 80 or successor rule.
(d) Group teacher. Except as provided in 24 RCNY Health Code § 47.15 or 47.17, no person shall be placed in charge of a group of children in a child care program unless qualified pursuant to paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of this subdivision. All relevant documentation shall be kept on site and made available to the Department upon request.
(1) Baccalaureate degree and State certification. A baccalaureate degree in early childhood education or a related field of study approved by the Department and valid certification issued by the State Education Department, pursuant to 8 NYCRR § 80 or successor rule; or
(2) Baccalaureate degree and experience. A baccalaureate degree in early childhood education or a related field of study approved by the Department and two years of supervised and documented relevant experience in a pre-school program if currently employed in a permitted child care program; or
(3) Study plan. The person has proposed a plan for meeting the requirements of paragraph (1) or (2) of this subdivision within seven years, and has obtained approval of this plan by an accredited college. A person who is eligible pursuant to a study plan shall submit documentation to the Department indicating proof of enrollment in such college and specifying the time, not to exceed seven years, required for completion of the study plan.
(A) The course of study may include the following study areas:
(i) Sociological, Historical, Philosophical Foundations of Education or
(ii) Sociology of Education or History of Education or Philosophy of Education
(iii) Child Development or Child Psychology
(iv) Educational Developmental Psychology or Psychological Foundations of Education
(v) Instructional Materials and Methods Courses - three courses required, including one on the pre-kindergarten or kindergarten level including, but not limited to, such courses as:
(aa) Teaching of Reading, Teaching of Math, Teaching Science to Young Children
(bb) Teaching of Music, Teaching of Art, Methods of Teaching of Language Arts
(cc) Teaching of Computer Technology to Young Children
(vi) Parent Education and Community Relations or Urban Education or Sociology of the Family or Parent, Child, School.
(B) To be study plan eligible, a person shall have:
(i) Associate's (AA or AS) degree in early children education, practicum included; or
(ii) Ninety or more undergraduate college credits and one year classroom experience teaching children in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten or grades 1-2; or
(iii) Baccalaureate in any other academic subject and one year classroom experience teaching children up to third grade.
(e) Group teacher for children with special needs. A group teacher for children with special needs shall be certified in special education, or early childhood education, with additional appropriate training in working with special needs children, in accordance with applicable law. All relevant documentation shall be kept on site and made available to the Department upon request.
(f) Assistant teacher. An assistant teacher shall be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or equivalent (GED). All relevant documentation shall be kept on site and made available to the Department upon request.
(Amended City Record 9/20/2016, eff. 10/20/2016; amended City Record 9/20/2017, eff. 10/10/2017; amended City Record 6/12/2018, eff. 7/12/2018; amended City Record 12/26/2019, eff. 1/25/2020)
A child care program authorized to provide care for children under 24 months of age may employ staff with either the qualifications listed in 24 RCNY Health Code § 47.13 for each title or the following alternative qualifications. All documents and credentials must be submitted for review to an agency designated by the Department and shall be kept on site and made available to the Department upon request:
(a) Education director qualifications.
(1) Baccalaureate degree in early childhood education or related field of study, and
(2) At least one year of experience as a group teacher or on the teaching staff in a child care program for children under 24 months of age, or six college credits in infant/toddler coursework, or a study plan leading to six college credits in infant/toddler coursework
(b) Group teacher in an infant/toddler program. A group teacher for an infant/toddler program shall be at least 21 years of age and have the following qualifications:
(1) Associate's (AA or AS) degree in early childhood education; or
(2) Child Development Associate (CDA) certification and a study plan leading to an associate's degree in early childhood education within seven years; or
(3) High school diploma or equivalent (GED); nine college credits in early childhood education or child development; two years' experience caring for children, and a study plan leading to an associate's degree in early childhood education within seven years; or
(4) High school diploma or equivalent (GED) and five years of supervised experience in an infant/toddler classroom if currently employed in a permitted child care program; or
(5) High school diploma or equivalent (GED); and a study plan that is acceptable to the Department leading to nine credits in early childhood education or childhood development within two years; and a study plan leading to an associate's degree in early childhood education within seven years, if currently employed in a permitted child care program.
