Washington child care, camp and ratio rules

Child care licensing

DCYF licenses child care centers and family homes (up to 12 children) under Chapter 110-300 WAC, and school-age programs under Chapter 110-301 WAC. An agency that regularly provides early learning or child care for less than 24 hours needs a license unless the law excludes it (RCW 43.216.010).

After-school and recreation programs: Excluded from licensing are seasonal camps, meaning programs that run 3 months or less in any 12-month period and focus mainly on closely supervised recreation or education. Also excluded are programs run by any unit of local, state, or federal government (such as a school district or parks department), schools that accept only school-age children, and drop-in recreation or education programs for school-age children run by a local affiliate of a national nonprofit that follows the national group's safety standards. Programs where parents stay on site are also excluded (RCW 43.216.010(2)). Exempt school-age programs must report their exempt status on a DCYF form (WAC 110-301-0025).

Licensing agency: Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF)

Sources: WAC 110-300-0356, Center capacity, ratio, and group size; WAC 110-301-0356, School-age capacity, ratio, and group size; RCW 43.216.010, definitions and exclusions from licensing; WAC 110-301-0025, Certified and exempt school-age programs

Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers

Rule: WAC 110-300-0356(5) (centers); WAC 110-301-0356(5) (licensed school-age programs: 1:15, group of 30). Washington's preschool band runs from 30 months through 6 years for children not in kindergarten (1:10, group of 20). Kindergartners and elementary students up to age 12 are school-age (1:15, group of 30). A 5-year-old in kindergarten may join either the preschool or the school-age group if appropriate and the parent agrees. Mixed-age groups are allowed only during the first or last 2 hours of the day, using the youngest child's ratio. Licensed school-age programs may exceed a group of 30 only for special events such as assemblies.

Work out your staffing with the ratio calculator

Summer camps

Washington has no youth camp license. Seasonal camps (3 months or less a year, mainly recreational or educational) are excluded from DCYF child care licensing (RCW 43.216.010(2)(g)). Group camps that provide food and lodging must register each year with the local health officer at least 30 days before opening and meet State Board of Health sanitation and site rules (WAC 246-376-010 and -020). Those rules were last updated in 1997.

Sources: Chapter 246-376 WAC, Camps; WAC 246-376-020, Registration; RCW 43.216.010(2)(g), seasonal camp exclusion

Background checks

Licensed providers, staff, volunteers, and family-home household members must pass a DCYF background check before having unsupervised access to children, and repeat it at least every 3 years (WAC 110-06-0040; WAC 110-300-0105). The check includes fingerprints, an interstate check for every state lived in during the past 5 years, and disclosure of convictions, pending charges, and 'negative actions' such as founded child abuse or neglect findings. Fingerprints must be redone at renewal only if the person has lived outside Washington since the last check. We found no state background check requirement for seasonal camps, which are excluded from licensing.

Sources: WAC 110-06-0040, Background clearance requirements; WAC 110-300-0105, Preservice requirements; RCW 43.216.010 (definition of negative action and nonconviction information)

Giving medication

Staff may give medication only after completing the program's medication orientation and DCYF's standardized medication administration training. They also need written, signed parent consent and must follow the label. Prescriptions must be for that child and labeled with the child's name, prescriber, dose, and duration. Over-the-counter medication must be in its original packaging, labeled with the child's name, and come with an authorization form. Every dose goes in a medication log (name, drug, dose, date and time, side effects, and the signature of the person giving it), and medication must be stored out of children's reach (WAC 110-300-0215).

Free medication administration log

Sources: WAC 110-300-0215, Medication

Reporting child abuse

Mandated reporters include licensed or certified child care providers and their employees, school personnel, DCYF employees, clergy, nurses, and other listed professions. Supervisors at any nonprofit or for-profit organization must also report abuse by someone they supervise who coaches, trains, teaches, or has unsupervised access to children. Reports go to law enforcement or DCYF at the first opportunity, and no later than 48 hours (RCW 26.44.030).

Washington child abuse hotline: 1-866-363-4276 (statewide; DCYF also lists regional intake lines) (how to report). In an emergency, call 911.

Sources: RCW 26.44.030, mandated reporters; DCYF: How to Report Child Abuse or Neglect; Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect