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INTRODUCTION TO 1304.53

The objective of 45 CFR 1304.53 is to ensure that Head Start's physical environment supports the delivery of high quality services to all children and families. Facilities, materials, and equipment are selected and maintained to create a learning environment that is safe, accessible, welcoming, comfortable, age-appropriate, culturally sensitive, and in keeping with the individual needs of children and families and the particular features of local programs and communities. Thus, the requirements in this section are closely allied with those in 1304.21, Education and Early Childhood Development.

These standards are the requirements for the Head Start physical environment and the equipment, toys, materials, and furniture that support programming for the ages and individual needs of children served. Many of the requirements in this section also are cited in State, Tribal, or local regulations. It is expected that whichever regulations are more stringent will be met.

Rationale:

Related Information:

Guidance:

• floor coverings and soft elements, such as rugs and cushions,
• an open area on the floor for the safe movement of infants and toddlers,
• identifiable areas for different activities and materials, such as blocks, art, books, and dramatic play. These areas allow children to be alone, although supervised, and to engage in individual or group activities, and
• low, open shelves to allow children to see and to select their own materials.

Appropriate outdoor environments for children include:

• a variety of surfaces, such as soil or sand for digging, hills, flat grassy and hard areas for wheeled toys,
• areas of sunlight as well as shade or portable shade equipment,
• a variety of equipment for riding, climbing, balancing, and digging, and
• areas for individual and small group play.

Related Information:

• appropriate space for activities for children of different ages (see 45 CFR 1304.53(a)(1), (a)(3), and (a)(5)),
• food preparation areas that are separated from areas used for other activities (see 45 CFR 1304.53(a)(10)(xiv)), and
• cribs and cots for infants and toddlers that are kept at least three feet apart (see 45 CFR 1304.22(e)(7)).

Guidance:

• doors, gates, counters, and walls to keep food preparation areas separate from other areas,
• resting and napping facilities, including a crib, cot, bed, or mat for each child, and
• space for the care of children who become ill during the day and cannot be sent home.

Related Information:

Guidance:

When organizing the center's space or the space used for group socialization experiences:

• Separate active or noisy areas from inactive, quiet spaces;
• Place activity areas near necessary resources, such as the art area near water; and
• Design indoor traffic patterns that keep preschool children from running, yet enable them to move easily between areas.
• Outdoor space is designed to support the developmental progress of all children and to prevent injuries:
• Playgrounds are laid out to ensure clearance space from walkways, buildings, and other structures, and to avoid crowding in any one area; and
• Separate space is provided for each type of activity - throwing or kicking balls, climbing hills, digging, and using stationary playground equipment.

Guidance:

• Set the schedule so that children of different age groups occupy the space at different times;
• Ensure that all equipment and toys in shared areas are safe and age-appropriate;
• Ensure that mobile infants and toddlers are kept away from surfaces and equipment that may injure them; and
• Ensure that carpeting is well-padded, secure, and clean (see 45 CFR 1304.53(a)(10)(ii) for requirements on carpeting).

Guidance:

Guidance:

• Refrain from placing too much furniture or equipment in individual rooms or play areas;
• Apply these space allocations to the home-based group socialization settings as well as to center-based classrooms;
• Measure the 75 square feet of outdoor space per child based upon the number of children using the space at one time; and
• If there is less than 75 square feet of accessible outdoor space per child
• Use a large indoor activity room meeting the 75-square-feet-per-child requirement, if it accommodates activities similar to those performed outdoors (such areas should be ventilated with fresh air when windows cannot be opened); and
• Arrange for the use of an adjoining or nearby school yard, park, or playground, which is safe, clean, and provides drinking water and toilet facilities.

Related Information:

In cases where licensing requirements are less comprehensive or stringent than the Head Start regulations, grantee and delegate agencies are required to comply with the Head Start regulations. If the Head Start regulations are less stringent, agencies must follow the more stringent requirements. (See 45 CFR 1304.40(f)(2)(iii) about working with parents to promote a safe home environment.)

