Large Group and Schoolage Childcare Licensing

Large Group and SchoolAge ChildCare Licensing

POLICYSTATEMENT:DevelopmentalPlacement

ChildCareLicensingStandards606CMR7.10(9)(a)GroupAssignmentofChildrenrequiresthat“Allgroupassignmentsmustbedevelopmentallyappropriatefortheindividualchild.”Thisregulationallowsachildtobeassignedtoafixedagegroupoutsidetheirchronologicallydefinedagegroupbasedonareviewofthechild’smostrecentprogressreport,assessment/evaluation,oranarrativefromthechild’sparentaddressingthechild’sabilitiesintheareaofmobility,fineandgrossmotorcontrol,communication,socialinteractionsand cognition.

Developmentalplacementcanbeconsideredforchildrencurrentlyenrolledintheprogramandfornewchildrenenteringtheprogram.Ineithercase,ifachildisbeingconsideredforplacementinagroupoutsidehischronologicallydefinedagegroupthereareseveralissuesthataprogrammustconsidertoensurethesmoothtransitionofthechild.Onlywhenalloftheconditionsaremetcanplacementoutsideofachronologicalagegroupbeconsidered.Theprogram(educators)mustconsultwiththechild’sparent(s)toobtainapprovalbutalsotoallowthemtheopportunitytogiveinputinthedecision.Ifthechildisenrolledintheprogram,themeetingwiththeparent(s)todiscussthedevelopmentalplacementshouldincludetheeducatorcurrentlyworkingwiththechildandtheeducatorthatwillbeworkingwiththe child.

Themeetingwiththeparent(s)mustbedocumentedandmaintainedonfileattheprogram.Thedocumentationmustinclude theresponsesto thefollowing:

Whatarethespecificreasonswhythealternativegroupassignmentisproposed?Howdoesthechild’sverbal,cognitive,social,emotional,grossandfinemotorskillsdifferfromhis/herchronologicalagegroup?
How willthechildbeabletoeffectivelyparticipate intheproposedgroup’sactivities?
How willthestaffandthe group accommodate the child’sneedsand behaviors?
Whatwillbeincludedinthetransitionplantoensurecollaborationandsharingofinformationbetweenclassrooms and programs and to assistthechild inunderstandingthistransition?

Theprogrammustensurethattheclassroomenvironmentandequipmentareappropriatetomeettheneedsofthechild.Forexample,foraninfantplacedinatoddlerroomoratoddlerplacedinapreschoolroom,theequipmentusedbythegroupmustbeageappropriateandmustnotbeconsideredhazardoustothechild.Indooraswellasoutdoorequipmentmustbeofadequatesizeforallofthechildreninthegroup.Inaddition,thebuildinginspectioncertificatemustreflectausegroupappropriatefortheageofeachchildplacedinthealternativegroupassignment,Forexample,ifatoddlerisplacedinapreschoolclassroom/group, the buildinginspectionmustindicatethatthespaceisapprovedforI-2 orI-4usage.

Theprogrammustensurethateachchildisassignedtoaconsistentgroupwithconsistentstaffing.Staffassignedtotheclassroomthatincludeschildrenplacedoutsidetheirchronologicalgroupmustbetrainedtomeetthespecificneedsofallofthechildren.Theagesofallofthechildreninthisgroupmustnotbesodivergentas to inhibiteach child’sgrowth and development.Forexample,althoughitmay beappropriate toplace atoddlerin a3 yearold group, a 2yearold maynotappropriatelyfitwitha preschoolgroup of5 yearolds.

Lastly, ifthechildisyoungerthanthedefinedage ofthegroup (a toddlerplacedin a preschoolroom), theprogrammustdocumentandmaintainonfileamonthlyreviewofthechild’sadjustmenttothegroupuntilthechildreachestheminimumageforthegroup.Ifthechildisolderthanthedefinedageofthegroup(atoddlerplacedinaninfantroom),theprogrammustdocumentandmaintainonfileamonthlyreviewofthechild’sskilldevelopmentaswellasatransitionplan.Thetransitionplanmustincludeadescription ofhowand when thechildwillbe moved to a groupconsistentwiththechild’sage.

Points toremember:

Nomorethantwochildrenoutsidethechronologicallydefinedagerangemaybeassignedtoafixedagegroup.
Theprogram’sBuildingInspectionmustinclude usage approvalforalternativegroupassignment.
Ongoingcommunicationwiththechild’sparent(s)regardingthechild’smonthlyprogressreviewmustoccur.
Child’sfilemustincludedocumentationofthemeetingwiththeparentaswellasevidenceofparentalapprovalfortheplacement;documentationcollectedatthetimeofthedecisiontodothealternativeplacement;documentationofmonthlyprogressreviewsandwhenneeded,thewrittentransitionplanformovingthe childto agroupconsistentwiththechild’sage.
ClassroomsthatincludechildrenwhohavebeenplacedoutsidetheirchronologicalagegrouparestaffedaccordingtotherequirementsoftheregulationsforFixedAgeGroups606CMR7.10(9)(b)1-6.Forexampleifatoddlerisplacedinapreschoolroom,thestaffassignedtothisgroup needto bepreschoolqualifiedonly.

DevelopmentalPlacementRecommendation

(Child’sname),age

isbeingconsideredfor

alternativeassignmenttogroup. Thespecificreasonswhythealternativegroupassignmentis proposedaredescribedbelow.

1.Explain howthechild’sverbal/cognitive /social/emotional/grossmotor/finemotor (circleasmanyas apply)skillsaredifferentfromthe childreninhis/herchronologicalagegroup:

2.This childwillbe ableto effectivelyparticipate intheproposedgroup’sactivitiesbecause:

(giveexamplesofactivitiesthatproposedgroupwillofferthatarenotavailableinthechild’s

chronologicalagegroup,andexplainwhyyoubelievethatthechildisreadytolearn/enjoy/succeedatthesetasks.)

3.Theproposedgroupwillreadilyaccommodatethischild’sneedsandbehaviorsbecause:

(discussthecomposition ofthe proposedgroup,includinggender,ages,abilities,temperaments)

4.Therearepresentlyotherchildren(notincludingthischild)whoareplacedinthisgroupthroughalternativeplacementguidelines.

5.Describe how the transition plan ensures collaboration and sharing of information betweenclassrooms. Whathas beendone tohelpthechildunderstandthistransition?

6.A.Ifthischildis youngerthantheminimumchronologicallydefinedage oftheproposedgroup:

We will document a monthly review of the child’s adjustment to the group until

(datechildreachesminimumage ofgroup). Datesofmonthlyreviews:

B.Ifthischildisolderthanthe chronologicallydefinedmaximumforthe group:

We willmovehim/hertoherto a same-agegroupunderthefollowingcircumstances:(Specifywhatcriteriathe child mustmeetpriorto placementwithage-mates.)

Criteriafortransfer:

Ourplan tosupportdevelopmentofskillsnecessaryfortransitiontothe nextagegroupis:

We willdocumenta monthlyreview ofthechild’sprogressuntils/heisabletotransitiontothe nextgroup.Datesofmonthlyreviewsare:

SignatureofProgramAdministratorDate

SignatureofEducatorDate

DateofDevelopmentalPlacementmeetingwith Parent(s):

Date

ToParents:Ihavediscussedmychild’sassignmenttothegroupand I agree disagree(circleone)thatthisisbestformychild because:

SignatureofParentDate