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The Florida Senate

2007 Florida Statutes

Section 402.281, Florida Statutes 2007

402.281  Gold Seal Quality Care program.--

(1)  Child care facilities, large family child care homes, or family day care homes that are accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting association whose standards substantially meet or exceed the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the National Association of Family Child Care, and the National Early Childhood Program Accreditation Commission shall receive a separate "Gold Seal Quality Care" designation to operate as a gold seal child care facility, large family child care home, or family day care home.

(2)  In developing the Gold Seal Quality Care program standards, the department shall consult with the Department of Education, the Florida Head Start Directors Association, the Florida Association of Child Care Management, the Florida Family Day Care Association, the Florida Children's Forum, the State Coordinating Council for School Readiness Programs, the Early Childhood Association of Florida, the National Association for Child Development Education, providers receiving exemptions under s. 402.316, and parents, for the purpose of approving the accrediting associations.

(3)  In order to obtain and maintain a designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider, a child care facility, large family child care home, or family day care home must meet the following additional criteria:

(a)  The child care provider must not have had any class I violations, as defined by rule, within the 2 years preceding its application for designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of a class I violation shall be grounds for termination of the designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the provider has no class I violations for a period of 2 years.

(b)  The child care provider must not have had three or more class II violations, as defined by rule, within the 2 years preceding its application for designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of three or more class II violations within a 2-year period shall be grounds for termination of the designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the provider has no class II violations for a period of 1 year.

(c)  The child care provider must not have been cited for the same class III violation, as defined by rule, three or more times within the 2 years preceding its application for designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of the same class III violation three or more times during a 2-year period shall be grounds for termination of the designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the provider has no class III violations for a period of 1 year.

(4)  The Department of Children and Family Services shall adopt rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 which provide criteria and procedures for reviewing and approving accrediting associations for participation in the Gold Seal Quality Care program, conferring and revoking designations of Gold Seal Quality Care providers, and classifying violations.

History.--s. 72, ch. 96-175; s. 5, ch. 99-304; s. 17, ch. 2000-337; s. 26, ch. 2001-170; s. 1, ch. 2006-91.