Childcare Centers
The
Childcare Center Inspection Program is designed to protect the
health of children by preventing the spread
of disease in childcare centers. This program is a partnership between the
Department of Health and the Florida Department of Children and Families. Click
here to find out
What you need to know
(17kb;
pdf)
to learn more about the licensing process.
The
Florida
Department of Children and Families
has primary responsibility in ensuring that children
are well cared for in a
safe, healthy, positive and educational environment by trained, qualified child
care staff.
The Escambia County Health Department’s responsibility lies in regulating the
sanitation, safety and
food hygiene practices in these centers.
Please find the
Department of Health criteria
describing the definitions of a childcare center. The Department of Health’s
governing authority for this program is
Florida Administrative Code 65C-22
and
Florida Statute 381.006.
The Sanitation and Safety Inspections
require use of the
DOH Childcare Inspection Form(788kb;
pdf)
and are conducted in Escambia County childcare centers
twice a year. The Inspection process
entails (but is not limited to the):
-
Inspection of diaper changing areas to assure proper sanitation measures are
taken
-
Inspection of facility bathrooms for functional sewage disposal and hand
washing areas
-
Inspection of signage promoting proper hand washing and disease prevention
-
Inspection of Vermin Control Records
-
Inspection of Immunization Records
-
Proof of Required Childcare Training
-
Proof of Childcare Licensing
-
Inspection of general safety practices
The Food Hygiene Inspections are conducted
twice a year for those serving non-potentially hazardous food (snacks). Those
serving potentially hazardous foods are inspected quarterly. The Inspection
process entails (but is not limited to the):
-
Proper food preparation and handling to prevent food cross contamination
-
Proper storage of food items to assure food is kept at the proper
temperature
What
to do if you have a complaint regarding the sanitation, safety or food hygiene
of a Childcare Center:
-
Call our Childcare Inspector at 850-595-6700.
-
The Inspector will contact the Childcare Facility and initiate an
investigation.
Childcare Training
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