Missouri Code of State Regulations › Title 5 - DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION › Division 25 - Office of Childhood › Chapter 500 - Licensing Rules for Group Child Care Homes and Child Care Centers › Section 5 CSR 25-500.102 - Personnel

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 14, July 15, 2024
PURPOSE: This amendment clarifies staff who can be
				  counted in staff/child ratios and specifies additional requirements for
				  caregivers that are considered a Junior Aide, adds a new rule about the age of
				  staff and volunteers in relation to the age of children specified on the
				  license, and clarifies that a center director or group child care home provider
				  must be an adult.
(1) General
				Staff Requirements.
(A) Child care personnel
				shall be of good character and intent and shall be qualified to provide care
				conducive to the welfare of children.
(B) Child care personnel shall cooperate with
				the department.
(C) Caregivers
				eighteen (18) years of age or older shall be counted in meeting the required
				staff/child ratios. In addition, a Junior Aide as defined in
				5 CSR
				25-500.010 shall be counted in meeting the required
				staff/child ratios if the following requirements are met:
1. A Junior Aide-
A. May count in staff/child ratio only if
				under the direct supervision of an adult caregiver within the same group of
				children;
B. Shall not have the
				direct responsibility for a group of children as the sole caregiver;
C. Shall not count towards infant/toddler
				staffing ratios; and
D. Shall not
				be the sole caregiver on the premises of a child care facility.
(D) Caregivers shall be
				capable of carrying out assigned responsibilities and shall be willing and able
				to accept training and supervision.
(E) Caregivers shall have knowledge of the
				needs of children and shall be sensitive to the capabilities, interests, and
				problems of children in care.
(F)
				Caregivers shall be capable of handling emergencies promptly and intelligently.
(G) Caregivers, directors, other
				personnel, or volunteers shall not be under the influence of alcohol or illegal
				drugs, while on the premises or in any vehicles used by the program. These
				individuals shall not be in a state of impaired ability due to use of
				medication while on the premises.
(H) The provider shall have available a copy
				of the Licensing Rules for Group Child Care Homes and Child Care Centers in
				Missouri. All caregivers and volunteers working directly with children shall be
				required to review and be knowledgeable of the rules at the time they begin
				work and shall be able to understand and apply those rules which relate to
				their respective responsibilities.
(I) Caregivers shall not be engaged in major
				housekeeping, cleaning, or maintenance activities during the hours of child
				care, but may do routine cleanup to maintain order and sanitation in the
				facility.
(J) All staff shall
				acquaint themselves with the child abuse and neglect law and shall make a
				report of any suspected child abuse or neglect to the Children's Division at
				the toll- free number 1-800-392-3738 or online at
https://apps.dss.mo.gov/OnlineCanReporting/default.aspx
.
(K) The child care provider shall ensure that
				within seven (7) days of employment or volunteering, and before being left
				alone with children, that caregivers employed on or after August 30, 2019,
				receive a facility orientation. The facility orientation shall include:
1. A tour of the facility, indoors and
				outdoors; and
2. A review of the
				following:
A. Licensing rules;
B. The facility's license and its
				limitations, if any;
C. The
				facility's written child care practices, including procedures for medication
				administration, child illness, discipline, and guidance policies;
D. The daily schedule;
E. The assigned duties and responsibilities
				of staff;
F. The names and ages of
				the children for whom the staff member will be responsible, including any
				special health, nutritional, or developmental needs;
G. The location of children's
				records;
H. The facility's safe
				sleep policy, if applicable;
I. The
				facility's disaster emergency plan and the location of emergency information;
				and
J. The mandated responsibility
				to report any suspected child abuse or neglect to the Children's Division.
(L) The child
				care provider shall ensure that documentation of caregiver completion of the
				facility orientation is maintained and on file for review by the
				department.
(M) The provider shall
				request the results of a criminal background check for child care staff members
				as required by 5 CSR 25-600.020 General
				Requirements.
(N) Child care staff
				members shall have qualifying background screening results on file as required
				by 5 CSR
				25-600.020 General Requirements.
(O) Child care staff members with
				disqualifying background screenings results as defined in 5 CSR 25600.040
				Background Screening Findings, shall be prohibited from being present on the
				premises of the facility.
(P) The
				child care provider shall conduct a Family Care Safety Registry screening prior
				to employment for any newly hired child care staff member who has a qualifying
				criminal background check result.
(Q) Background screening information received
				by the provider shall be retained in the individual's file in a confidential
				manner and available for review.
(R) Any person present at the facility during
				the hours in which child care is provided shall not present a threat to the
				health, safety, or welfare of the children.
(S) If an employee reports licensing
				deficiencies in the facility, the child care provider shall not take any action
				against the employee because of the report that would adversely affect his/her
				employment, or terms or conditions of employment.
(T) The licensee shall have documentation on
				file at the facility of current certification in age-appropriate first aid and
				cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training for a suffcient number of child
				care staff to ensure that there is one (1) caregiver at the facility for every
				twenty (20) children in the licensed capacity. At least one (1) caregiver with
				current certification in age-appropriate first aid and CPR must be on site at
				all times when children are present. The training shall be certified by a
				nationally recognized organization, such as the American Red Cross, American
				Heart Association, or an equivalent certification and be approved by the
				department.
(U) Staff and volunteers
				shall not fall within the same age range as the age of children specified on
				the license.