Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 591 - RULES OF BRIGHT FROM THE START GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF EARLY CARE AND LEARNING › Chapter 591-1 › Subject 591-1-1 - CHILD CARE LEARNING CENTERS › Rule 591-1-1-.21 - Operational Policies and Procedures

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
A Center shall establish and implement written policies and
				 procedures which shall be kept current, be consistent with applicable laws,
				 regulations and these rules, made available to the Parent(s) and used to govern
				 the operations of the Center.
(1) The
				policies and procedures shall include the following:
(a) A description of services to be provided
				which specifies the ages of children to be served, days and times of operations
				and days and times that the Center is closed;
(b) A description of enrollment and admission
				requirements which specifies the Parents' responsibilities for supplying needed
				information to the Center and escorting the child to and from the
				Center;
(c) A fee and payment
				schedule that specifies the standard fees, fees related to absences and
				vacations and other charges and fees such as transportation and late
				fees;
(d) A description of the
				Center's transportation and field trip services (see rule
				 .36  about transportation
				requirements);
(e) A description of
				handling administration of medication (see rule
				 .20  about medications), and notifying Parent(s) of noticeable adverse reactions to
				prescribed medications;
(f) A
				description of parental notification in cases of illnesses and injury and
				exclusion of sick children (see rule
				 .07  about children's
				health);
(g) A description of
				parental notification when a notifiable communicable disease is present (see
				rule
				 .07  about children's
				health);
(h) A description of
				handling medical emergencies (see rule
				 .07  about children's
				health);
(i) A description of meals
				and snacks served, including guidelines for food brought from the child's
				home;
(j) Permission for access by
				the child's Parent(s) to all Center areas used by the child (see rule
				 .22  about parental
				access);
(k) Child abuse reporting
				law requirements;
(l) A description
				of behavior management and discipline actions used by the Center;
(m) Nondiscrimination statement;
(n) Center-sponsored religious and cultural
				activities, if any;
(o) If licensed
				for the care of an infant or toddler: Center's diapering procedures, Center's
				toilet training procedures, and Center's feeding procedures;
(p) A written plan for handling emergencies,
				including but not limited to severe weather, loss of electrical power or water
				and death, serious injury or loss of a child, a threatening event, or natural
				disaster which may occur at the Center. The Center will have in place
				procedures for evacuation, relocation, shelter-in-place, lock-down,
				communication and reunification with families, and continuity of operations.
				The plan must apply to all children in care and will include specific
				accommodations for infants and toddlers, children with disabilities, and
				children with chronic medical conditions. Such plan shall include assurance
				that no Center Personnel will impede in any way the delivery of emergency care
				or services to a child by licensed or certified emergency health care
				professionals.
(q) A description of
				the safe sleep practices followed by the Center that includes the following
				information: the initial placement of infants on their backs to sleep; no cover
				or other soft items in crib; appropriate sleep clothing for infants to be
				provided by Parent; individual crib, cot or mat and bedding provided and
				changing and cleaning practices for these items; infants who fall asleep in
				other equipment, on the floor or elsewhere will be moved to a crib to sleep;
				and no swaddling or positioning devices used.