Guidance:

Related Information:

Guidance:

• Follow the most recent safety standards for toys and equipment used in the program (available through organizations such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission), check frequently to ensure that the toys and equipment are in good condition, and remove or replace those that are broken;
• Develop a checklist of equipment, furniture, and play areas that need to be inspected frequently;
• Follow Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines regarding protection from unsafe or hazardous materials;
• Ensure that outdoor play areas are free of broken glass, stones, sharp objects, standing water, poisonous plants, brush or high grass, and ice and snow accumulations;
• Implement a system to monitor entry into the building;
• Implement procedures that assure daily cleaning of indoor and outdoor areas (see 45 CFR 1304.53(a)(10)(viii) for further guidance on standards related to cleaning facilities);
• Check the facility regularly for damage or other conditions that present hazards to children (e.g., plumbing, electrical, structural problems) (see 45 CFR 1304.53(a)(10) for requirements about conducting facility safety inspections);
• Ensure that leases and rental agreements specify the landlord's responsibilities for maintenance and repairs; and
• Suspend the use of any facility that is unsafe, unclean, or otherwise in disrepair.

Related Information:

Guidance:

• Prohibit the use of tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs in all spaces used by the program (in the evenings as well as during the day), including classrooms, staff offices, kitchens, restrooms, parent and staff meeting rooms, hallways, outdoor play areas, and vehicles used for transporting children;
• Educate families about the harmful effects of smoking, including the effects of secondhand smoke on children;
• Protect children from the harmful effects of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or other potentially toxic or unhealthy chemicals by
• Having pesticides applied by a licensed exterminator in strict compliance with label instructions;
• Removing children from the areas being treated and ensuring that potential poisons are not applied to surfaces that can be touched or mouthed by children;
• Obtaining schedules of topical spraying by agricultural agencies and farmers to prevent the exposure of children; and
• Educating parents and staff about the dangers of pesticides and other toxic substances they may be working with and the steps to be taken to minimize the exposure of children at the center and in their homes.
• Work with health officials to determine inspections which should be conducted for environmental hazards, such as asbestos, radon, and formaldehyde; and
• Arrange for the inspection and subsequent removal of any environmental or health hazards only by certified or licensed contractors.

Guidance:

• Establishing safety and supervision procedures for escorting children through traffic between the facility and outdoor play areas;
• Establishing procedures for walking very young children in strollers. Only strollers meeting national child safety standards are used; children in strollers are buckled into seat restraints; and streets are crossed only at traffic lights and clearly marked crosswalks;
• Installing fences or other physical barriers to separate the outdoor play areas from vehicular traffic and other dangers. Fences and other physical barriers should be high enough and constructed well enough to prevent children from exiting the area;
• Assuring that the outdoor play area is fully supervised at all times (see 45 CFR 1304.52(h)(1)(iii) about staffing patterns);
• When a rooftop is used as a play area, enclosing it with a fence that is high enough to prevent falls and constructed of materials that will prevent children from climbing it, and ensuring the presence of an approved fire escape; and
• Establishing written procedures for safely loading and unloading buses and for checking at the end of bus runs that no children remain on the bus (e.g., asleep).

Related Information:

Guidance:

• heating, cooling, and electrical systems,
• storage of medications, cleaning supplies, and other poisons,
• fire prevention measures (e.g., absence of flammable materials, presence of currently inspected and fully charged fire extinguishers, smoke detectors with working batteries, exits, and evacuation routes),
• lead-free painted surfaces,
• playground equipment and surfaces,
• electrical outlets,
• the water supply,
• toilets and handwashing facilities,
• diaper changing areas,
• ventilation and air quality,
• sewage and waste disposal systems, and
• adaptations to the facility to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

American Indian program grantees may request the assistance of the Indian Health Service in conducting these safety inspections.

Guidance:

• Heating and cooling units are vented properly;
• Radiators, hot water pipes, and similar equipment are screened or insulated to prevent burns and other injuries. Heating units, including baseboard heaters hotter than 110 degrees Fahrenheit, are inaccessible to children;
• Electric space heaters that are UL-approved are placed in locations inaccessible to children and at least 3 feet from curtains, papers, and furniture. These heaters also have protective coverings to prevent injury;
• Portable open-flame and kerosene space heaters and portable gas stoves are not used;
• Electric fans are inaccessible to children; and
• Heating and ventilating equipment is professionally inspected annually, or immediately should there arise a concern or malfunction. The inspection verifies that the equipment is properly installed, cleaned, and maintained.

Guidance:

Guidance:

• Store cleaning materials, detergents, aerosol cans, pesticides, medications, poisons, chemicals used in lawn-care treatments, and other toxic materials in their original labeled containers, entirely separated from food, and out of children's reach;
• Use these materials according to the manufacturer's instructions, only for their intended purpose, and in a manner that will not contaminate play surfaces, toys, food, or food preparation areas;
• Ensure that all medications are under lock and key, have child-protective caps, are labeled, and are stored away from food and at the proper temperature (see 45 CFR 1304.22(c) on medication administration); and
• Explain to families how to store and secure cleaning supplies and other toxic materials and medication in the home, away from children.