(Amended City Record 9/20/2016, eff. 10/20/2016; amended City Record 9/20/2017, eff. 10/10/2017; amended City Record 6/12/2018, eff. 7/12/2018)
(a) Night child care programs may employ staff with either the qualifications listed in 24 RCNY Health Code § 47.13 for each title or the following alternative qualifications. All documents and certifications required by this section must be submitted for review to an agency designated by the Department and shall be kept on site and made available to the Department upon request.
(b) Education director qualifications. The education director shall be qualified in accordance with 24 RCNY Health Code § 47.13; or hold a baccalaureate degree, including 12 college credits in early childhood education, and have two years' experience in a licensed program with children younger than six years of age.
(c) Assistant teacher. An assistant teacher in a night child care program shall be at least 18 years of age and have the following qualifications:
(1) High school diploma or equivalent (TASC or GED); nine college credits in early childhood education or child development; and two years' experience caring for children; or
(2) High school diploma or equivalent (TASC or GED) and five years of supervised experience in a permitted child care program; or
(3) High school diploma or equivalent (TASC or GED); and a study plan that is acceptable to the Department leading to completion of nine credits in early childhood education or childhood development within two years.
(Amended City Record 9/20/2016, eff. 10/20/2016; amended City Record 9/20/2017, eff. 10/10/2017; amended City Record 6/12/2018, eff. 7/12/2018)
(a) Every family shelter-based drop-off child supervision program must designate at least one qualified individual as a shelter child supervision liaison for every 30 children enrolled in the program. If a site has more than one liaison, one must be designated head liaison.
(1) Coverage for shelter child supervision liaison. When a shelter child supervision liaison is not present to supervise a family shelter-based drop-off child supervision program, the permittee shall designate an interim liaison. In addition, the permittee must notify the Department in writing within five business days of the separation from service of a required shelter child supervision liaison. When a shelter child supervision liaison is separated from service or will be on leave for more than five business days, the permittee must notify families and program staff in writing of the name of the designated interim liaison. This written communication must be kept on site and made available to the Department upon request.
(2) Qualifications. Each shelter child supervision liaison must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in the social sciences, applied health sciences, or human services, or a related degree approved by the Department.
(3) Accreditation. In determining shelter child supervision liaison qualifications, the Department may accept documentation from schools, colleges, and universities approved by the State Education Department or other accreditation organization acceptable to the Department certifying that the liaison has met the specific Code requirements. All liaison documentation must be submitted to the Department for review and shall be kept on site and made available to the Department upon request.
(b) A shelter child supervisor must have at a minimum an associate's degree in the social sciences, applied health sciences, or human services, or a related degree that is approved by the Department, or a Child Development Associate (CDA) certification. In determining shelter child supervision liaison qualifications, the Department may accept documentation from schools, colleges, and universities approved by the State Education Department or other accreditation organization acceptable to the Department certifying that the liaison has met the specific Code requirements. All liaison documentation must be submitted to the Department for review and shall be kept on site and made available to the Department upon request.
(Added City Record 9/20/2017, eff. 10/10/2017; amended City Record 6/12/2018, eff. 7/12/2018)
(a) Applicability. These requirements for child abuse and criminal justice screening shall apply to any person who has, will have, or has the potential for unsupervised contact with children in a program, and shall include, but not be limited to: individual owners, permittees, partners, members and shareholders of corporations, limited liability companies or other entities who are the owners or operators of the program; educational, child supervision, administrative and maintenance employees; employees who are school bus drivers or who are assigned to accompany children during transportation to and from the program; volunteers, including parent volunteers and student teachers, trainees or observers; and consultants and other persons employed by persons, corporations, partnerships, associations or other entities providing services to the program. Employees of independent contractors providing maintenance, construction, transportation, food or any other goods or services to a program shall be screened in accordance with this section, or shall be prohibited from working in any area, vehicle or facility owned, occupied or used by the program unless such person is working under the direct supervision and within the line of sight of a screened employee of the program. These requirements shall not apply to persons authorized by parents to escort or transport children to and from programs where the parents have privately arranged for such escort or transportation.
(b) Pre-employment verification. A permittee shall obtain and verify credentials, including certificates and educational transcripts, as applicable, and references prior to employment of all persons listed in subdivision (a) of this section. All such documents, along with any English language translations required pursuant to 24 RCNY Health Code § 47.13(a), shall be kept on site and made available to the Department upon request.
