Virginia Law

A. Referral to system homes.

1. Children shall be referred only to homes which have been approved as required in subsection B of this section.

2. No child shall be referred to a home which has reached its approved capacity.

3. Referrals shall be made only after a personal interview between a representative of the system and the parent and child. Prior to acceptance of a child for care, the parent and child shall visit the home where care will be provided.

4. When a child is accepted for care and payment will be made by a local department of public welfare or social services, the system shall seek approval from that department prior to referral of the child for care.

5. When a child is accepted for care and a referral is made to a home that is a member of the system, there shall be a written agreement between the system and parent or guardian of the child. A copy of the signed agreement shall be given to the parent or guardian and a copy shall also be retained and filed by the system at the system office. Additionally, the requirements of subdivisions A 6 and A 7 also apply.

6. The child care agreement shall address the following items:

a. Child's name, birth date, home address, and home telephone number;

b. Names and addresses of parent or guardian and telephone number at which they can be reached during hours the child is in care;

c. A statement that a child brought to the home shall be left with a staff member and released only to the parent or other specified person ;

d. The hours the child will be in care;

e. The name, address, and telephone number of the child's physician;

f. Emergency medical authorization;

g. Transportation arrangements;

h. Notes of any special problems or needs of a child;

i. Granting or denying permission for field trips;

j. Granting or denying permission for participation in water activities, such as swimming and wading;

k. Any other referral information;

l. Agreement regarding the home in which the child will be placed;

m. Financial arrangements for care;

n. A statement that staff members of both the system and member home in which the child receives care shall be available for parent conferences;

o. Information regarding the means by which care will be provided in the event the primary day-care provider is ill, on vacation or other wise unavailable due to an emergency; and

p. Information regarding the role of the system in referral of children in care in a home that is terminated as a member of the system.

7. The child care agreement may be a one or two part agreement at the option of the system.

a. When a one part agreement is used it shall:

(1) Be signed by the parent of the child, a representative of the system and the day-care provider in whose home the child will receive care.

(2) A copy of this agreement shall be provided by the system to the member home in which the child will receive care.

b. When the system elects to use to two part agreement the following standards apply:

(1) Part one:

(a) Shall contain all items specified in subdivision A 6 except financial arrangements for care (See subdivision A 6 m);

(b) Be signed by the parent or parents of the child, a representative of the system and the day-care provider in whose home the child will receive care; and

(c) A copy shall be provided by the system to the member home in which the child will receive care.

(2) Part two:

(a) Shall contain the financial information required by subdivision A 6 m and any other information that the system deems appropriate;

(b) Shall be signed by the parent s of the child and a representative of the system.

8. Health requirements for children.

a. Timing and frequency of medical reports:

(1) Each child accepted for care shall obtain a physical examination by or under the direction of a licensed physician prior to admission (as outlined below) or within 30 days after admission:

(a) Within 60 days prior to admission for children six months of age and younger;

(b) Within 90 days prior to admission for children seven months through 18 months of age;

(c) Within six months prior to admission for children 19 months through 24 months of age;

(d) Within 12 months prior to admission for children two years of age through five years of age;

(e) Within 24 months prior to admission for children six years of age and above.

EXCEPTIONS:

(i) Children transferring from one facility licensed by the Virginia Department of Education, certified by a local department of social services, or approved by a licensed family day system:

If the initial report of physical examination and immunizations is submitted to the new home, no additional examination is required. If the initial report is not available, a report of physical examination and immunizations is required.

(ii) Physical examinations are not required for any child whose parent or guardian objects on religious ground. The parent or guardian must submit a statement noting that the parents or guardian objects on religious grounds and certifying that, to the best of the parent's or guardian's knowledge, the child is in good health and free from communicable and contagious disease.

(2) Medical reports after admission:

(a) Updated information on immunizations received shall be obtained once every six months for children under the age of two years.

(b) Updated information on immunizations received shall be obtained once between each child's fourth and fifth birthdays.

b. Form and content of medical reports:

(1) The current form approved by the Virginia Department of Health, or any other form which provides all of the same information shall be used to record immunizations received and the results of the required physical examination.

(2) Each report shall include the date of the physical examination or the dates immunizations were received, or both.

(3) Each report shall be signed by a licensed physician, the physician's designee, or an official of a local department of health.

EXCEPTION: Documentation of immunizations received is not required for any child whose parent or guardian submits an affidavit to the center stating that the administration of immunizing agents conflicts with the parent's or child's religious tenets or practices.

9. An emergency medical authorization form shall be provided the home at the time the child enters care. (NOTE: At the discretion of the system this form may be part of the child care agreement required by subdivision A 6.)

a. The emergency medical authorization form shall be signed by the parent or parents, the provider, and a representative of the system.

b. A copy of the signed emergency medical authorization form shall also be filed in the child's record that is maintained in the system's office.

10. The system shall make arrangements for substitute or back-up care when a day-care provider in a member home needs assistance in any emergency or during illness or vacation. Such care may be provided by a staff person approved as a system assistant or another member provider with available enrollment capacity.

11. They system shall confer with the parent of each child at least twice a year concerning the child's progress and the parents' view of the adequacy of care being provided. This contact may be by telephone or in person at the discretion of the parent or parents involved.

B. Referral to health and social services.

1. The licensee shall have on file a written plan describing how the need for medical and social services is determined and how social services are made available, either within the system or by arrangement with specific public or private community agencies, or both. This written plan shall include the system's policy and procedures for referral of children and their parents to appropriate social, mental health, welfare and medical services.

2. The licensee shall maintain a written record of all referrals of children and their families to social, mental health, welfare, and medical services which shall include the results of such referrals, when reports of such results are provided to the system.

C. Complaint investigation. The family day system shall be responsible for investigation of any complaint received on any home that is a member of its system. When a system receives such a complaint, the following Standards apply:

1. The complaint shall be recorded on a complaint record which shall include at minimum the information required by 8VAC20-810-60 C 5 b.

2. A copy of this completed record shall be placed in the file of the home against which the complaint was made and a copy shall be provided to the Office of Child Care Licensing. This copy shall be provided within 10 days of the date the complaint investigation is completed.

3. When the complaint concerns a specific child, a copy of the completed record shall be placed in the file of the child.

4. A complete investigation shall be made, by the licensee, of each complaint received. This investigation shall:

a. Be initiated within five working days following the receipt of the complaint:

b. Completed within 14 days following receipt of the complaint; and

c. Include at least one visit to the family day-care home on which the complaint was received.

5. If the complaint is found to be valid, corrective action shall be initiated immediately.

6. When the complaint includes an accusation of child abuse or neglect, the following Standards also apply:

a. The complainant shall be referred to the protective services unit of the local department of social services in the locality where the home is located.

b. The family day system shall notify the local department of social services child protective services' staff member immediately and provide all information regarding the complaint. The oral notification shall be confirmed in writing within 72 hours and a copy placed in the file of the home against which the complaint was made. Simultaneously, a copy of this written notification shall also be provided to the Office of Child Care Licensing.

c. The system shall make its own investigation within 24 hours. A joint investigation by the protective services worker of the local department of social services and a representative of the system is encouraged to the maximum extent possible.