Cifc/ Greater Norwalk Head Start - Franklin

Manufacture guidelines followed-furniture, equipment and toys- CPSC unsafe/recalls: All manufacturer guidelines shall be followed for furniture, equipment and any toy that is used by, or around, children. Any furniture, equipment and toy that has been identified by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission as unsafe or subject to recall shall be removed or repaired as indicated.

Rule 19a-79-7a(g)(5).

Licensed premises-clean, good repair, hazard free-maintenance program: For programs serving children younger than school age, the building, equipment and furnishings shall be maintained in a good state of repair. A maintenance program shall be established that ensures that the interior, exterior and grounds of the building are maintained, kept clean and orderly, free from accumulations of refuse, dampness, stagnant water, dilapidated structures and other health and safety hazards.

Rule 19a-79-7a(c)(2).

Potentially hazardous substances, materials � labeled, inaccessible to children: Potentially hazardous substances and materials in the child care centers and group child care homes shall be stored in a labeled container identifying the exact contents and dilutions, used according to the manufacturer�s instructions and for the intended purpose, handled in a safe manner and inaccessible to children.

Rule 19a-79-7a(e)(10).

Walls/ceilings/floors/rugs-clean, good repair: Walls, ceilings, floors and rugs shall be maintained in a state of good repair and be washable or easily cleanable. Rugs, if used, shall not present a tripping or slipping hazard.

Rule 19a-79-7a(e)(5).

Authorized prescriber/parent permission: Except for nonprescription topical medications, no medication shall be administered to a child without the written order of an authorized prescriber and the written permission of the child’s parent(s) which shall be on file at the facility. Individual written medication administration records for each child shall be written in ink, reviewed prior to administering each dose of medication and kept on file at the facility for at least three years after the child is no longer attending the program.

Rule 19a-79-9a(b)(3)(A-B).

Mandated reporting: The operator and staff shall report actual or suspected child abuse or neglect, or the imminent risk of serious harm of any child to the Department of Children and Families as mandated by the Connecticut General Statutes.

Rule 19a-79-3a(b)(7)(E).

2.8 yr olds enrolled in preschool-authorization: A child care center or group child care home with a preschool endorsement may deem a child who is thirty-two to thirty-six months of age, inclusive, to be three years of age for purposes of enrolling such child in a preschool program provided such child care center or group child care home receives written authorization from such child�s parent and the director to so enroll such child in the preschool program. The written authorization shall be kept on file at the child care center or group child care home and available to the Office upon request.

Rule 19a-79-3a(l).

Professional development: Documentation of professional development for each program staff who cares for the children, including new employee orientation and annual training for current program staff on the child care center or group child care home policies, plans and procedures. Program staff, including the director, shall complete health and safety training no later than three months after the date of hire. Written verification of ongoing training that is at least one percent of the total annual hours worked. As of April 1, 2025, such annual training shall include content as defined in 45 CFR � 98.41(a)(1)(i) to (a)(1)(xi). Such education may include, but is not limited to, early education and child development, licensing and regulations, emergency preparedness, prevention and control of infectious diseases, prevention of sudden infant death syndrome and use of safe sleep practices, administration of medication, prevention and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions, building and physical premises safety, protection from hazards, bodies of water, and vehicular traffic; handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of bio contaminants; child maltreatment, prevention of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma, precautions in transporting children, pediatric first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, nutrition and programming for children with disabilities or special health care needs.

Rule 19a-79-4a(a)(2)-(h)(1-2).