(c) Screening. The permittee shall not permit any employee or individual in any other capacity specified in 24 RCNY Health Code § 47.19(a) to begin work in any area, vehicle, or facility owned, occupied, or used by the program until either:
(1) the following, arranged by the permittee, have been completed: (a) fingerprinting, and receipt and review of records of criminal convictions and pending criminal actions, and (b) receipt and review of report from the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (hereinafter "SCR"), and either:
(A) the results of the screenings are satisfactory; or
(B) if any of the results of the screenings are unsatisfactory, the permittee has received approval of a corrective action plan submitted pursuant to 24 RCNY Health Code § 47.21; or
(C) the permittee has ensured that the individual must be continuously supervised by a satisfactorily screened staff member with authority to intervene in the actions of such individual. For all employees, the permittee must request a new report from the SCR every 2 years. All documents obtained in accordance with the requirements of this section, along with any required English language translations, must be kept on site and made available to the Department upon request.
(d) Individual consent. A permittee shall obtain written consent from each such person for fingerprinting and criminal record review, and shall provide written notice to such persons that there will be an inquiry submitted to the SCR, pursuant to Social Services Law § 424-a(1), or successor law, and that copies of the reports received by the permittee as a result of such review and screening shall be provided to the Department.
(e) Refusal to consent. A permittee shall not hire or retain as an employee, or otherwise allow on its premises any person who is required to have, but refuses to consent to, fingerprinting and criminal record review. To the extent consistent with Article 23-A of the New York State Correction Law, the permittee shall not hire or retain any person who has a record of criminal convictions or arrests, except as provided in subdivision (h) of this section.
(f) Employee to notify permittee. Permittees shall require all employees to have criminal justice and child abuse screening and to notify the permittee immediately or as soon thereafter as possible upon being arrested, and immediately upon receiving notice of the filing of an allegation of child abuse, maltreatment, neglect, or other inappropriate behavior that could threaten the welfare of a child.
(g) Reports to the Department. Permittees shall notify the Department within 24 hours when they have received an indicated report from the SCR; an employee report that an allegation has been filed against the employee; or a record or report of criminal conviction(s), pending criminal action, or when they learn or should have learned of an arrest or criminal charge for any misdemeanor or felony for any person required to have a criminal record review or SCR screening. Permittees must also notify the Department within 24 hours whenever a child attending a program has been seriously injured, has died, or a child in their care or supervision has been unaccounted for, left behind at any location outside the child's assigned classroom or where supervision has not been maintained in the manner required by this Code for any period of time while in the care of the permittee.
(h) Actions required. To the extent consistent with Article 23-A of the New York State Correction Law, and except where the permittee has submitted and obtained Department approval of a corrective action plan in accordance with 24 RCNY Health Code § 47.21:
(1) A permittee shall not hire, retain, utilize or contract for the services of a person who:
(A) Has been convicted of a felony at any time, or who has been convicted of a misdemeanor within the preceding ten years; or
(B) Has been arrested and charged with any felony or misdemeanor, and where there has been no disposition of the criminal matter; or
(C) Is the subject of an indicated child abuse and maltreatment report, in accordance with a determination made after a fair hearing, pursuant to § 422(8) of the Social Services Law.
(2) A permittee shall not dismiss or permanently deny employment to current and prospective staff solely because they are defendants in pending criminal actions, but may suspend current employees or defer employment decisions on prospective employees until disposition of the pending criminal action.
(3) A permittee shall prohibit unsupervised contact with children by any person who has not received screening clearance for criminal convictions or by the SCR, or as specified in paragraph (1) of this subdivision.
(i) References. For all prospective staff, the permittee shall make a written inquiry to an applicant's three most recent employers and shall obtain three references prior to hiring. If prospective staff have not had three prior employers, references may be accepted from persons who are not family members and who state, in writing, that the applicant is well-known to them as a student, volunteer, or other stated capacity, and that the applicant is suited by character, fitness, and ability to work with children. Such documentation shall be kept on site and made available to the Department upon request.
(j) Services for certain children. Permittees must allow access to children receiving assessments and services of professional consultants retained by Early Intervention program providers or New York City Department of Education committees on preschool special education, or successor programs, without requiring proof of consultants' fingerprinting, SCR clearances or references.
