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21.9: Bodies of Water Requirements in Child Care Section 101238

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    142059

    • Amanda Taintor
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    Section 101238

    In the United States, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death among children 1 to 4 years of age and is the second leading cause of death for children 5 to 14 years old (Center for Disease Control, Drowning facts 2022). Licensing regulations that address bodies of water help prevent these kinds of tragic accidents. Following these regulations minimizes the risk of water-related accidents in child care.

    Research has shown that an infant face down can drown in just 1 inch of water. So almost all bodies of water are considered a potential hazard and must be treated with caution.

    Examples include, but aren't limited to:

    • swimming pools
    • wading pools
    • hot tubs
    • creeks, streams, and ponds

    If using a body of water such as a swimming pool or wading pool for organized play, supervise children closely. When the play session has ended, the equipment must be made inaccessible. Empty wading pools when not in use.

    Often, water tables are used in child care centers and family child care homes for children's play. An adult must closely supervise when water tables are in use. When not in use, the container must be emptied, and children must not have access to water to fill the container independently.

    Toddlers at water table.
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): When not in use all bodies of water must be emptied. . ([1])

    There are additional regulations about water safety, specifically for child care centers.

    • At least one supervising adult must have current water safety training, and stricter adult-child ratios are required for water activities.
    • For infants from birth to 24 months, you will need 1 staff member for every 2 infants…
    • …or 1 staff member for every 4 infants if there's an accessible body of water that children are less likely to drown in.
    • For toddlers and older, one staff member for every six children is required no matter what type of body of water is present. Lifeguards are not counted as supervising adults.[1]

    Specific regulations for pools

    No pools at a facility can be accessible directly from a door or window, there must be additional fencing between the door or window and the pool. Pool fencing must be at least 5 feet high, have no openings wider than an inch and a half, and in no way obstruct a complete and clear view of the pool from the outside. In addition, the fence must have a gate that is self-closing and self-latching. When released, it must swing shut and latch on its own. It must also swing away from the water when opened, be kept closed when the pool is not in use and is not locked since it may be necessary for an adult to enter the pool area without having to find a key or remember a combination.[2]

    Wading pools

    • can only be used by children with direct adult supervision
    • can only be filled immediately prior to use
    • must be emptied immediately after every use.

    [1] Image by Amanda Taintor is licensed CC BY-NC

    [2] California Department of Social Services. Care Center General Licensing Requirements

    This page titled 21.9: Bodies of Water Requirements in Child Care Section 101238 is shared under a mixed 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Amanda Taintor.