Guidance:

• Test emergency lighting regularly, and keep such lighting in good repair at all times;
• Use light fixtures containing shielded or shatterproof bulbs;
• Refrain from using sodium and mercury vapor lamps, as they produce toxic fumes;
• In case of a power failure, use flashlights and ensure that electrical panels and circuit breakers are readily accessible to authorized adults and that the circuits are clearly labeled; and
• Ensure that lights used in places where infants look at the ceiling are not unnecessarily harsh, bright, or glaring.

Guidance:

• Determining the size, type, placement, and number of fire extinguishers to be installed by consulting with the fire marshal or an insurance company fire loss prevention representative, and by examining local building and fire codes;
• Placing fire extinguishers in accessible locations, and ensuring that all staff are aware of those precise locations;
• Providing training to staff on the use of fire extinguishers, and posting instructions for their use on or near the extinguishers themselves;
• Servicing fire extinguishers annually, and tagging them with the service date;
• Providing education on fire prevention to children and families; and
• Ensuring that all vehicles owned, operated, or used by Head Start are equipped with working fire extinguishers.

Guidance:

• Placing smoke detectors throughout the facility, no more than 40 feet apart, and in accordance with the manufacturers' instructions;
• Testing smoke detectors and evacuation procedures monthly, and replacing smoke detector batteries at least annually;
• Complying with all smoke detector requirements in State, Tribal, or local building codes; and
• Installing and testing fire alarm systems, as prescribed by State, Tribal, or local licensing requirements.

Guidance:

• Following the recommendations of the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), including the suggestion that exits have a minimum width of 36 inches;
• Ensuring that exits are unobstructed and are not padlocked or chained shut during program hours. All exit doors operate easily and open outward;
• Having entrance and exit routes examined and approved by local fire authorities and clearly marked;
• Conducting monthly fire and evacuation drills (see 45 CFR 1304.22(a)(3));
• Having enough evacuation cribs and strollers available to evacuate infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities who cannot walk on their own, and smooth ramps on which evacuation cribs and strollers can be wheeled; and
• Providing at least two exits on each floor of a building, each of which leads to an open space at ground level.

Related Information:

Guidance:

• Vacuuming or sweeping and mopping uncarpeted floors with a sanitizing solution at least daily and when soiled;
• Sanitizing mops thoroughly before and after a day of use;
• Vacuuming carpeted areas and rugs daily, and cleaning them regularly, or whenever soiled or contaminated with body fluids, using only hypoallergenic products for cleaning;
• Cleaning and sanitizing all kitchen equipment and maintaining equipment in good condition; and
• Cleaning and sanitizing toilet rooms, flush toilets, toilet training equipment, and fixtures when soiled, or at least daily (see 45 CFR 1304.22(e)(6) about cleaning potties).

• Using outward-opening, self-closing doors, closed windows, screening and curtains, or any other effective means to prevent the entrance of flies or other air-borne insects;
• Ensuring that basement windows used for ventilation and all other openings to a basement or cellar do not permit the entry of rodents;
• Making sure that each foundation, floor, wall, ceiling, roof, window, exterior door, basement, cellar hatchway or other opening is free from cracks and holes;
• Keeping trash and garbage containers covered and in designated areas;
• Ensuring that the play areas do not provide shelter to or a breeding ground for pests; and
• Contacting the local health and sanitation department for assistance or referral for extermination, if evidence of rodents, insects, or other vermin is found.

Guidance:

• Removing lead-contaminated paint; or
• Refinishing the area with lead-free, encapsulant paint or other locally approved, nontoxic materials.

In addition, sanding, scraping, or burning of high-lead surfaces should be strictly prohibited, and agencies ensure that no paint containing hazardous quantities of lead is ever used. Lead-contaminated products are replaced immediately.

Parents are educated about the dangers of lead paint and the danger of lead contamination in other household products.

Local public health departments are good sources of information on the prevention of lead poisoning. In addition, agencies with concerns about lead paint are encouraged to seek the assistance of the Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, or knowledgeable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or Housing and Urban Development (HUD) authorities.

Guidance:

• Ensure that playgrounds and playground equipment are designed, installed, inspected, and maintained with the children's safety in mind so that the equipment does not pose the threat of serious falls and will not pinch, crush, or entrap the head or any part of a child's body or clothing;
• Install all playground equipment in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions over shock-absorbing materials, and securely anchor equipment to the ground;
• Check with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission regarding proper surfaces surrounding playground equipment and any recalls of equipment; and
• Situate equipment so that the clearance space allocated to one piece of equipment does not encroach on that allocated for another piece of equipment; and locate moving equipment, such as swings, toward the edge or corner of a play area or design the space in another way to protect children from running into the path of moving equipment.
• When using a park or an area owned by others, staff advocate for appropriate equipment and surfaces to protect all community users.

