Virginia Law

A. Sponsorship.

1. A family day system may be sponsored by a single individual, a partnership, an association, or a corporation.

2. A corporation sponsoring a family day system shall maintain its corporate status in accordance with Virginia law.

3. Such corporation shall be organized and empowered for the purpose of operating and maintaining a family day system. Corporations not organized and empowered solely to operate a family day system shall provide for such operations in their charters.

4. A family day system sponsored by an association or corporation shall be controlled by a governing board that shall fulfill the duties of the licensee.

5. If a family day system is sponsored by an individual or a partnership, the individual or partnership shall be the licensee and shall comply with the responsibilities specified for the governing board. (See subdivision B 3 of this section.)

B. Governing board.

1. Composition of the governing board.

a. The membership of the governing board shall be based on the size and purpose of the family day system as well as the services to be offered by the system.

b. It shall be large enough and of a composition to:

(1) Be representative of the variety of interests served by the system;

(2) Contain experience appropriate to the services offered by the system; and

(3) Be representative of the geographical area served by the system.

c. At minimum, the governing board shall be composed of three members, unless there are fewer than three shareholders at which time the number of members can equal the number of shareholders. This membership shall include a president, secretary-treasurer, and member-at-large. When there are fewer than three members, this membership shall consist of a president and secretary-treasurer.

d. The method of selecting board members shall be made known to the department's representative and shall be consistent with the bylaws.

2. Meetings of the governing board.

a. The governing board shall meet not less often than quarterly.

b. Minutes of all meetings shall be recorded and retained in a permanent file at the office of the family day system.

c. Copies of minutes shall be made available to the department's representative upon request.

3. The responsibilities of the governing board shall include, but shall not be limited to:

a. Establishing written bylaws for the association or corporation (not applicable to an individual or partnership).

b. Establishing written goals and policies under which the family day system is to operate (see subsection C of this section).

c. Ensuring the family day system functions according to its defined purpose and within the scope of services to be offered.

d. Ensuring compliance with minimum standards for licensed family day systems.

e. Maintaining a budgetary and financial system that assures a sound financial structure is maintained.

f. Appointing a qualified director to whom it delegates, in writing, the authority and responsibility for administrative direction and management of the family day system in accordance with established policies (optional for an individual or partnership).

g. Establishing written policies that govern the board's or licensee's relationship to the director to include, at minimum:

(1) Evaluation of the performance of the director not less often than annually;

(2) Provision for the director to meet with the board periodically to review the services being provided and the personnel needs and the fiscal management of the family day system.

h. Providing a written organizational chart that indicates the organizational elements of the system, the personnel positions within each organizational element, and the lines of authority and communication within the family day system. This chart shall be kept current.

i. Reviewing, at least annually, the program of the family day system. This review shall include an examination of:

(1) The number, size, and capabilities of homes, and quality of service offered by homes that are members of the system;

(2) The needs of homes that are members of the system and the services offered to these homes by the system;

(3) The needs of children and families served by the system and the services offered to them;

(4) Problems encountered in the operation of the system;

(5) Consistency of services provided within the framework of the stated purpose and objectives of the system;

(6) Changes required in the focus of the system's program;

(7) The adequacy of the recordkeeping system.

j. Determining, based on the annual review required by subdivision 3 i of this subsection, the following:

(1) Requirements for additional staff training;

(2) Requirements for changes in staffing;

(3) Requirements for changes in the focus of the program and services offered by the system.

k. Developing and implementing plans to respond to the needs identified in subdivision 3 j of this subsection.

l. Maintaining accurate and appropriate inventories regarding all real property and equipment belonging to the system.

m. Ensuring that member homes comply with local child care ordinances where such ordinances exist. (NOTE: A note of approval from the administrator of the local ordinances will constitute evidence of compliance.)

C. Goals, policies, and procedures.

1. Goals.

a. Written goals shall be developed for the family day system.

b. These goals shall clearly describe the philosophy and objectives of the system.

c. At minimum, they shall address:

(1) The purpose of the family day system;

(2) The population to be served;

(3) The recruitment of homes;

(4) The program to be offered by the system in terms of:

(a) Services to be provided to the homes that are members of the system;

(b) Services to be provided to families and children who use the system.

2. Policies and procedures. Written policies and procedures shall be prepared for the operation of the family day-care system. These policies and procedures shall relate to:

a. Personnel policies. (See 8VAC20-810-30 B.)

b. Services to member homes including:

(1) Criteria for approving family day-care homes as members of system;

(2) Training of home operators;

(3) Technical assistance and consultation to home operators; and

(4) Inspection, supervision, monitoring and evaluation of system homes.

c. Services to children and their families including:

(1) Referral of children to homes that are members of the system; and

(2) Referral of children to available health and social services.

3. A copy of the goals and all policies and procedures shall be made available to the department representative upon request.

D. Finances.

1. Fiscal accountability. The family day system shall have a plan of financing that assures sufficient funds to operate in accordance with its stated purpose, objectives, and the services to be provided.

2. Internal financial procedures.

a. There shall be a system of financial recordkeeping that is consistent with generally accepted accounting principles, showing separation of the system's accounts from all other records.

b. There shall be a written policy for the collection and disbursement of funds.

c. Those members of the governing board or body and staff who have been granted authorized responsibility for funds of the system shall be bonded.

3. Fee and payment schedules.

a. The family day system shall maintain a current written schedule of fees charged for the services provided. The applicable schedule or schedules shall be made available to families who seek or use the services of the system, to homes that apply for membership in the system, and to the department as part of the application for licensure.

b. The family day system shall establish and maintain a current written schedule of payments to be made to homes that are members of the system. This schedule shall specify the amount of payment, conditions of payment, and frequency of payment. It shall be provided to all homes that are members of the system and also to the department as part of the application for licensure. When applicable, this schedule shall also be made available to families who seek or use the services of the system.

E. Relationship to the licensing authority.

1. The family day system shall submit to the department such reasonable reports and information as it may require. (See § 22.1-289.021 of the Code of Virginia.)

2. The system's books and records shall be made available for inspection by the department's representative, upon request. (See § 22.1-289.018 of the Code of Virginia.)

3. The licensee, governing board, or its official representative shall notify the department when any major change is anticipated in the program, services provided, or administrative structure. When such a change occurs, which was not anticipated, this notification shall be provided no later than 10 days following the change. The department shall also be notified within five working days whenever a new director is employed by the family day system.

F. Family day system setting.

1. The family day system shall have an office that shall serve as the headquarters of the system.

2. This office shall have:

a. Sufficient space for administration of the system, including all clerical functions;

b. Sufficient space to maintain privacy and confidentiality for conferences with parents who seek or use the services of the system and family day-care home operators who are members of the system; and

c. At least one working telephone, other than a pay phone, with a listed number that is available for system business. An emergency phone number shall be provided for the use of the homes in the system during any hours that children are in care if the system's telephone is not manned during those hours.

G. Determination of the number of homes that may be under contract to the system. In order to ensure timely and adequate service delivery, the maximum number of homes that may be under contract of the system shall be based on the following factors:

1. The number of system's office staff (NOTE: Persons who are approved as day-care providers and their assistants are not considered to be system's office staff.);

2. The geographical dispersion of homes with relation to the system office;

3. The types and needs of children served by the system;

4. The financial capabilities of the system; and

5. The types of programs and services offered by the system.