​​Child Care Sanitation  

Child care arrangements in Mecklenburg County are regulated by both the County Health Department and NC Division of Child Development:

• N.C. Sanitation Regulations apply for child care facilities licensed for six or more fulltime children.
  
• County Sanitation Regulations apply for child care arrangements licensed for less than six fulltime children. 
  

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Sanitation

Sanitation addresses the physical and operational environment of child day cares as it applies to environmental health and safety. Other child care concerns such as immunization, nutrition, child-staff ratios, education curriculum, and abuse/neglect are addressed by the Division of Child Develop​ment & Early Education or other agencies such as the Communicable Disease Program of the Health Department.

Sanitation Signs Available for Use

• Hand Wash Sign(Procedimiento del Lavado de Manos)

• Diaper Changing Sign(Procedimientos para el cambio de Pañales)

Plan review is necessary for any child care center that is either renovating, remodeling, building a new facility, a change of ownership, or increasing the number of children the license permits. A plan review packet may be requested from this program that will include an application, minimum sanitation requirements and a sheet of helpful information. The application and a set of architectural-quality plans may be submitted by mail or brought to the office.

Plans must be drawn to scale and include details of the facility. Directions are included in the packet concerning plan specifications. Within 2 weeks of opening, the facility will be inspected and a grade card given.

If a plan review is needed, click here:

Inspections

Sanitation inspections are conducted, unannounced, at least twice a year by authorized Environmental Health Specialists (EHS) employed in the local Health Department. Child care sanitation ratings can be searched online.

Learn more about inspections.