South Carolina Code of Regulations › Chapter 114 - DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES › Article 5 - LICENSING › Subarticle 1 - DAY CARE FACILITIES › REGULATIONS FOR THE LICENSING OF GROUP CHILD CARE HOMES › Section 114-521 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 6, June 28, 2024
A. Terms used in
				  South Carolina Regulations, Chapter 114, Article 5, Part A, shall be all
				  definitions cited in Section 20-7-2700 et seq., Code of Laws of South Carolina
				  in addition to the definitions that follow:
(1) Applicant: A person 21 years of age or
				  older, representing a corporation, partnership, voluntary association, other
				  public or private organization who has completed, signed and submitted a
				  Department of Social Services (DSS) application form and other requirements to
				  the Department in order to obtain a child care center registration.
(2) Blood-borne pathogens: Pathogenic
				  microorganisms that are present in human blood that can cause disease in
				  humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus
				  (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
(3) Center director: The on-site staff
				  person, who is responsible for the daily operation of a child care center,
				  including but not limited to supervision of staff and children. The center
				  director can only have responsibility for one center and may not hold another
				  full-time job during the hours of center operation.
(4) Center co-director: The on-site staff
				  person who is responsible for the daily operation of a child care center when
				  the director is not present including, but not limited to, the supervision of
				  staff and children.
(5) Center
				  director designee: The on-site staff person who assumes the responsibilities of
				  the Director for limited periods of time, when neither the Director nor
				  Co-Director is on-site.
(6) Central
				  registry of child abuse and neglect: An automated, computerized listing,
				  maintained by the DSS containing the names(s), address(es), birth date(s),
				  identifying characteristics and other information about individual(s) who have
				  been listed on the registry due to the determination of perpetrating abuse or
				  neglect upon a child.
(7) Child: An
				  individual, from birth through 15 years of age (chronologically), receiving
				  care in a child care center; or up to 18 years of age if the child qualifies as
				  special needs.
(8) Child care
				  center: A center that is registered for thirteen (13) or more children for
				  care.
(9) Complaint: Statement(s)
				  reporting unsatisfactory conditions in a child care facility.
(10) Complete application: An application is
				  complete on the date of receipt of the last document required by the Department
				  in order to issue a registration.
(11) Department: Refers to the Department of
				  Social Services.
(12) Emergency
				  person: An individual 18 years of age or older, not regularly employed by the
				  child care center who is immediately available to serve as staff in emergency
				  situations. This person shall meet all requirements of an employed
				  teacher/caregiver, with the exception of training.
(13) Infant: A child under 12 months of
				  age.
(14) Lifeguard: A person
				  having the qualifications of and possessing a current American Red Cross, YMCA,
				  or equivalent Lifeguard Certificate, current First Aid Certificate and current
				  CPR (which includes adult, child, and infant) Certificate.
(15) Parent: The biological or adoptive
				  mother or father, the legal guardian of the child or the individual agency with
				  custody of the child.
(16)
				  Preschool child: A child 3 or 4 years of age or older but not yet eligible for
				  public kindergarten.
(17)
				  Provisional registration: A registration issued by the Department to a director
				  when the director is temporarily unable to comply with all the requirements for
				  a registration.
(18) Regular
				  registration: A registration issued by the Department for two years to a
				  director showing that the registrar is in compliance with the regulations of
				  the Department at the time of issuance and authorizing the religious entity to
				  operate in accordance with the regulations of the Department.
(19) Renewal: To grant an extension of a
				  regular registration.
(20)
				  School-aged child: A child at least old enough to enroll in public
				  kindergarten.
(21) Sex offender
				  registry: A statewide computerized listing of names and other identifying
				  information on convicted sex offenders maintained and updated by the State Law
				  Enforcement Division (SLED) and authorized by Section
				  23-3-400 et.
				  Seq., Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, as amended.
(22) Staff: Full-time and part-time
				  management, administrative, teaching/caregiving, program, maintenance, food
				  service and service personnel; emergency and substitute personnel; supervised
				  students; supervised student teachers and supervised volunteers.
(23) Staff:child ratio: The maximum number of
				  children permitted per teacher/caregiver.
(24) Student teacher: An individual enrolled
				  in his/her final practicum to be qualified for teacher certification. He or she
				  shall meet the same health standards as other staff and undergo background
				  investigation. He or she may be included in staff:child ratios.
(25) Student volunteer: An individual at
				  least 16 years of age from a recognized educational institution or who may
				  receive credit, reimbursement for expenses or a stipend for providing services
				  in a trainee capacity under supervision of a staff member at all times when
				  providing direct care to children shall not be counted in the staff:child
				  ratio.
(26) Supervision: Care
				  provided to an individual child or a group of children. Adequate supervision
				  requires staff awareness of and responsibility for the ongoing activity of each
				  child, knowledge of activity requirements and children's needs and
				  accountability for their care. Adequate supervision also requires the director,
				  and/or staff being near and having ready access to children in order to
				  intervene when needed. Supervision requires adequate staff to meet staff:child
				  ratios.
(27) Suspend: To void the
				  regular registration of a child care center operated by a religious
				  body.
(28) Teacher/caregiver: Any
				  person whose duties include direct care, supervision, and guidance of children
				  in a child care center.
(29)
				  Toddler: A child 12 months of age or older but younger than 24 months of
				  age.
(30) Training: Participation
				  by child care center staff, in workshops, conferences, educational or provider
				  associations, formal schooling, in-service training, or planned learning
				  opportunities provided by qualified individuals. Training shall be age
				  appropriate for the child population served by the child care center and in
				  subject areas related to: administration, child growth and development and
				  health and safety (such as, but not limited to child care, nutrition, infection
				  control, communicable disease management and causes and signs of child abuse
				  and neglect). Training for directors may also be in areas related to
				  supervision of child care staff or program administration.
(31) Two-year olds: A child 24 months of age
				  or older but younger than 3 years of age.
(32) Volunteer: An individual parent,
				  grandparent, other professional or skilled individual artist or crafts person
				  at least 16 years of age infrequently assisting with the daily activities for
				  children in a child care center who provides services without compensation and
				  who is supervised by staff at all times when providing direct care to children.
				  An individual meeting this definition is not required to undergo a fingerprint
				  background check or health screening and is not counted in staff:child
				  ratios.