R430-90-10. Ratios and Group Size

(1) The provider shall maintain at least: (a) one caregiver for up to eight children in care; and (b) two caregivers for nine to 16 children in care. (2) The provider shall include the provider's and employee's own child age four years old or older in care: (a) in the group size when the parent of the child is working at the facility; and (b) in the group size and the caregiver-to-child ratio when the parent of the child is not working at the facility. (3) When caring for children younger than two years old, the provider shall ensure that: (a) there is at least one caregiver for every three children younger than two years old; (b) each caregiver cares for no more than two children younger than 18 months old; and (c) there are at least two caregivers if more than three children younger than two years old are present and there are more than six children in care. (4) The provider may not exceed the group sizes found in Table 1 and Table 2. TABLE 1 Maximum Group Size With One Caregiver Number of provider's and caregiver's own children ages 4-12 years present during child care hours Maximum allowed number of children in care, including the provider's and caregivers' own children younger than 4 years old Total number of children present in the home during child care hours 0-4 children 8 children 12 children 5 children 7 children 12 children 6 children 6 children 12 children 7 children 5 children 12 children 8 children 4 children 12 children 9 children 3 children 12 children 10 children 2 children 12 children 11 children 1 child 12 children TABLE 2 Maximum Group Size With Two Caregivers Number of provider's and caregiver's own children ages 4-12 years present during child care hours Maximum allowed number of children in care, including the provider's and caregivers' own children younger than 4 years old Total number of children present in the home during child care hours 0-8 children 16 children 24 children 9 children 15 children 24 children 10 children 14 children 24 children 11 children 13 children 24 children 12 children 12 children 24 children 13 children 11 children 24 children 14 children 10 children 24 children 15 children 9 children 24 children 16 children 8 children 24 children 17 children 7 children 24 children 18 children 6 children 24 children 19 children 5 children 24 children 20 children 4 children 24 children 21 children 3 children 24 children 22 children 2 children 24 children 23 children 1 child 24 children (5) The provider may include caregivers and volunteers who are 16 or 17 years old in the caregiver-to-child ratio. (6) The provider shall ensure that guests do not count in caregiver-to-child ratio.