Guidance:

Guidance:

• Windows and glass door panels in rooms used by children have safety guards (e.g., rails or mesh) or are constructed of safety-grade glass or polymer;
• Windows that can be opened are equipped with child-proof devices that do not block natural light, and are screened when open, so that children cannot pass through the windows or become stuck in any way; and
• All glass doors are marked with opaque tape or other materials to help avoid accidents. Families are encouraged to place stickers on glass doors in the home and to ensure that doors and windows that open to the outside are properly secured with screens and child-proof safety devices.

Guidance:

Related Information:

Guidance:

• Provide accessible toilets and sinks at a ratio of roughly 1 to 10 for toddlers and preschool children. A maximum toilet height of 11 inches and a maximum hand sink height of 22 inches are recommended; use step stools or low platforms where toilets or handwashing facilities are too high;
• Supervise children during toileting and handwashing;
• Ensure that every toilet room door can be easily opened by children from the inside and the outside;
• Make a hand washing sink accessible to each classroom and group of infants;
• Use utility sinks for rinsing soiled clothing or for cleaning toilet training equipment; and
• Provide a separate sink large enough for washing and sanitizing mops and cleaning equipment.
• Agencies maintain diapering areas as follows:
• Ensure that they are not located in dental hygiene or food preparation areas, and are never used for the temporary placement or serving of food;
• Ensure that they are located in areas separate from adult bathrooms;
• Ensure that changing tables have impervious, nonabsorbent, clean surfaces; and are sturdy, at an appropriate height for adults to work at when standing, and equipped with railings;
• Include storage areas close to or within the diapering area for clean diapers, wipes, gloves, and other supplies;
• When cloth diapers are used, dispose of the solid waste contents in toilets before placing the diapers in a proper soiled diaper receptacle; and
• Provide handwashing sinks adjacent to the diaper changing tables.

Guidance:

Related Information:

Guidance:

• To store and dispose of garbage safely, agencies:
• Keep garbage and trash in labeled, plastic-lined, tightly covered containers that do not leak liquids and that are inaccessible to children;
• Remove garbage and trash from rooms used by children, staff, families, or volunteers on a daily basis, and remove it from the premises at least twice weekly or at other frequencies required by the local health authority;
• Keep all waste materials away from children's indoor and outdoor activity areas and from areas used for the storage or preparation of food;
• Refer disposal problems to the local sanitation and public works department; and
• Do not discharge raw or treated wastes on ground surfaces.
• The following procedures are for the disposal of soiled diapers:
• Store soiled diapers in containers separate from other waste;
• Provide a sufficient number of diaper containers to hold all of the diapers that accumulate between periods of removal from the premises; and
• Use separately labeled containers for disposable diapers, cloth diapers, and soiled clothes and linens.

Related Information:

Guidance:

• Ensuring that facilities are accessible to persons with disabilities by making needed accommodations such as ramps and railings, wider pathways, and wheel-chair accessible toilets, sinks, and drinking fountains;
• Accommodating special diets or feeding needs (see 45 CFR 1304.23(a)(2) for additional information);
• Implementing emergency evacuation procedures that will ensure the safety of children with disabilities, by making any necessary accommodations to the evacuation procedures;
• Ensuring consistency and stability of the physical environment for children with visual or hearing impairments; and
• Providing appropriate space for children who may require individual therapy or activities.

Rationale:

Related Information:

Guidance:

• Purchase a variety of equipment, toys, materials, and furniture that are suitable for the children in the program;
• Assist families in identifying materials in the home that are safe and durable and facilitate children's learning and exploration; agencies may supplement home materials with agency purchased supplies, such as construction paper, paste, and crayons;
• Ensure that a variety of appropriate kinds of equipment, toys, materials, and furniture is available in sufficient quantity to avoid excessive competition and long waits;
• Ensure that appropriate equipment, toys, materials, and furniture are available for group socialization activities; and
• Ensure that infant and toddler areas are equipped with diaper changing tables, safe cribs with clean bedding for each infant, and safe, clean cots or mats for each toddler in care.

