Purpose

Purpose 1. The purpose of these regulations is to protect and promote the health and safety of children in this state by providing for the licensing of child care facilities as defined herein to assure that certain minimum standards are maintained in such facilities. This policy is predicated upon the fact that a child is not capable of protecting himself, and when his parents for any reason have relinquished his care to others, there arises the probability of exposure of that child to certain risks to his health and safety that require the offsetting statutory protection of licensing. This document and its appendices constitute the "Regulations Governing the Licensure of Child Care Facilities." 2. A child care facility may exceed the minimum quality standards required in these regulations, but may not operate without meeting the minimum standards set forth in these regulations. 3. The maximum capacity of a child care facility is determined by the indoor square footage, kitchen square footage, outdoor playground area, and the number of toilets, urinals, and hand washing lavatories, with the lowest capacity determination being controlling. The maximum capacity of each room that is utilized by the children in a child care facility is calculated individually and may not be exceeded except when provided in these regulations. 4. A child care facility is subject to inspection at anytime at the discretion of the licensing agency. 5. The Mississippi State Department of Health shall maintain a complaint hotline to accommodate reporting of complaints. The department shall investigate each complaint and maintain a log of such complaints. The identity of the reporting party . shall not be disclosed to any other person than the Child Care Licensing Division staff unless upon order of a court of competent jurisdiction.