Center-Based Facilities

Center-Based Facility Requirements

Facilities Licensing Standards

All licensable facilities used for GHC programs must be licensed by IDCFS and the City of Chicago, including socialization spaces for home-based and home-visiting programs. All programs are required to provide copies of required licenses/letters/certificates to GHC in the manner.

General Requirements for Facilities— Standards and procedures in this section refer to both indoor and outdoor areas of early learning facilities. Programs must ensure that all facilities used for child services:

Are clean and free from pests.
Employ pest control practices that meet IDCFS licensing standards.
Are free from pollutant hazards and toxins that are accessible to children and could endanger children’s safety.
Have hazardous material stored in original containers with legible labels in a locked area out of children’s reach.
Are tested for radon every three years.
Do not have or use toxic or lead paints or finishes on walls, window sills, beds, toys, or any other equipment, materials, or furnishings that may be used by children or within their reach.
Keep hazardous items inaccessible to children, including sharp scissors, plastic bags, knives, cigarettes, matches, lighters, flammable liquids, drugs, sharp instruments, power tools, cleaning supplies, and other items might be harmful to children. Hazardous items for infants and toddlers also include coins, balloons, safety pins, marbles, plastic foam, similar products, sponges, rubber, or soft plastic toys.
Are designed to prevent child injury and free from hazards, including choking, strangulation, electrical, drowning hazards, hazards posed by appliances, and all other safety hazards.
Have window coverings and cords that are designed to prevent strangulation.
Are well-lit, including emergency lighting.
Are equipped with safety supplies that are readily accessible to staff, including appropriate fire safety supplies.
Are designed to separate toileting and diapering areas from areas for preparing food, cooking, eating, or children’s activities.
Have drug-free and smoke-free workplace posters visible to visitors.
Post evacuation routes at the entry. Post a safety sign (No Gun sticker) at each site at all entrances and exits. Per the IL Firearm Concealed Carry Act (430 ILCS 66/65.Sction 65), all firearms are banned in schools and childcare facilities at all times.

Health and Safety Daily Checklist 22.pdf

Daily Health & Saftey Checklist

Playground Inspection Checklist.docx

Playground Checklist

Facility Maintenance

Preventative Maintenance – Site directors or director designees must implement an effective, ongoing preventive maintenance system for the facility. The system should include:

Preventive maintenance tasks, timelines, and responsibilities.
Regular inspections by licensed professionals, as appropriate, for heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical, fire safety, etc.
Financial resources for maintenance, repair, and replacement.
Documentation of the system.
Evidence that any issues have been corrected.
The site director or director designee must have access to records of preventive maintenance system for the facility. Records may be kept by facility staff or other management staff.
The site director or director designee must review preventive maintenance tasks every other month to ensure they are completed.
The site director or director designee must monitor completion of repairs at least weekly until any issues are resolved.

Safety Checklists – Program directors or director designees must ensure the facilities checklist for health and safety is conducted and documented at least annually but are encouraged to conduct this check more often. Site directors should implement daily and weekly safety checklists of facilities.

Classroom Safety:

Postings – All classrooms should have the following resources/posters and/or procedures posted: emergency phone numbers, medical/dental emergency procedures, CPR/first aid, emergency evacuation, procedures for what to do if someone is choking; food allergy, hand washing, diapering/toileting, gloving, storage of hazardous materials, and mandated reporter.
First Aid Kits – Each classroom must have a first aid kit and the center needs to have a travel kit for outings.

First Aid Kits must be equipped with safety supplies that are readily accessible to staff, including, at a minimum, fully equipped and up-to-date first aid kits. The supplies for each first aid kit shall be stored in a closed container that is clearly labeled as first aid supplies.
First aid kits must be stored in a place that is accessible and visible to staff at all times, but out of the reach of children.

Site directors or their designees must conduct and document first aid kit and classroom supply inventory checks monthly and after any use of any kit.

Maintenance Request Form.pdf

Maintenance Request Form

Facilities Request Form.doc

Facilities Request Form

Vehicle Request Form.doc

Vehicle Request Form

First Aid Kit Contents

Facilities and First Aid Kits

All GHC first aid kits must be stored in a place that is accessible and visible to staff at all times, but out of the reach of children. Site directors or their designees must conduct and document first aid kit and classroom supply inventory checks monthly and after any use of any kit. On-site first aid kits shall contain at a minimum the following supplies:

1. Disposable latex gloves

2. Scissors

3. Tweezers

4. Thermometer

5. Bandage tape

6. Sterile gauze pads

7. Flexible roller gauze

8. Triangular bandage

9. Safety pins

10. Eye dressing

11. Pen/pencil and note pad

12. Cold pack

13. Adhesive bandages

14. Current American Academy of Pediatrics or American Red Cross standard first aid text or equivalent first aid guide.

15. Disposable non-latex gloves and adhesive bandages.

Travel First Aid Kits: Programs must use a travel first aid kit when off site, including neighborhood walks, trips to offsite locations, and socializations if it is not in a program center.

Travel first aid kits must contain the above supplies (first aid chart may replace the required text), plus the following additional items:

1. Water

2. Soap

3. Telephone number of the center, preferably on a laminated card, emergency contact information, and emergency contact information for children.

Prohibited Classroom Items

1. No hot drinks are allowed in classrooms or areas children have access- hallways and playgrounds.

2. All drinks brought into the classroom must be in covered cups and kept in a closed cabinet. No cups from any food establishment are allowed.

3. Staff do not bring in or consume food other than menu items in the classroom. Staff food is stored in a designated staff refrigerator.

4. All purses, backpacks, etc. must be locked up. This includes volunteers and parents who stay in the classroom and participate in any activities including meals. Any purse, backpack, etc., brought to the playground must also be locked up.

5. At no time are cell phones used or are visible in classrooms or the playground.

6. Backpacks, diaper bags etc., brought to the center by children or families are not allowed. Needed items should be removed and properly stored, and the bag/pack should be sent home with family.

7. Backpacks, diaper bags, and car seats that must be left at the center are locked up and/or properly stored in a designated area.

8. All clothing/diapers/blankets etc. brought into the center should be immediately stored in the child’s cubby.

9. Discuss the Birthday Policy with parents on the first home visit. Birthdays are celebrated once a month for all the children born that month. A cake is provided by the program. Gently discourage parents from bringing cakes/favors etc. for individual birthdays. Staff are not allowed to distribute invitations or allow parents to place invitations in children’s classroom mailboxes.

10. Only unopened food, bought and sealed from commercial businesses, can be brought into the classroom for consumption by the children.

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