North Carolina Administrative Code › Title 10A - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES › Chapter 70 - CHILDREN'S SERVICES › Subchapter I - MINIMUM LICENSING STANDARDS FOR RESIDENTIAL CHILD-CARE › Section .0900 - PHYSICAL PLANT › Section 70I .0909 - SLEEPING AREAS

Current through Register Vol. 39, No. 2, July 15, 2024
(a) Bedrooms in
				  existing facilities licensed before October 31, 1977 shall provide a minimum of
				  60 square feet of floor space for each child in multi-occupancy bedrooms and a
				  minimum of 80 square feet of floor space in single-occupancy bedrooms. Floor
				  area does not include closets or wardrobes.
(b) Bedrooms in facilities licensed or
				  developed after October 31, 1977 shall provide a minimum of 80 square feet of
				  floor space for each child in multi-occupancy bedrooms and a minimum of 100
				  square feet of floor space in single-occupancy bedrooms. Floor area does not
				  include closets or wardrobes.
(c)
				  There shall be bedrooms sufficient in number and size to meet the individual
				  needs of residential child-care facility residents, the live-in staff and their
				  dependents.
(d) Only rooms
				  authorized by the Division of Health Service Regulation as bedrooms by plan
				  review or field inspection shall be used for bedrooms.
(e) The total number of residents assigned to
				  a bedroom shall not exceed the number authorized by the Division of Health
				  Service Regulation by plan review or field inspection for that particular
				  bedroom.
(f) A room where access is
				  through a bathroom, kitchen or other bedroom shall not be approved for a
				  resident's bedroom.
(g) No child
				  shall share a bedroom with a live-in staff member or children of
				  staff.
(h) No bedroom shall house
				  more than four children.
(i) Except
				  for siblings, children of different sexes shall not share a bedroom.
(j) Each child shall have a bed of his or her
				  own.
(k) Bunk beds shall be limited
				  to no more than one bed above the other bed with at least three feet vertical
				  clearance between the lower and upper beds. Bunk beds shall have guardrails on
				  both sides of the top bunk. All spaces between the guardrails and bed frame and
				  in the head and foot boards on the top bunk shall be less than 3 ½
				  inches. Bunk beds shall be provided with secured ladders.
(l) Individual beds shall be at least three
				  feet apart at the head, foot and sides; bunk beds shall be at least five feet
				  apart, horizontally, at the head, foot and sides.
(m) Each bed shall be provided with a
				  mattress in good repair.
(n) No
				  day-bed, convertible sofa or other bedding of a temporary nature shall be used
				  as a bed.
(o) Bedrooms shall be
				  provided with a minimum of 48 cubic feet of closet or wardrobe space per child
				  and four cubic feet of drawer space per child.
(p) Each bedroom shall be provided with a
				  window that meets the North Carolina State Building Code for emergency egress.
				  These windows shall be openable without the use of keys or tools.
Authority
					 G.S.
					 131D-10.5;
					 143B-153;
Eff.
					 October 1, 2008;
Pursuant to
					 G.S.
					 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without
					 substantive public interest Eff. April 5,
					 2016.