Consultants: An education consultant shall be available to the operator and program staff for advice and support regarding the educational content and practice of the program. A person needs to apply for approval to be an education consultant. Program staff shall not serve as education consultants for programs in which they provide direct care or direct program supervision in a non-consultative role; or in a program with the same operator as a program in which they provide direct care or direct program supervision in a non-consultative role. Specific duties of the education consultant shall include, but not be limited to making, at a minimum, annual site visits to the facility, reviewing daily plans, curriculum documents, and educational policies for the developmental and age appropriate practices, observing program staff interactions, use of materials and equipment, implementation of plans and approaches to classroom management; and providing feedback on documentation review and classroom observations to the director and head teacher. A health consultant shall be available to the operator and program staff for advice regarding the health of the children and the health program. Specific duties of the health consultant shall include, but not be limited to making, at a minimum, quarterly site visits to facilities that serve children three years of age and older; or for group child care homes, facilities that operate no more than three hours per day, or facilities that enroll only school age children, semi-annual site visits. Facilities that are closed during the summer months may omit the summer quarterly visit. Site visits shall be made by the health consultant during customary business hours when the children are present at the facility. Specific duties include, but are not limited to reviewing health and immunization records of children and program staff, reviewing the contents, storage and plan for maintenance of first aid kits, observing the indoor and outdoor environments for health and safety, observing children�s general health and development, observing diaper changing and toileting areas and diaper changing, toileting and hand washing procedures, reviewing the policies, procedures and required documentation for the administration of medications, including petitions for special medication authorizations needed for programs that administer medication, assisting in the review of individual care plans for children with special health care needs or children with disabilities, as needed; and quarterly review of all injury, illness, incident and accident reports. A social service consultant shall be available to the operator and program staff for advice regarding the emotional needs, program staff support and the social service program. A registered dietitian consultant shall be available to the operator and program staff for advice regarding nutrition and food service for those programs that prepare or plan meals. A written plan for consultation services shall be developed, signed annually by the consultant and implemented. Consultative service shall include, but not be limited to an annual review of written policies, plans and procedures that relate to the services provided by the consultant, availability by telecommunication for advice regarding problems, availability, in person, of the consultant to the program, consulting with administration and program staff about specific problems, acting as a resource person to program staff and the parent(s) to include coordinating services and assisting families and program staff in identifying necessary resources, and seeking and supporting the collaboration of multiple consultants serving the program. The activities and observations required by each consultant shall be documented in a consultation log that is kept on file at the facility for two years.

Rule 19a-79-4a(i)(1-2).

Food Service Inspection: All areas used for the preparation and serving of meals in child care centers shall meet the requirements as set forth in the Department of Public Health�s Model Food Code, of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. Child care centers that prepare food shall maintain at the child care center and make available to the Office upon request a copy of a current and full food service inspection report issued by the local director of health.

Rule 19a-79-6a(a)(5).

Fire marshal codes/certificate: The operator shall comply with all local codes and ordinances, including the State of Connecticut Fire Safey Code. These codes include but are not limited to: inspections by the fire marshal, ensuring fire marshal inspection certificates are on file, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and documentation of fire drills.

Rule 19a-79-7a(a)(2).

Schl age only premises- sanitary, hazard free: For programs serving exclusively school age children, the building, equipment and furnishings shall be maintained sanitary and free of health and safety hazards.

Rule 19a-79-7a(c)(3).

Lead Paint- testing, management plans: If the child care center or group child care home is housed in any portion of a building that was constructed prior to 1978, the operator shall submit to the Office and maintain documentation on file at the child care center or group child care home of the following. Prior to use, all space used by staff, program staff, and children shall have undergone a comprehensive lead inspection by a lead consultant licensed by the Department of Public Health. Such lead inspection shall include testing of representative components of each type of painted surface throughout the facility, dust wipes sampling of a window well, window sill and floor in each room, hallway and entry/egress areas, and testing of bare soil areas in the child play areas. Identified toxic level(s) of lead on defective surface(s) as those terms are defined in section 19a-111-1 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies shall be remediated by an EPA Certified Firm using lead-safe work practice standards. All intact surfaces, including areas that have undergone remediation, for paint and soil shall be documented on a lead management plan that has been approved by the local director of health and shall be monitored in accordance with the approved plan by the operator. A letter issued by the local director of health confirming that appropriate action to remediate identified lead hazards has been completed, that clearance dust wipes have passed and that an approved lead management plan is on file.

