Sec.19a-87b-13. Office Access, Inspections and Investigations

(a) Access

The provider, assistant, emergency caregiver or substitute shall allow the Office immediate access during customary business hours to the facility named on the license whenever the Office seeks to perform an inspection. Photo identification of the Office staff member shall be provided upon request. If consent is not granted, the Office shall not enter the home. Any failure to allow immediate access during customary business hours to the facility is deemed substantial noncompliance with this regulation and is an automatic ground for the commissioner to initiate license suspension or revocation proceedings.

(b) Inspection of Facility

The provider or substitute shall allow the Office to inspect, upon request, any part of the facility during the performance of an inspection during customary business hours. If consent is not granted to inspect any part of the facility, the Office shall not inspect that part of the facility. However, failure to allow a complete inspection may be grounds for the initiation of license suspension or revocation proceedings. Failure to respond to Office requests to schedule an inspection may constitute failure to allow a complete inspection. A copy of the inspection form shall be provided to the provider.

(c) Inspection of Records; Right to Contact Parents

The provider or substitute shall allow the Office to inspect, upon request, any records required to be maintained under sections 19a-87b-1 to 19a-87b-18, inclusive, of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, including enrollment records with information on the parents’ names, addresses and telephone numbers. The Office shall have the right at any time to contact and interview parents of any child who is receiving, or who has received, family child care services from the family child care home. With parental permission, the Office may also talk to children in care who are receiving such services or who have received said services concerning the operation of the family child care home.

(d) Announced Inspections

The Office shall make announced inspections at the facility at the time of initial application or when there is a change of circumstances affecting the provider’s license such as a move to a new address where family child care services are to be provided.

(e) Spot Inspections

The Office shall make unannounced inspections, during customary business hours, to each licensed family child care home at least once each year.

(f) Complaint Investigations

The Office shall make unannounced inspections to the family child care homes of licensed or unlicensed providers against whom complaints are lodged.

(Effective September 1, 1993; Transferred January 29, 1996; Amended March 19, 2021)