Suspended Child Care Certification Regulations to be Reinstated October 31

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has announced some child care certification regulations relating to indoor child care spaces, child growth and development reports, and school-age children will be reinstated on October 31, 2022.

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Pursuant to Act 30 of 2022, the suspension of various regulatory provisions under the state disaster emergency declaration that are currently in effect will be reinstated on October 31, 2022.

The regulations are:

• A facility shall provide indoor childcare space for individual and group small muscle activity.

• Indoor child care space may not be used simultaneously as play space.

• Measured indoor space excludes space occupied by halls, bathrooms, offices, kitchens, and locker rooms.

• The services to be provided to the family and the child, including the Department’s approved form to provide information to the family about the child’s growth and development in the context of the services being provided. The operator shall complete and update the form and provide a copy to the family in accordance with the updates regarding emergency contact information in §3270.124(f); §3280.124(f); §3290.123(f) (relating to emergency contact information).

• If a child is required to be enrolled in public or private school under the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P.S. §§ 1-101— 27-2702) and if the child is not enrolled and if the child is not exempted from enrollment under the Public School Code, a child day care facility may not admit the child for care during the hours when the child is required by law to attend public or private school.

A list of the regulations that were suspended in whole or in part and their current status is available on the Department of Human Services website.