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-.32 - Staff: Child Ratios and Supervision

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
(1) A Center must
				establish groupings of children for care and maintain Staff: child ratios as
				follows:
Ages of Children
Staff: Child Ratio*
Maximum Group Size**
Infants less than one (1) year old or children
								under eighteen (18) months who are not walking
1:6
12
One (1) year olds who are walking
1:8
16
Two (2) year olds
1:10
20
Three (3) year olds
1:15
30
Four (4) year olds
1:18
36
Five (5) year olds
1:20
40
Six (6) years and older
1:25
50
* Staff, such as the Director or service workers (food,
				 maintenance and clerical staff, etc.), shall be counted in the Staff: child
				 ratio only during the time that they are giving full attention to the direct
				 supervision of the children. Service staff routinely acting as child care
				 workers shall meet the qualifications of the respective caregivers.
** Maximum group size does not apply to outdoor play on the
				 playground routinely used by the Center or for special activities in the Center
				 lasting no more than two (2) hours. Maximum group size does not apply to
				 Centers with a licensed capacity of 18 or fewer. However, required Staff: child
				 ratios must be maintained.
(2) Mixed-Age Groups for Centers with a
				licensed capacity of 19 or more children. The Staff: child ratios for a
				mixed-age group shall be based on the age of the youngest group of children
				that includes more than twenty percent (20%) of the total number of children in
				the mixed-age group.
(3) Mixed-Age
				Groups for Centers with a licensed capacity of 18 or fewer children. The Staff:
				child ratios for a mixed-age group shall be based on the following: the age of
				the youngest child under three (3) years of age shall determine the Staff:
				child ratio for the group in which the child(ren) under three (3) years of age
				are cared for; and where all of the children in any one group are three (3)
				years of age or older, the age of the majority of the children in the group
				shall determine the Staff: child ratios.
(4) For Centers with a licensed capacity of
				19 or more, children under three (3) years of age shall be housed in separate
				physical areas from older children and cannot be mixed with older children
				except at the following times and circumstances:
(a) During early morning times of arrival and
				late afternoon times of departure, infants and children younger than three (3)
				years may be grouped with older children so long as Staff: child ratios and
				group size are met based upon the age of the youngest child in the
				group.
(b) Children who turn three
				(3) years of age during the regular school year may remain grouped with other
				two (2) year olds for the remainder of the school year provided that the
				continued placement in the younger group is with the agreement of the older
				child's Parent(s) and is developmentally appropriate for the child.