So Many Questions, Having Trouble Finding Answers...

[RDAW]

Hello! I have an idea for a "daycare" facility, but it would be only for older children, third grade (8-9) and up.

It's not easy to find an employer around here (Northwest Florida) with shifts during the normal daycare hours, Monday-Friday, 6AM to 6PM, and though technically it would not be illegal for me to leave my nine year-old at home alone in the state of Florida, I am not comfortable with this idea. I can't imagine that I am the only one.

The facility I would like to start would operate extended hours, have a drop-in option as well as regular/daily supervision, but, again would only be for older children from 8 to twelve years old.

What I am having trouble with is finding the licensing and regulations on such a place. I believe it would be classified as an "indoor recreation facility" which would need to be licensed as a daycare, but I am unable to find anything specific.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Blackcat31]

Hello! I have an idea for a "daycare" facility, but it would be only for older children, third grade (8-9) and up.

It's not easy to find an employer around here (Northwest Florida) with shifts during the normal daycare hours, Monday-Friday, 6AM to 6PM, and though technically it would not be illegal for me to leave my nine year-old at home alone in the state of Florida, I am not comfortable with this idea. I can't imagine that I am the only one.

The facility I would like to start would operate extended hours, have a drop-in option as well as regular/daily supervision, but, again would only be for older children from 8 to twelve years old.

What I am having trouble with is finding the licensing and regulations on such a place. I believe it would be classified as an "indoor recreation facility" which would need to be licensed as a daycare, but I am unable to find anything specific.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

I don't think it would necessarily qualify as an "indoor recreation facility" unless you are focusing on learning how to play or participate in a specific physical activity.

Indoor recreational facilities are also required to be licensed as child care according to what I see/read.

https://www.daycare.com/florida/

"Indoor recreational facility" means an indoor commercial facility which is established for the primary purpose of entertaining children in a planned fitness environment through equipment, games, and activities in conjunction with food service and which provides child care for a particular child no more than 4 hours on any one day. An indoor recreational facility must be licensed as a child care facility under s. 402.305, but is exempt from the minimum outdoor-square-footage-per-child requirement specified in that section, if the indoor recreational facility has, at a minimum, 3,000 square feet of usable indoor floor space."

[Cat Herder]

From what I am reading you would need to be licensed as School-Age Child Care. 2016 regs.

http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/programs/childcare/docs/School-Age-Child-Care-Licensing-Handbook.pdf

1. Child care personnel must successfully complete 40 hours of child care training as evidenced by successful completion of competency examinations offered by the Department or its designated representative with a weighted score of 70 or better. School-age child care personnel must complete:

Child Care Facility Rules and Regulation (6 hours); Health, Safety, and Nutrition (8 hours); Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse and neglect (4 hours);

School-Age Child Care Licensing Handbook | P a g e 32

Understanding Developmentally Appropriate Practice
s (5 hours)

School Age-Appropriate Practices (5 hours); and

The remaining 12 hours must be met by completing t
raining identified in
subparagraph 2 below.
2. School-age child care personnel must also succes
sful complete competency
examinations offered by the Department or its desig
nated representative with a
weighted score of 70 or better for the following co
urses:

School-Age Alternative Training (12 hours online)

Completion of specialized school-age training, pro
vided by a national
organization or affiliates of a national organizati
on, that requires
demonstration of competencies through passage of ex
amination(s), or
completion and assessment of a Professional Resourc
e File (portfolio of
materials that demonstrate competency).
3. School-age child care personnel with successful
completion of introductory child
care training for child care personnel as defined i
n s.402.305 (2), F.S., are
considered in compliance with the school-age child
care personnel training
requirements.