Alabama Administrative Code › Title 660 - ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES › Chapter 660-5-26 - DAY CARE LICENSURE - CHILD CARE LICENSING AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR DAY CARE CENTERS AND NIGHTTIME CENTERS › Section 660-5-26-.07 - Character And Suitability

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1)
			 Character and Suitability Review. All applicants, board members (if
			 applicable), and holders of a license, holders of a six-month permit, or
			 approval to operate a child care center, all applicants for employment or
			 volunteer services, and all current staff persons, employees, and volunteers,
			 shall be of suitable and good moral character in order to operate or work in a
			 child care center. All applicants, board members (if applicable), operators,
			 owners, licensees, center directors, staff persons, employees and volunteers
			 shall be investigated to determine their character and suitability to hold a
			 license, permit, or approval to operate a child care center, or to work, or
			 perform volunteer services in a child care center.
(a) For purposes of these regulations, an
			 applicant for a license or approval to operate a child care center, or the
			 holder of an existing license, permit, or approval to operate a child care
			 center includes the individual applicant or holder of a license, permit, or
			 approval to operate as well as all board members and officers of corporations,
			 partnerships, associations, or other legal entities who have direct contact
			 with the children in care or unsupervised access to children.
(b) Information regarding the character and
			 suitability of applicants for a license or approval to operate a child care
			 center, shall be reviewed by the Department at the time of the initial
			 application for a license or approval to operate. Subsequent character and
			 suitability reviews may be conducted at any time at the discretion of the
			 Department. This information must be updated every five (5) years.
(c) Evidence that an applicant or holder of a
			 license, six-month permit, or approval to operate lacks the required good
			 character or is otherwise not a suitable person to operate a child care center
			 may be the basis for the denial of an initial application, denial of an
			 application for renewal, denial of renewal of approval to operate, suspension
			 or revocation of a license, six month permit, or approval to operate.
(d) The holder of a license, permit, or
			 approval to operate or their authorized designee, such as, but not limited to,
			 the center director, shall review information regarding the character and
			 suitability of all applicants being considered for employment or volunteer work
			 and all current staff persons, employees and volunteers and make a
			 determination whether they are of suitable character to be employed or perform
			 volunteer services in a child care center.
(e) The holder of a license, permit, or
			 approval to operate, or their authorized designee, such as, but not limited to
			 the center director, shall conduct a review as set out below, of all current
			 staff persons, employees and volunteers as instructed by the
			 Department.
(f) A review shall also
			 be conducted on all applicants for employment or volunteer services, in a
			 position that has contact with children or unsupervised access to
			 children.