(Amended City Record 9/20/2016, eff. 10/20/2016; amended City Record 9/20/2017, eff. 10/10/2017; amended City Record 6/12/2018, eff. 7/12/2018; amended City Record 12/26/2019, eff. 1/25/2020)
(a) Approved corrective action plan required. A corrective action plan shall be submitted by the permittee to the Department within five business days for review and approval by the Department:
(1) Prior to the permittee hiring, retaining or utilizing the services of persons listed in subdivision (a) of 24 RCNY Health Code § 47.19 when such persons are reported as having:
(A) A criminal conviction as specified in 24 RCNY Health Code § 47.19(h); or
(B) Pending criminal charges as specified in 24 RCNY Health Code § 47.19(h); or
(C) SCR reported incidents of child abuse or maltreatment which have been indicated or which are under investigation.
(2) When a death or serious injury of a child or an incident involving a lost child has occurred while under the care or supervision of an applicant for a permit or a permittee, or of any owner, director, employee, or volunteer of the applicant or permittee or of any agent of the permittee, or if a related criminal or civil action has been already adjudicated or adjudication is pending in any jurisdiction with respect to such death or serious injury or incident involving a lost child.
(3) When required by the Department, including but not limited to after the permittee has been cited for violations or conditions deemed imminent health hazards, or when the Department determines that the permittee has been operating with serious or uncorrected violations over a period of time, to demonstrate the permittee's willingness and ability to continue in operation in accordance with applicable law.
(b) Contents of corrective action plan. A corrective action plan shall assess the risk to children in the program, and shall clearly and convincingly demonstrate that such person presents no danger to any child, or other persons. The plan shall include, but not be limited to, consideration of the following factors:
(1) Seriousness of the incident(s) or crimes cited in the report(s);
(2) Seriousness and extent of injuries, if any, sustained by the child(ren) named or referred to in the indicated report(s) or disclosed upon investigation of the criminal charge;
(3) Any detrimental or harmful effect on child(ren) as a result of the person's actions or inactions and relevant events and circumstances surrounding these actions and inactions as these relate to any report(s);
(4) The age of the person and child at the time of the incident(s);
(5) Time elapsed since the most recent incident(s);
(6) Number of indicated incident(s) or crimes; where more than one incident or crime, an evaluation of each separately, and an assessment of the total effect of all indicated incidents on risks to children currently under care or supervision;
(7) Duties of the person under consideration; degree of supervision, interaction, opportunity to be with children on regular, substantial basis and if position may involve being alone with children or will always involve presence of other adults;
(8) Information provided by person, re: rehabilitation, i.e., showing positive, successful efforts to correct the problems resulting in the indicated child abuse or criminal report so that children in the program will not be in danger, demonstrated by no repeated incidents or showing that the person has undergone successful professional treatment;
(9) Employment or practice in a child care field without incident involving injuries to children;
(10) Extra weight and scrutiny shall be accorded child abuse and maltreatment reports involving fatality, sexual abuse, subdural hematoma, internal injuries, extensive lacerations, bruises, welts, burns, scalding, malnutrition or failure to thrive; and crimes involving homicides, sexual offenses (misconduct, rape, sodomy, abuse); kidnapping; felony possession or sale of a controlled substance; felony promotion of prostitution; obscenity offenses; disseminating indecent material involving, or to, minors; incest; abandonment of a child; endangering welfare of a child; promoting sexual performance by a child; felony weapon possession; assault; reckless endangerment; coercion; burglary; arson and robbery; driving while intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol if the person will have responsibilities for unsupervised contact or driving motor vehicles at the program.
(c) Contents of corrective action plan for imminent health hazards or serious repeat violations. When the Department requires a corrective action plan to show that imminent health hazards or patterns of serious repeat violations are being corrected, the permittee must:
(1) Address each hazard, condition or violation;
(2) Identify their causes; and
(3) Provide a plan satisfactory to the Department showing that the causes have been addressed, and that the conditions or violations have been corrected and will not recur.
(d) Implementing the plan. If the Department determines that such plan adequately safeguards the health and safety of children, the permittee shall be responsible for implementation of the plan, subject to periodic monitoring by the Department.
(e) Rejection of plan. If the Department determines that such plan fails to provide adequate safeguards, a permittee that intends to hire or retain the employee shall resubmit the plan until it is acceptable to Department and shall not allow such employee to have unsupervised contact with any children until the plan is approved by the Department.
