4 AAC 62.410. Maximum group size in child care centers

(a) A child care center shall organize its learning environment so that children may participate in activities individually and in small groups and the development of each child is supported.

(b) A child care center shall provide environmental cues to children that both indicate an interest or activity center and facilitate a limited number of children at the interest or activity center. Environmental cues include the use of visible barriers, partitions, colored rugs, and tables with a limited number of chairs.

(c) A child care center shall assign one or two primary caregivers to each child. The child care center shall provide each primary caregiver information about the child's habits, interests, progress, and special problems, if any, and shall assign the primary caregiver responsibility for knowing that information.

(d) A child care center shall assign each primary caregiver and the caregivers designated children to a room or area of a room as a home base even though the children in the group may move to a number of areas in the child care center for daily activities.

(e) Maximum group size at any one time during the day may not exceed twice the maximum number of children allowed per caregiver as required by the child-to-caregiver ratio in 4 AAC 62.405(d) . Enough caregivers must be physically present at all times with each group to maintain the maximum number of children per caregiver as required by the child-to-caregiver ratio in 4 AAC 62.405(d) .

(f) If a group of children contains a combination of age groups, or if age groups are combined, the maximum group size at any one time during the day may not exceed twice the maximum number of children allowed under the child-to-caregiver ratio in 4 AAC 62.405(d) for the youngest child within the group. However, if no more than one child 30 months of age or older receives child care in a group in which all the other children are in the next older age group, the maximum group size at any one time during the day may not exceed the group size requirements of the older age group, as required by the child-to-caregiver ratio in 4 AAC 62.405(d) .

(g) Maximum group size limitations do not apply during nap times, lunch times, outdoor play periods, field trips, or the length of a special occasion, including a holiday party and a visit from a special guest.

History: Eff. 10/4/2002, Register 163

Authority: AS 14.37.020

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