Appendix 2.

01B

Licensing Questions
Directions: Consult the
NC Child Care Handbook
for answers to the following questions about
licensing centers in this state. The handbook is available online at
http://ncchildcare.dhhs.state.nc.us/general/mb_contact.asp
. Record answers from the handbook.
Then use the Paraphrased for conversation section to rewrite the information as you would tell it
to another person in conversation.

1.
WhyarechilddaycarecentersinNorthCarolinarequiredtobelicensed?Childcare
arrangementsthatmeetthedefinitionofchildcarearerequiredtobelicensedbytheDivisionof
ChildDevelopment.Thepurposeofchildcarelicensingistoensurethesafetyand
developmentalwellbeingofchildrenwhileinoutofhomecare.

2.
Whoisthelicensingagency,andwhomustapplyforapermittooperate?Thelicensing
agencyisthepeoplewhogiveouttheseapplicationsforgettingalicense.

3.
WhatshouldbedoneBEFOREoneappliesforapermittooperateacenter?Theymust
getanapplicationbeforetheygetapermit.

4.
Whatisrequiredofreligioussponsoredchildcarecenters?NoticeofComplianceapermit
issuedbytheSecretaryoftheDepartmentofHealthandHumanServicestoareligious
sponsoredchildcarefacilityoptingtotakecertainexemptionsfromthechildcarerulesbutin
compliancewithallhealthandsafetystandardsnotexemptedbylaw

5.
Canalicensebetransferredfromoneownertoanother?Fromonelocationtoanother?a
licensecannotbebought,sold,inherited,ortransferredbyoneownertoanotherorfromone
locationtoanother.

6.
Whenisatemporarylicenseissued?Howlongisthistypeoflicenseineffect?A
temporarylicensemaybeissuedtotheoperatorofanewcenter,ortotheoperatorofa
previouslylicensedcenterwhenachangeofownershiporlocationoccurs.Thistypeoflicense
iseffectivefor6months.

7.
Whenisaprovisionallicenseissued?Howlongisthistypeoflicenseineffect?This

licenseisissuediftheDivisiondeterminesthattheapplicantismakingareasonableeffortto
conformtotherequirementsbuthasyettoachievefullcompliance.

8.
Whenisaspecialprovisionallicenseissued?Whatmustbepostedwiththislicense?The
specialprovisionallicenseandthereasonsforitsissuancemustbepostedinaprominentplace
inthecenter.Thespecialprovisionallicenseandreasonsforissuancemustremainpostedfor
theentiretimeperiodcoveredbythelicense,andalsoduringthetimeofanyadministrative
proceedings.

9.
Whenisaprobationarylicenseissued?Howlongisthistypeoflicenseineffect?The

probationarylicenseandthenoticedescribingthereasonsforitsissuancemustbepostedina
prominentplaceinthecenter.Failureofthelicenseetocomplywiththetermsofprobationmay
resultinthestartofproceedingstosuspendorrevokethelicense.Theprobationarylicense
andreasonsforissuancemustremainpostedfortheentireperiodcoveredbythelicense,and
alsoduringthetimeofanyadministrativeproceedings.

10.
Onwhatthreetypesofcriteriaareratedlicensesissued?Whenareratedlicenses

issued?staffeducation,programstandards,compliancehistoryarethethreetypesofcriteria.

11.
HowdocentersearnaOneStarRatedLicense?Whatistheminimumcompliance

score?AOneStarRatedLicenseindicatesthechildcareoperatormeetsminimumchildcare
requirementsandcanbeissuedafterbeinginoperationforaminimumofsixmonths.

12.
HowdocentersearnHigherLevelRatedLicenses?Howisthenumberofstars
figured?Inordertoearnhigherlevelratedlicensesyouneedtohavehigherstandardsthan
othercenters.

13.
Whatisacenterscompliancehistory?Howdoesitaffecttheirlicense?Tomaintaina
licenseorNoticeofCompliance,achildcarefacilitymusthaveacompliancehistoryofatleast
75%forthepast18monthsorduringthelengthoftimethefacilityhasoperated.Aprovisional
licenseorprovisionalNoticeofComplianceorotheradministrativeactionmaybeissuedwhena
facilityfailstomaintainacompliancehistoryofatleast75%.

14.
Whatismeantbybuildingcodes?Whatkindofinspectionisrequiredforthis?building

codeshavetohaveacertaininspection.Inordertobuildsomethingforthekidstheareamust
besafe.Whenpreschoolagedchildrenareincare,aninitialBuildingInspectionwasconducted
andthebuildingmetEducationalorInstitutionalCode.Wallsandceilings,includingdoorsand
windows,arefreeofidentifiedleadpoisoninghazards.

15.
Whatismeantbyfirecodes?Whatkindofinspectionisrequiredforthis?Eachcenter

shallformulateaplan,incooperationwiththeLocalFireDepartment,toevacuateincaseoffire
orwhennecessary.(Fireextinguishersshallnotbeuseduntilthechildrenaresafelyevacuated
unlessthecenterhassufficientstaffpersonneltoevacuatethechildrensafelyandusefire
extinguisherssimultaneously.)Allemployeesshallbeinstructedandkeptinformedoftheir
dutiesundertheplan.Theremustbeatleastoneunannouncedfiredrillmonthlyanditmustbe
conductedatadifferenttimeeachmonth.

16.
Whatismeantbysanitationcodes?Whatkindofinspectionisrequiredfor

this?SanitationinspectionsareconductedusingtheSanitationStandardsEvaluationforChild
CareCentersformpublishedbytheDepartOfEnvironmentandNaturalResources.Building
hashotwateravailableforhandwashingifpreschoolagedchildrenareincare.Diaperchanging
areasmeetallsanitationrequirements