(Amended City Record 9/20/2016, eff. 10/20/2016; amended City Record 9/20/2017, eff. 10/10/2017; amended City Record 6/12/2018, eff. 7/12/2018)
(a) Constant competent supervision required. Staff included in the staff/child ratios set forth below shall maintain direct line of sight, constant competent supervision of all of the children in the program at all times. Children in a child care program shall be competently supervised by a qualified group teacher or education director at all times in each type of child care program for which a permit is issued, with the sole exception that in the event of breaks or lunch periods, absence of no more than three days, the required staff/child ratio in a child care program may be maintained with assistant teachers and teacher aides, so long as at least one assistant teacher is included for each group of children in attendance. Children in a family shelter-based drop-off child supervision program shall be competently supervised by shelter child supervision staff at all times.
(1) When any program is in operation, the number of qualified staff required by this Code shall be assigned and on duty to protect the health and safety of the children on the program's premises, and in the case of trips off-site the required number of staff shall accompany the children at all times wherever the children travel.
(2) Each program shall maintain a daily log, to be kept on site and provided to the Department upon request, reflecting the arrival and departure time of each member of the teaching staff or shelter child supervision staff.
(b) Group teacher. Except in a night child care program, a group teacher in a child care program shall be in charge of each group of children ages two to five years.
(c) Infant/toddler child care program supervision. An education director or a group teacher with equivalent qualifications shall be present at all times of a child care program's operation to supervise an infant/toddler child care program.
(d) Infant/Toddler teacher. An infant/toddler teacher in a child care program, under the supervision of the education director, may be in charge of individual groups of infants and toddlers, or children in a night child care program.
(e) CPR and first aid certifications. The permittee shall ensure that at least one staff member certified in CPR and first aid is on the premises of the program during all hours when children are present. Upon application for a new permit or for renewal of an existing permit, such certifications must be in pediatric CPR and pediatric first aid, and must be based on successful completion of appropriate training that includes hands-on skill tests.
(f) Minimum staff/child ratios.
(1) The staff of a child care program for purposes of staff/child ratios must include only the teaching staff. The minimum ratios of staff to children in a child care program must be as follows:
AGE OF CHILDREN | MINIMUM STAFF/CHILD RATIO | MAXIMUM GROUP SIZE per room/area separated from other rooms/areas by a physical barrier |
under 12 months | 1:4 or 1:3 | 8 |
12 to 24 months | 1:5 | 10 |
2 years to under 3 | 1:6 | 12 |
3 years to under 4 | 1:10 | 15 |
4 years to under 5 | 1:12 | 20 |
5 years to under 6 | 1:15 | 25 |
(2) The staff of a family shelter based child supervision program for purposes of staff/child ratios shall include only shelter child supervision staff. Volunteers may count as staff for these purposes only if they meet all of the requirements to qualify as shelter child supervisors. The minimum ratios of staff to children in a family shelter-based drop-off child supervision program shall be as follows:
AGE OF CHILDREN | MINIMUM STAFF/CHILD RATIO | MAXIMUM GROUP SIZE |
under 3 years | 1:4 or 1:3 | 10 per room/area separated from other rooms/areas by a physical barrier |
3 years to under 6 | 1:8 | 16 |
(3) When children 12 months of age and older are in a group of mixed but contiguous ages, the minimum staff/child ratio and group size shall be based on the predominant age of the children in the group.
(4) Programs that maintain a staff/child ratio of 1:4 for children under 12 months of age shall demonstrate through their Written Safety Plan that they have sufficient staff in the program at all times to provide a staff/child ratio of 1:3 for the safe evacuation of children younger than 12 months of age during emergency situations.
(g) Mixed groups. Infants shall not be placed in older age groups.
(h) Night child care program supervision.
(1) Staff included in the staff/child ratios set forth above shall be awake at all times, and shall maintain direct line of sight, visual supervision of children.
(2) An education director or a group teacher with equivalent qualifications, or a member of the child supervision staff, shall be present at all times to supervise the night child care program and may not have a specific classroom assignment if more than 40 children are receiving night care or nighttime supervision.
(3) If a family shelter-based child drop-off child supervision program requires more than one shelter child supervisor to be present at any time to attain the required child/staff ratio, the permittee must designate one shelter child supervisor to be the lead shelter child supervisor, responsible for directing the supervision of children during that time period.
(Amended City Record 9/20/2017, eff. 10/10/2017; amended City Record 6/12/2018, eff. 7/12/2018; amended City Record 12/26/2019, eff. 1/25/2020)
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