CDC Licensing Regulations & Professional Ethics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A parent asks a daycare director to waive the required immunization records for their child, claiming religious exemption. What is the legally correct response?
- Accept the verbal claim and admit the child immediately
- Request the state-approved religious exemption form and follow state law before enrollment (Correct answer)
- Deny admission regardless of any exemption
- Allow a 60-day grace period without documentation
Correct answer: Request the state-approved religious exemption form and follow state law before enrollment
Most states permit religious exemptions but require a specific written form that must be submitted before or at enrollment per licensing regulations.
Question 2: Under NAEYC's Code of Ethical Conduct, what is the primary obligation when a colleague is observed using harmful disciplinary practices?
- Report it to parents first before speaking to the colleague
- Ignore it unless a child is visibly injured
- Address the behavior directly with the colleague and, if unresolved, report to a supervisor (Correct answer)
- Document it privately but take no immediate action
Correct answer: Address the behavior directly with the colleague and, if unresolved, report to a supervisor
NAEYC's Code requires professionals to intervene when they observe practices that harm children, starting with the colleague and escalating as needed.
Question 3: A licensed daycare facility must renew its license annually. If the renewal application is submitted after the expiration date, the facility must:
- Continue operating while the renewal is processed
- Cease operations immediately until a new license is issued (Correct answer)
- Operate with reduced enrollment only
- Pay a fee and continue operating with written permission from the director
Correct answer: Cease operations immediately until a new license is issued
Operating a daycare after license expiration is illegal in most states; the facility must close until a valid license is obtained.
Question 4: Which federal law requires daycare providers who receive federal funding to conduct criminal background checks on all staff?
- Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act (Correct answer)
- Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
- Title IX of the Education Amendments
- Head Start Act only
Correct answer: Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act
The CCDBG Act of 2014 mandates comprehensive background checks for all staff at facilities receiving federal childcare subsidies.
Question 5: A daycare provider discovers a staff member has been sharing photos of children on personal social media without parental consent. The ethical and legal first step is to:
- Ask the staff member to delete the photos and monitor their behavior
- Immediately suspend or terminate the staff member and notify affected families (Correct answer)
- Notify parents only if they ask about their child's photos
- Review the photos to determine if they are harmful before acting
Correct answer: Immediately suspend or terminate the staff member and notify affected families
Sharing children's photos without consent violates privacy laws and facility policy; immediate action and parental notification are required.
Question 6: State licensing regulations typically specify a maximum group size for toddlers (ages 18–36 months). What is the primary reason for this requirement?
- To limit facility liability in case of injury
- To ensure each child receives adequate supervision and individualized attention (Correct answer)
- To comply with fire safety occupancy limits only
- To reduce facility operating costs
Correct answer: To ensure each child receives adequate supervision and individualized attention
Group size limits are designed to ensure caregivers can adequately supervise and respond to each toddler's developmental and safety needs.
Question 7: A licensed home daycare provider wants to add two more children beyond her licensed capacity for just one week while another provider is ill. This is:
- Permissible if parents of existing children provide written consent
- A violation of licensing regulations and subject to fines or license revocation (Correct answer)
- Allowed under an emergency waiver that the provider can self-grant
- Permissible as long as a substitute caregiver is present
Correct answer: A violation of licensing regulations and subject to fines or license revocation
Licensed capacity limits are legally binding; exceeding them without official approval is a licensing violation regardless of the reason.
CDC Licensing Regulations & Professional Ethics 2
A parent asks a daycare director to waive the required immunization records for their child, claiming religious exemption.
What is the legally correct response?