Related Information:

Guidance:

• Choose materials that include art supplies, musical instruments, construction materials, dramatic play props, books, and equipment for gross motor activities;
• Ensure that toys and materials are responsive to the children's interests and abilities;
• Ensure that toys are scaled to a size appropriate to the children who use them;
• Provide a variety of climbing structures and steps as well as other structures that are safe for exploration;
• Pay attention to the number and kinds of toys available at any one time to infants and toddlers to avoid confusion, and rotate the selection of toys to provide variety and new experiences; and
• In outdoor environments, provide a variety of materials, equipment and structures for climbing, riding, pushing, pulling, and digging as well as materials that extend indoor activities, such as art or dramatic play, to the outdoors.

Related Information:

Guidance:

• Use materials and toys that demonstrate acceptance of each child's gender, family, race, language, and culture;
• Establish and maintain environments which reflect and support the culture(s) of the children;
• Provide appropriate objects that the children see and use in their homes and community; and
• Develop the outdoor area so that it safely utilizes the natural environment, adding culturally relevant structures and materials when possible.

Guidance:

• 45 CFR 1304.21(a)(1)(i) on creating a child development and education approach that is developmentally appropriate,
• 45 CFR 1304.21(a)(5)(iii) on providing an environment supportive of children with special needs,
• 45 CFR 1304.21(c)(1)(i) for information on supporting each child's individual pattern of learning and development,
• 45 CFR 1304.53(b)(1) and 1304.53(b)(1)(i) for guidance on the provision of appropriate and sufficient equipment, toys, materials, and furniture that support the specific educational objectives of the local program,
• 45 CFR 1304.53(a)(10)(x) and (b)(1)(vi) on the safety of indoor and outdoor furniture, toys, equipment, and materials, and
• 45 CFR 1308.4(f) and 1308.4(o)(6) for information on providing appropriate furniture, equipment, and materials for children with disabilities.

Related Information:

Guidance:

• Provide easily accessible learning materials, on low shelves, that children can explore by themselves;
• Ensure that materials possess interesting shapes, textures, and colors that invite play, exploration and learning;
• Use equipment and furniture that is child-sized, age-appropriate and adaptable for children's use; and
• Select equipment and materials that are designed to give children choices.

Guidance:

• 45 CFR 1304.21 for guidance on the standards related to Education and Early Child Development,
• 45 CFR 1304.53(b)(1)(i) on supporting the specific educational objectives of the program, and
• 45 CFR 1304.53(b)(1)(iv) related to the accessibility and attractiveness of equipment, toys, materials, and furniture.

Related Information:

Guidance:

• All toys and equipment are approved for use by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, or another organization that sets children's safety standards;
• Furniture does not have sharp edges, and is anchored to the ground, if light enough for young children to turn over;
• Equipment and furniture is inviting to the children and also sturdy enough to support non-walkers, thus allowing them to pull themselves up;
• Each child is provided his or her own crib;
• To assure the safety and comfort of children, stacked cribs are not used;
• Infant walkers are not used, because of the considerable risk of injury;
• Care is taken to supervise children when they play with games and toys that have small parts that may be swallowed;
• All equipment is installed in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions; and
• A comprehensive maintenance program is implemented for toys, equipment and furnishings; the frequency of inspection and repair of individual items will depend upon the type of equipment and the amount of use it gets.

Guidance:

• Each activity area has its own storage space;
• Reserve as much space as possible for children's use by storing materials in locations not used by children;
• Ensure that bookcases and other shelves cannot be pulled over by children;
• Provide storage space for all adaptive equipment for children with disabilities;
• Ensure that adult materials and equipment, such as scissors, staplers, electrical appliances, and knives, are inaccessible to children; and
• Store outdoor equipment, such as tricycles, bicycles, balls, and sand tools, in a shed or other enclosed storage space, to protect these items, as well as to keep the outdoor area free of clutter.

Guidance:

Rationale:

Guidance:

• Counseling pregnant mothers to obtain early and medically recommended prenatal care, to avoid the use of drugs and alcohol, to refrain from smoking during pregnancy, and to breast feed whenever possible;
• Ensuring that infants receive regular well-baby health visits, and that they are immunized on the recommended schedule;
• Placing non-mobile infants on their backs, rather than on their stomachs or sides to sleep;
• Using firm mattresses and avoiding the use of cushions, soft fluffy blankets, comforters, sheepskins, and pillows;
• Avoiding the use of soft toys, cushions, stuffed animals or other soft materials where infants sleep;
• Maintaining a smoke-free environment;
• Avoiding overdressing infants or overheating rooms where infants play and sleep; and
• Burping infants properly during and after a feeding, before they are put to sleep.

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