07-05 · Vehicle Requirements

During the inspection, Licensing specialist was inspecting the facilities transportation vans, and all 3 vans did not meet the alarm system requirement of sound being heard from 500 feet away. According to the DCF Facility Handbook: 2.5.4 Vehicle Requirements For the purpose of this section, vehicles refer to those owned, operated or regularly used by the child care program, and vehicles that provide transportation through a contract or agreement with an outside entity. Parents/guardians personal vehicles used for transporting during field trips are excluded from meeting the requirements of this sub-section. A. All vehicles regularly used to transport children must be inspected annually by a mechanic to ensure that they are in proper working order. Documentation by the mechanic must be maintained in the vehicle. B. The maximum number of individuals transported in a vehicle may not exceed the manufacturers designated seating capacity or the number of factory installed seat belts. C. When transporting children, staff-to-child ratios must be maintained at all times. The driver may be included in the staff-to-child ratio if he or she meets screening and training requirements. D. All child care facilities must comply with the insurance requirements found in Section 316.615(4), F.S. Documentation shall be maintained at the facility. E. The interior of vehicles, when being used to transport children, must be maintained at a temperature comfortable to children (between 65- and 82- degrees Fahrenheit). The vehicle can be ventilated either by mechanical or natural means to maintain the temperature. F. By January 1, 2022 all vehicles used by child care facilities to transport children must be equipped with a reliable alarm system approved by the Department which prompts the driver to inspect the vehicle for children before exiting the vehicle. 1. Approved alarm systems must meet the following criteria: a. The alarm system must be armed or activated automatically when the vehicles ignition is turned on. b. The alarm system must be designed and installed so that the vehicle horn, siren or other type of audio alarm will sound if the driver/staff member does not walk to the rear or, in the case of a passenger van, the side entry point of the vehicle, to manually shut off or deactivate the alarm. c. The time delay from the time the ignition is turned off after activation of the alarm system until the alarm sounds shall be no longer than one minute. d. The alarm must be audible from the distance of 500 feet from the vehicle. e. The alarm system must be installed so that the driver must walk to the back of the vehicle to reach the deactivation mechanism. Deactivation mechanisms installed in locations that do not require the driver to walk to the back of the vehicle and view all seating areas will not be acceptable. 2. List of approved alarm manufacturers may be found on the Departments website at www.myflfamilies.com/childcare . 3. Alarms must be installed and maintained according to the manufacturers recommendations. 4. Alarm systems installed according to the manufacturers instructions prior to October 1, 2021, will be deemed to satisfy this requirement if they meet the criteria set forth in 2.5.4.F.1. above. Under this allowance, the existing alarm system must always be properly maintained in working order. Should at any time the alarm system require replacement, the new system must be selected from the Departments approved list referenced in 2.5.4 F.2. above

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: ratio. Open / not marked corrected.

08-04 · Seat Belts/Child Restraints

Licensing specialist observed that a seat belt restraint was broken and attempted to fasten the seat belt but was unsuccessful. According to the DCF Facility Handbook: 2.5.5 Seat Belt/Child Restraints Each child, when transported, must be seated in a back seat in an individual factory installed seat belt or federally approved child safety restraint. The child safety restraint must be installed, secured and used in accordance with the manufacturers instructions and a copy of such instructions must be maintained (in the vehicle and/or on file). Child safety restraint must be replaced if they have been recalled, are past the manufacturers date of use expiration date, or have been involved in a crash that meets the U.S. Department of Transportation crash severity criteria or the manufacturers criteria for replacement of restraints after a crash, as referenced in Caring for Our Children Basics Health and Safety Foundations for Early Care and Education, which is incorporated by in 65C22.001(7)(v), F.A.C. A. Children aged birth to one year old must be secured in a rear-facing car safety seat. B. Children aged one through 3 years, such restraint device must be a separate carrier or a vehicle built-in child seat. C. Children aged 4 years, a separate carrier, a vehicle built-in child seat, or a child booster seat must be used with appropriate seat belt. D. Children aged 5 years and older must be in seat belts. E. When applicable, any vehicle used for transporting children must accommodate the placement of wheelchairs with four tie-downs affixed according to the manufactures instructions in a forward-facing direction and the wheelchair occupant must be secured by a three-point tie restraint during transport; or the child must be placed in a federally approved child safety restraint or factory installed seatbelt when transported, in accordance to the childs needs. Manufacturers specifications must be followed to assure that safety requirements are met

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: ratio. Open / not marked corrected.

33-07 · Training Requirements

During the inspection, Licensing specialist was reviewing employee files and Child care personnel, including volunteers who work 10 hours or more per month did not complete the required in-service training during the states fiscal year beginning July 1 and ending June 30. According to the DCF Facility Handbook: 4.2.7 Annual In-Service Training Upon successful completion of the 40-hour introductory training requirements, child care personnel must complete a minimum of 10 clock-hours or one CEU of in-service training annually during the states fiscal year beginning July 1 and ending June 30. A. The annual 10 clock-hours or one CEU of in-service training concentration on children ages birth through 12 must be completed in one or more of the following areas (college level courses will be accepted): 1. Health and safety, including universal precautions, prevention of infectious diseases, sudden infant death syndrome, emergencies due to food and allergic reactions, shaken baby syndrome, use of safe sleep practices, administration of medicine, emergency preparedness, and handling of hazardous materials; 2. Pediatric CPR; 3. First Aid (may be taken to meet the in-service requirement only once every two years); 4. Nutrition; 5. Child development - typical and atypical; 6. Child transportation and safety; 7. Behavior management; 8. Working with families; 9. Design and use of child-oriented space; 10. Community, health and social service resources; 11. Child abuse; 12. Child care for multilingual children; 13. Working with children with disabilities in child care; 14. Safety in outdoor play; 15. Literacy; 16. Guidance and discipline; 17. Computer technology; 18. Leadership development/program management and child care personnel supervision; 19. Age-appropriate lesson planning; 20. Homework assistance for school-age care; 21. Food safety training; 22. Developing special interest centers/spaces and environments; 23. Other course areas relating to child care or child care management; 24. Any of the online courses offered through the Departments child care website. B. Documentation of the in-service training requirement must be recorded on CFFSP Form 5268, Child Care In-Service Training Record, which is incorporated by reference in 65C-22.001(7)(i), F.A.C., and included in the child care facilitys personnel records. CF-FSP Form 5268 may be obtained from the Departments website at www.myflfamilies.com/childcare. A new in- service training record is required each fiscal year. The in-service training records for the previous two fiscal years must also be maintained at the child care facility for review by the licensing authority. C. All child care personnel employed in the industry beyond 15 months, who change employment from one child care program to another during the fiscal year must complete the annual in-service training requirement. D. Child care personnel not in compliance with the annual in-service training requirement described in this section must complete the remaining in-service training requirement within 30 days of the noncompliance finding by the licensing authority. These hours cannot be used to meet the current years inservice training requirements