Section 170-295-2090 - What are the required staff to child ratios and maximum group sizes for my center? The following requirements apply to centers licensed for any number of children:
(1) You must ensure the required staff to child ratios are met at all times when children are in your care. The licensee must conduct group activities within the group size and staff to child ratio requirements, according to the age of the children: | If the age of the children is: | Then the staff to child ratio is: | And the maximum group size is: |
| (a) One month, through 11months (infant) | 1:4 | 8 |
| (b) Twelve months through 29 months (toddler) | 1:7 | 14 |
| (c) Thirty months through six years not attending kindergarten or elementary school (preschool age child) | 1:10 | 20 |
| (d) Five years through 12 years attending kindergarten or elementary school (school-age child) | 1:15 | 30 |
(2) You must conduct activities for each group in a specific room or other defined space within a larger area.(3) You must ensure each group is under the direct supervision of a qualified staff person or team of staff involved in directing the child's activities.(4) You must ensure the staff person providing direct care and supervision of the child is free of other duties at the time of care.(5) You must maintain required staff-to-child ratios indoors, outdoors, on field trips, and during rest periods. During rest periods, staff may be involved in other activities if:(a) Staff remain on the premises; and(b) Each child is within continuous visual and auditory range of a staff person.(6) You must ensure staff: (a) Attend to the group of children at all times; and(b) Keep each child (including school age children) within continuous visual and auditory range of center staff. Toilet trained children using the toilet must be within auditory range of a center staff member.(7) When only one staff person is present, you must ensure a second staff person is readily available in case of emergency.(8) When only one caregiver is required to meet the staff to child ratio, you must be sure there is coverage for emergencies to meet both ratios and worker qualifications by either:(a) Posting the name, address, and telephone number of a person who meets the qualifications of at least a lead teacher, who has agreed in writing to be available to provide emergency relief and who can respond immediately; or(b) Having a second person that meets the qualifications of at least a lead teacher on the premises who is not needed for the staff to child ratio, but is available to provide emergency relief.(9) Service staff, such as cooks, janitors, or bus drivers, may be counted in the required staff to child ratio if they meet all child care worker qualifications.Wash. Admin. Code § 170-295-2090
Amended by WSR 14-13-057, Filed 6/12/2014, effective 7/13/201406-15-075, recodified as § 170-295-2090, filed 7/13/06, effective 7/13/06. Statutory Authority: Chapters 74.12 and 74.15 RCW. 04-09-093, § 388-295-2090, filed 4/20/04, effective 5/21/04; 03-14-110, § 388-295-2090, filed 6/30/03, effective 8/1/03.