1. (a) A child care facility shall provide structure and daily activities designed to promote a child's individual physical, social, intellectual, and emotional development. Satisfactory compliance with this subsection requires the facility to

   1. (1) have a schedule and daily plan of activities for each age group; the schedule and plan must provide a balance of quiet and active activities, and group and individual activities, and must include time for meals, snacks, sleep, toileting according to individual needs, and indoor and outdoor play; for purposes of this paragraph

      1. (A) a center shall provide the schedule and plan in writing; and
      2. (B) in a home, the schedule and plan need not be written, except that a typical daily schedule and plan must be presented with the application for a license;

   2. (2) provide opportunities for

      1. (A) individual self-expression and imaginative play;
      2. (B) at least 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity for every three hours the facility is open between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., and daily supervised outdoor activity when weather and the individual child's tolerance permit;
      3. (C) each child to foster independence;
      4. (D) intellectual and social development through use of a variety of activities and materials such as games, toys, books, crafts, puzzles, and blocks;
      5. (E) language development, including encouraging children to talk and read books;
   3. (3) limit television, movie viewing, and computer and video game use to one and one-half hours in a 24-hour period, except for special occasions; the facility shall ensure that these activities are limited to programs and games specifically designed for the interest and benefit of the child; and
   4. (4) limit computer learning activities to two hours a day.

2. (b) In addition to the requirements in (a) of this section, a facility providing care for infants or toddlers may not routinely leave a child awake in a crib, swing, or similar device for more than 15 minutes without direct adult contact. The facility shall

   1. (1) provide opportunities for a child to develop a caring and nurturing relationship with and attachment to one or a small number of caregivers whose care for and responsiveness to the child ensure relief of distress, experiences of stimulation and comfort, and satisfaction of the need for a connection with the child's caregiver;
   2. (2) provide frequent verbal communication during feeding, changing, and cuddle times;
   3. (3) provide physical contact through holding, rocking, and play, as well as bathing, dressing, and carrying a child;
   4. (4) allow infants and toddlers ample supervised opportunity during the day to explore and learn on their own outside of a play yard or other restraining device; and
   5. (5) ensure that infants are placed on their backs to sleep, unless otherwise ordered by a physician.

3. (c) In addition to the requirements in (a) of this section, a facility providing care for school-age children shall provide

   1. (1) a program that supplements rather than duplicates the child's school activities, providing a change of pace and interest between school and the child care program;
   2. (2) freedom appropriate to the child's age and developmental level, and opportunities for self-reliance and social responsibility;
   3. (3) opportunities for school-age children to participate in the selection and planning of their own activities; and
   4. (4) in centers, separate space, equipment, and supplies for the school-age children.
4. (d) The facility shall treat children in care equitably with the caregiver's own children.
5. (e) The facility shall encourage parental involvement and allow parents free access to their children, and to all areas of a child care facility used by the children, to observe or participate.

6. (f) In addition to meeting the requirements in (a) of this section, a facility providing care for children identified as having special needs under 7 AAC 57.940 shall

   1. (1) include children with special needs and children without special needs in all activities possible;
   2. (2) implement the plan of care developed under 7 AAC 57.400 for each child with special needs to enhance the child's health and developmental status;
   3. (3) if a child is identified as a child with special needs under 7 AAC 57.940 after the child's admission to a child care facility, develop a plan of care under 7 AAC 57.400(c) for that child, unless the facility has reason to believe that, even with reasonable accommodation, the facility cannot meet the child's needs and discharges the child; and
   4. (4) monitor the effectiveness, and conduct regularly scheduled reassessments of each child's plan of care.

(Eff. 6/23/2006, Register 178; am 4/4/2013, Register 206; am 5/15/2016, Register 218)

Authority: AS 44.29.020, AS 47.32.010, AS 47.32.030