Virginia Law

The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Adult" means any individual 18 years of age or older.

"Age appropriate" means suitable to the chronological age range and developmental characteristics of a specific group of children.

"Age groups" means the following:

"Infant" means children from birth to 16 months.

"Toddler" means children from 16 months to 31 months.

"Preschooler" means children from 31 months up to the age of eligibility to be enrolled in kindergarten or an equivalent program.

"School age" means children who are eligible to be enrolled in kindergarten or attend public school.

"Age of eligibility to attend public school" means five years of age or older by September 30.

"Care, protection and guidance" means responsibility assumed by a family day home provider for children receiving care in the home, whether they are related or unrelated to the provider.

"Certificate of registration" means a document issued by the Superintendent to a family day provider, acknowledging that the provider has been certified by the contracting organization or the department and has met the Requirements for Voluntary Registration of Family Day Homes - Requirements for Providers. ( 8VAC20-850-10).

"Child" means any individual under 18 years of age.

"Contracting organization" means the agency which has contracted with the Department of Education to administer the voluntary registration program for family day homes.

"Denial of a certificate of registration" means a refusal by the Superintendent to issue an initial certificate of registration.

"Department" means the Virginia Department of Education.

"Department's representative" means an employee or designee of the Virginia Department of Education acting as the authorized agent of the superintendent.

"Evaluate" or "evaluation" means the review of a family day provider by a contracting organization upon receipt of an application for a certificate of registration to verify that the applicant meets the Requirements for Providers.

"Family day home" means a child day program offered in the residence of the provider or the home of any of the children in care for one through 12 children under the age of 13, exclusive of the provider's own children and any children who reside in the home, when at least one child receives care for compensation. A family day home serving five through 12 children, exclusive of the provider's own children and any children who reside in the home, shall be licensed. A family day home caring for more than four children under the age of two, including the provider's own children and any children who reside in the home, shall be licensed or voluntarily registered. A family day home where the children in care are all related to the provider by blood or marriage shall not be required to be licensed.

"Family day provider applicant" or "provider applicant" means a person 18 years of age or older who has applied for a certificate of registration.

"Monitor" or "monitoring visit" means to visit a registered family day provider and to review the provider's compliance with the applicable requirements described in the Requirements for Providers.

"Parent" means a biological, foster or adoptive parent, legal guardian, or any person with responsibility for, or custody of, a child enrolled or in the process of being enrolled in a family day home.

"Physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine.

"Provider" or "registered family day provider" means a person who has received an initial or renewed certificate of registration issued by the superintendent. This provider has primary responsibility for providing care, protection, supervision, and guidance to the children in the registered home.

"Provider assistant" means a person 14 years of age or older who has been designated by the family day provider and approved by the contracting organization to assist the provider in the care, protection, supervision, and guidance of children in the home.

"Refusal to renew a certificate of registration" means the nonissuance of a certificate of registration by the superintendent after the expiration of the existing certificate of registration.

"Registration fee" means the payment to a contracting organization by a provider or applicant upon filing an application for a certificate of registration.

"Registered family day home" means any family day home which has met the standards for voluntary registration for such homes pursuant to regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education and which has obtained a certificate of registration from the superintendent.

"Renewal of a certificate of registration" means the issuance of a certificate of registration by the superintendent after the expiration of the existing certificate of registration.

"Requirements for Providers" means the procedures and general information set forth for providers operating family day homes who voluntarily register. This includes staffing requirements and a self-administered health and safety checklist.

"Revocation of a certificate of registration" means the removal of a provider's current certificate of registration by the superintendent for failure to comply with the applicable Requirements for Providers.

"Substitute provider" means a provider who meets the Requirements for Providers and who is readily available to provide substitute child care in a registered provider's home or in the substitute provider's home.

"Superintendent" means the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

"Superintendent's designee" means a designated individual who or a division within the Department of Education that is designated to act on the superintendent's behalf in one or more specific responsibilities.

"USDA" means U.S. Department of Agriculture.