A family day-care home can accept seven to 12 children. It must be registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare to receive a license. It is also inspected every two years to evaluate its compliance with state standards a comforting notion for many parents. A day-care center can accept 13 or more children based on its physical capacity, determined through state requirements set by the Department of Public Welfare. This verifies that basic safety and health regulations have been met, thus the center can apply for certification by submitting appropriate paperwork and verifications of facility size, professional staff, equipment, course of study and health and safety specifications.
Certification is evaluated every year to ensure compliance with state standards.
State standards ensure safety, health and quality of care and education in day-care settings. Safety standards require interior and exterior areas to be free of physical hazards and of adequate size for the number of children using the facility. Health standards require that someone certified in first aid and CPR for children be at the facility during all hours of operation. The standards for trained personnel require at least one certified early childhood or elementary teacher be on staff at all times. The Department of Public Welfare has a pamphlet outlining all requirements for different day-care situations.