.05 Child Care Home Directors.

A. Use of a Director.

(1) A provider may designate an individual to serve as the director of the child care home.

(2) If an individual is not designated by the provider as the director, the provider shall be the director of the child care home.

B. An individual designated as the director of a child care home shall meet the requirements of this regulation.

C. The provider shall meet the requirements for qualifying as the director of a child care home.

D. Except when engaged in occasional child care home-related activities or away on leave, the director shall be present in the child care home during at least 1/2 of the operating hours of the home each week to:

(1) Plan and supervise all aspects of the program for children;

(2) Supervise the staff; and

(3) Be available to staff, parents, and children.

E. Except as set forth at §F of this regulation, to qualify as a director in a large family child care home, an individual shall:

(1) Be 21 years old or older;

(2) Hold a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalence, or have successfully completed at least 6 credits from an accredited college or university;

(3) Have successfully completed:

(a) 9 clock hours of approved preservice training in communicating with staff, parents, and the public, or at least one academic college course for credit;

(b) 3 semester hours or their equivalent of approved administrative training;

(c) Effective January 1, 2016:

(i) 3 clock hours of approved training in ADA compliance; and

(ii) Approved training in supporting breastfeeding practices; and

(d) Effective January 1, 2020, approved basic health and safety training within 90 days of employment;

(4) Have successfully completed 6 semester hours or 90 clock hours, or their equivalent, of approved preservice training, or hold the Child Development Associate National Credential that is issued by the Council for Professional Recognition;

(5) Unless previously approved by the office to direct a child care program serving children younger than 2 years old, have completed 3 semester hours of approved training, or the equivalent, related to the care of children younger than 2 years old; and

(6) Have completed 1 year of experience working directly with children in a registered child care home, licensed child care center, nursery school, church-operated school, or similar setting.

F. An individual is considered qualified as a director when that individual has:

(1) Completed training specified at §E(3)(c) and (d) of this regulation;

(2) Received either:

(a) Approval by the Department as a teacher for early childhood education, including nursery school through third grade, and has 6 semester hours in early childhood education; or

(b) Certification by the Department or by any other state for early childhood education, including nursery school through third grade; and

(3) Completed 3 semester hours of approved training, or the equivalent, related to the care of children younger than 2 years old.

G. A director shall:

(1) Maintain the professional development plan received from the office;

(2) According to the professional development plan, complete approved continued training, at the rate of at least 12 clock hours per full year of service as a director, that consists of a:

(a) Minimum of 6 clock hours of core of knowledge training; and

(b) Maximum of 6 clock hours of elective training;

(3) Document completion of the continued training on the professional development plan; and

(4) Document that the health and safety training, as required by the office, is completed by each staff member by the end of each 12-month period, measured each calendar year.