§ 15.1-2 — Definitions

Sec. 15.1-2. - Definitions.

The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: Accessible means capable of being entered, reached, or used. Adult means any individual eighteen (18) years of age or older. Age-appropriate means suitable to the chronological age and individual needs of a child. Assistant means an individual who helps the provider or substitute provider in the care, protection, supervision, education, and guidance to children in the home. Attendance means the actual presence of an enrolled child. Body fluids means urine, feces, vomit, blood, saliva, nasal discharge, and tissue discharge. Caregiver means an individual who provides care, protection, supervision, and guidance to children in the home and includes the provider, substitute provider, and assistant. Child means any person under eighteen (18) years of age. Child day program means a regularly operating service arrangement for children where, during the absence of a parent or guardian, a person or organization has agreed to assume responsibility for the supervision, protection, wellbeing, and education of a child under the age of thirteen (13) for less than a twenty-four (24) hour period. Child with special needs means a child with developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance, sensory or motor impairment, or significant chronic illness who requires special health surveillance or specialized programs, interventions, technologies, or facilities. City manager means the City Manager of the City of Norfolk. Cleaned means treated in such a way as to remove dirt and debris by scrubbing and washing with soap and water or detergent solution and rinsing with water. Communicable disease means a disease caused by a microorganism (bacterium, virus, fungus, or parasite) that can be transmitted from person to person via an infected body fluid or respiratory spray, with or without an intermediary agent (such as a louse, mosquito) or environmental object (such as a table surface). Some communicable diseases are reportable to the local health authority. Corrective action plan means a written plan listing non-compliance that details corrective actions that the licensee will take within an established period of time to address violations or actions to prevent the recurrence of violations. Department means the Norfolk Department of Human Services. Department's representative means an employee or designee of the Norfolk Department of Human Services, acting as the authorized agent of the city manager. Director means the Director of the Norfolk Department of Human Services. Evacuation means movement of occupants out of the building to a safe area near the building. Family day home means a child day program offered in the residence of the provider or the home of any of the children in care for one through twelve (12) children under the age of thirteen (13), exclusive of the provider's own children and any children who reside in the home, when at least one child receives care for compensation. Good character and reputation means knowledgeable and objective people agree that the individual (i) maintains business, professional, family, and community relationships that are characterized by honesty, fairness, and truthfulness; and (ii) demonstrates a concern for the well-being of others to the extent that the individual is considered suitable to be entrusted with the care, guidance, and protection of children. Relatives by blood or marriage, and people who are not knowledgeable of the individual, such as recent acquaintances, shall not be considered objective references. Homeless child means a child who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and who is: (a) Living in a car, park, public space, abandoned building, substandard housing, bus or train station, or similar setting; (b) Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason, sometimes referred to as doubled-up; (c) Living in motels, hotels, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations; (d) Living in congregate, temporary, emergency, or transitional shelters; (e) Awaiting or in foster care placement; (f) Abandoned in a hospital; (g) A migratory child who qualifies as homeless because the child is living in circumstances described in the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, P.L. 89-10 (20 USC § 6399); and (h) Living in a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings. Inaccessible means not capable of being entered, reached, or used. Infant means a child from birth through twenty-three (23) months of age. Lockdown means a situation where children are isolated from a security threat and access within and to the home is restricted. Nighttime care means care provided between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Parent means the biological, foster or adoptive parent, legal guardian, or any individual with responsibility for, or custody of, a child enrolled in or in the process of being enrolled in a family day home. Physician means an individual licensed to practice medicine in any of the fifty (50) states or the District of Columbia. Preschool means children from three (3) years up to the age of eligibility to attend public school, age five (5) by September 30 of that same year. Programmatic experience means time spent working directly with children in a group that is located away from the child's home. Work time shall be computed on the basis of full-time work experience during the period prescribed or equivalent work time over a longer period. Experience settings may include a child day program, family day home, child day center, boys and girls club, field placement, elementary school, or a faith-based organization. Provider means an individual who is issued the family day home license by the department of human services and who has primary responsibility in providing care, protection, supervision, education, and guidance of children in the family day home. Relocation means movement of occupants of the building to a safe location away from the vicinity of the building. Residence means principal legal dwelling or abode that is occupied for living purposes by the provider and contains the facilities necessary for sleeping, eating, cooking, and family living. Sanitized means treated in such a way as to remove bacteria and viruses from inanimate surfaces through first cleaning and secondly using a solution of one tablespoon of bleach mixed with one gallon of water and prepared fresh daily or using a sanitizing solution approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The surface of the item is sprayed or dipped into the sanitizing solution and then allowed to air dry for a minimum of two (2) minutes or according to the sanitizing solution instructions. School age means eligible to attend public school, age five (5) or older by September 30 of that same year. Serious injury means a wound or other specific damage to the body that requires medical attention beyond basic first aid, such as unconsciousness; broken bones; dislocation; deep cut requiring stitches; poisoning; concussion; and a foreign object lodged in eye, nose, ear, or other body orifice. Shaken baby syndrome or abusive head trauma means a traumatic injury that is inflicted upon the brain of an infant or young child. The injury can occur during violent shaking, causing the child's head to whip back and forth, the brain to move about, and blood vessels in the skull to stretch and tear. Shelter-in-place means movement of occupants of the building to designated protected spaces within the building. Staff means administrative, activity, and service personnel including the licensee when the licensee is an individual who works in the family day home, and any persons counted in the staff-to-child ratios or any persons working with a child without sight and sound supervision of a staff member. Substitute provider means an individual who meets the qualifications of a provider; is designated by the provider; and who provides care, protection, supervision, education, and guidance for children in the family day home when the provider is absent from the home for more than two (2) hours. Time out means a discipline technique in which a child is moved for a brief time away from the stimulation and reinforcement of ongoing activities and other children in the group to allow the child who is losing self-control to regain composure. Toddler means a child who is two (2) years old. Violation means a breach or infraction of a licensing law or rule. Violation is sometimes referred to as noncompliance.

(Ord. No. 49,907, § 1, 3-25-25)