Rule 19a-79-7a(c)(6)(A-D).

Medication Trainings: Prior to the administration of any medication, the director(s), head teacher(s), program staff or group child care home provider(s) who are responsible for administering the medications shall first be trained by a pharmacist, physician, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse or registered nurse in the methods of administration of medications and shall receive written approval from the trainer which indicates that the trainee has successfully completed a training program as required herein. In addition to being trained in the methods of medication administration, such trained staff may administer injectable medications by a premeasured, commercially prepared auto-injector used to treat allergic reactions or other type of injectable medication and rectal medications, only after he or she has successfully completed a training program on the administration of such type of medication. After completing such training, the director, head teacher, program staff or group child care home provider shall annually have his or her skills and competency in the administration of such medication reviewed and/or validated in accordance with the regulations. The facility shall have program staff trained in the use such medications on site during all hours when a child who has orders to receive such medication is on-site. Upon completion of the required training program or the review and validation of the required training, the written training approval for staff shall be on file at the facility. Approval for the administration of oral, topical, inhalant medications, rectal medications and injectable medications other than by a premeasured commercially prepared auto-injector shall remain valid for three years. Approval for the administration of injectable medications by a premeasured commercially prepared auto-injector shall be valid for one year. A copy of the approval shall be on file at the facility for a period of three years and shall be available to Office staff upon request. The operator shall ensure that the trainer provides the trainee with an outline of the curriculum content which verifies that all mandated requirements have been included in the training program. A copy of said outline shall be on file at the facility for a period of three years for Office review. The Office may require at any time that the operator obtain the full curriculum from the trainer for review by the Office.

Rule 19a-79-9a(b)(1)(A-F)-(2)(A-C).

Authorized prescriber/parent permission: Except for nonprescription topical medications, no medication shall be administered to a child without the written order of an authorized prescriber and the written permission of the child’s parent(s) which shall be on file at the facility. Individual written medication administration records for each child shall be written in ink, reviewed prior to administering each dose of medication and kept on file at the facility for at least three years after the child is no longer attending the program.

Rule 19a-79-9a(b)(3)(A-B).

Supervision: The operator shall be responsible for assuring the supervision of the children at all times while the children are at the facility, indoors or outdoors, or on field trips. At no time shall a child be left unsupervised.

Rule 19a-79-4a(c)(4)(D).

Consultant Agreements/Contracts: A written plan for consultation services shall be developed, signed annually by the consultant and implemented. These services shall include an early childhood educational consultant, a health consultant, a dentist or dental hygienist consultant, a social service consultant, and a registered dietitian consultant for those programs that serve meals. Consultative services shall include annual review of written policies, plans and procedures, annual review of education programs, availability by telecommunication for advice regarding problems, availability, in person of the consultant to the program, consulting with administration and staff about specific problems, and acting as a resource person to staff and the parents.

Rule 19a-79-4a(h)(1) and/or 19a-79-4a(h)(2).

Logs/Visits Documented: A written plan for consultation services shall be developed, signed annually by the consultant and implemented. Consultative services shall include documenting the activities and observations in a consultation log that is kept on file at the facility for two years.

Rule 19a-79-4a(h)(2)(G).

License Premise Clean/Good Repair/Safe: The building, equipment and services shall be maintained in a good state of repair. A maintenance program shall be established that ensures that the interior, exterior and grounds of the building are maintained, kept clean and orderly, free from accumulations of refuse, dampness, stagnant water, dilapidated structures and other health and safety hazards.

Rule 19a-79-6a and/or 19a-79-7a.

Playground Free From Hazards: Hardware such as air conditioners, water heaters or fuse boxes shall be inaccessible to children. The playground shall be free of glass, debris, holes and other hazards.

Rule 19a-79-7a(g)(4) and/or 19a-79-7a(h).