Child Care Center and School Age Program Regulations for Licensure

Regulation Authority:

R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-12.5
R.I. Gen. Laws § 40-13.2
R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-72.11

Purpose and Reason:

These updates incorporate the Rhode Island Start Early System (RISES) into the regulations, and revise outdated, unclear, or inconsistent language to improve clarity and usability. The changes are as follows:

§1.2 Updated R.I Gen. Law citations

§1.5 Removed all links

§1.5 (A) Changed 2015 to 2024

§1.5 Changed 2022 to 2019

§1.6 Updated definitions of “plan of corrective action” and “probationary license”, added definition of RISES

§1.7 (A) Added language regarding orientation and prelicensure training

§1.7 (B) Updated language and added language regarding RISES

§1.7 (C) Updated language regarding applications and RISES

§1.7 (D) Updated language regarding RISES, added language regarding application renewal

§1.7 (E)(1)(e) Removed language

§1.7 (E)(6) Added “by completing a Program Closure Request in RISES.”

§1.7 (E)(7)(b) Added “documentation”

§1.7 (G)(1)(b) Changed “may be” to “is”

§1.7 (G)(2)(d) Added “Change of ownership of a program without approval of the Department.”

§1.7 (H) Added language regarding RISES

§1.8 (A)(1)(a) added “Inspection/Certificate of Occupancy”

§1.8 (A)(1)(b) Updated to “Life Safety Fire Inspection “, changed “from a” to “completed by the”

§1.8 (A)(1)(c) Added “For buildings built after 1978, evidence of the construction date shall be provided;”

§1.8 (A)(1)(g) Added “Programs providing only pre-packaged snacks are exempt from this requirement”

§1.8 (A)(1)(i) Removed “subsequent to the date of these Regulations”

§1.8 (A)(3) Added “and”

§1.8 (B)(1) Added “in the form of formal floor plans or plan design”

§1.8 (C)(3) Removed “subsequent to the date of these Regulations”

§1.8 (D)(1) Updated language 

§1.8 (D)(7) Updated language

§1.8 (D)(10) Added “new”, removed “or classroom licensed subsequent to the date of these Regulations”

§1.8 (G)(4) Updated language

§1.9 (C)(1) Defined “over the counter medication”

§1.9 (C)(6)(e) Added language regarding logging receipt/return of medication

§1.9 (D)(3) Added language regarding documentation of health care plan

§1.9 (F)(3)(g) Added “vaping”

§1.9 (F)(3)(h) Added “or vaping”

§1.9 (F)(3)(i) Updated language

§1.9 (J)(6) Added language

§1.9 (L)(1) Updated language regarding Emergency Preparedness plan

§1.9 (L)(5)(a) Added “per calendar year” , Added language for part year programs

§1.10 (A)(3) Added language regarding feeding plans

§1.10 (A)(4) Added language regarding providers supporting breastfeeding

§1.10 (A)(6) Added language regarding infants being held while bottle feeding

§1.10 (C)(6) Added language prohibiting “nap rooms”

§1.11(D) Added language regarding digital/electronical attendance documentation

§1.11(G) Added language regarding “RISES”

§1.12 (B) Added language regarding leadership roles being approved in RISES

§1.12 (B) Added language regarding requirements for School Age Site Coordinator and/or Night Time Care Coordinator

§1.12 (C)(4) Removed language

§1.12 (F)(1)(a) Added language clarifying calendar year

§1.12 (12) Added RISES language

§1.13 (A) Changed “Required Notifications’ to “Changes to the Program”

§1.13 (A)(1) Added RISES language and removed “These changes are subject to approval by the Department and may require a license change”

§1.13 (A)(2) Added “(injury requiring outside medical attention”

§1.13 (F)(10) Updated language regarding workforce registry in RISES

§1.14 (F)(3) Added language prohibiting staff from using personal devices to communicate with families