10A NCAC 09 .0511         daily routines FOR CHILDREN UNDER TWO YEARS OF AGE

(a)  Children under two years of age shall require individualized daily routines based on their specific developmental needs. The center shall provide time and space for sleeping, eating, toileting, diaper changing, and playing according to each child's individual needs.

(b)  The caregivers shall interact in a positive manner with each child every day, as follows:

(1)           caregivers shall respond at the earliest opportunity to an infant or toddler's physical and emotional needs, especially when indicated by crying, through actions such as feeding, diapering, holding, positive touching, smiling, talking, and eye contact;

(2)           the caregiver shall recognize the special difficulties of infant and toddler separations and assist families, infants, and toddlers to ease the transition from home to center such as a phased-in orientation process to allow infants and toddlers to experience limited amounts of time at the center before becoming integrated;

(3)           a caregiver or team of caregivers shall be assigned to each infant or toddler as the primary caregiver(s) who is responsible for care the majority of the time; and

(4)           the caregiver shall make provision for constructive guidance and setting limits that the child can understand and that foster the infant's or toddler's ability to be self-disciplined, as appropriate to the child's age and development.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 110-85; 110-91(2),(12); 143B-168.3;

Eff. July 1, 1988;

Amended Eff. August 1, 2010; May 1, 2004; July 1, 1998; October 1, 1991; January 1, 1991;

Readopted Eff. October 1, 2017.