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WPA xfchnical Series
Public Activities Circular No. 22
Education Circular No. 8
August |U, 19^-1
FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY
WORK PROJECTS ADM INlSTRATI ON
DivisTon of Community Service Programs
Public Activities Progfwis
Washington, D. C.
a29s2
A2982
FOREWORD
This circular provides a suggested operating
technique for the establishment and operation of Public
Child Care Centers in connection with the Family Life
Education Program,
Local conditions and special requirements may
necessitate minor changes, but in general the procedure
should be in accordance with the outline herein presented.
Nothing in this circular is to be construed as
affecting or modifying in any way administrative procedures
of the Work Projects Administration,
Howard 0. Hunter
Commissioner of Work Projects
A2982
Education Circular Ho, 8
Sections 1, 2
PUBLIC CHILD CARE CENTERS
Section 1. General Public Child Care Centers may be established as
a part of the family Life Education Program,
The defense program has emphasized the need for conservation of
homes, strengthening of family morale, and assistance wherever possible
in child care. In addition to women normally employed, thousands of
women are going into industries connected with defense preparations.
Most of these working mothers have two or more children below school
age who must be cared for during the hours the mothers are employed.
There are also many children from homes where there is no employ¬
ment and where children are in actual physical want as well as in a
state of insecurity due to the insecurity of parents. Public Child Care
Centers nay be established to provide this care in accordance with
the instructions contained in the following sections.
Being part of the Education Program, Public Child Care Centers shall
be sponsored in accordance with the regulations governing sponsorship
of all other Education Program activities.
Section 2. Objectives Public Child Care Centers shall be operated for
the purpose of:
1. Providing care for children under 6 years of age
from low-income homes wrhose mothers are employed.
2. Assisting parents in learning what care is essential
by:
(a) Providing contact with family life education
leaders,
(b) Providing a situation where parents can observe
how good care is given,
(c) Providing opportunities for broadened under¬
standing of the various phases of family relation¬
ships and their effects upon family living.
A2982
Education Circular No. 8
Sections 5, 6
Section 5, Muc.atio.nal Supervision As these centers deal with the
pre—school child, they are to he under the supervision of the State technical
supervisor of nursery schools and should he in close contact with the Family
Life Education Training Center,
Section 6, Project Personnel All project personnel, except volunteer
assistants and assistants furnished hy the National Youth Administration,
should he assigned in accordance with the provisions of Operating Procedure
No, E-9, It is important that all project personnel and assistants ho
selected so as to insure services to the children and their parents consistent
with the purposo for which these centers are organized.
A, Staff In no case shall a Public Child Care Center operate with
less than two staff members, of whom one shall he a "Teacher (Nursery School
Education)," and if the number of children exceeds 30 children, it
is desirable that there ho three members. The size of the staff should
vary according to the number of children enrolled and the housing facilities.
Where the staff includes two or more teachers, one teacher should be designated
as in charge of the group. Where nurses are available, one may be assigned.
Often one nurse may serve two or more centers or units.
B, Qualifications of Teachers Persons assigned as teachers should
present the qualifications set forth for "Teacher (Nursery School Education)"
in accordance with the provisions of Appendix A of Operating Procedure No. E-9.
C, Qualifications of Assistants Assistants shall be selected from
persons volunteering their services for this purpose and from those offered
by the National Youth Administration, Preference shall be given to persons
who have had training and/or experience in working with young children,
either in the field of education, social work, or public health. Persons
selected should give evidence of good physical health.
National Youth Administration helpers should be used in the Public
Child Care Centers under the same conditions as those pertaining to nursery
schools. (See Technical Series Educational Circular No. 3, "Scope aid Activi¬
ties of the Nursery School Program.")
A2&82 Education Circular No. 8
Sections 7, 8
Section 7, Training There shall "be a continuous in-service
training "by which the staff members will continually improve the
qualify of their service. This training will vary from State to State
and from place to place, and can "best he worked out after a study of
the needs of the particular staff for which it is planned. This in—service
training shall he the responsibility of the State technical supervisor of
nursery schools. Where regular training courses are organized, the time
of the workers' attendance may he counted as part of the workers' regular
working time and may he credited to preparation. Where a Eamily Life
Education Training Center is available in which training is given under
technical supervision, it should he utilized.
Section 8. Physical Eacilitios Public Child Care Centers shall
he housed in buildings which are publicly owned or which have been leased
by or officially loaned to the sponsoring agency. They may be housed in
settlement or community houses, churches, public school buildings, etc.
All space should be adequate as to light and sunshine, size, sanita¬
tion, and safety. Space assigned to the Public Child Care Center should
be sot aside for its exclusive use during the Center's hours of session.
Provision should bo made for space for play, sleeping, isolation, and cooking.
The rooms used should be near enough to the play yard that children
going to and from them shall at all times be in sight of the loader.
Rooms should preferably be on the ground floor.
The protection against fire should meet the regulations as set
up by the local fire ordinance.
A2982 Education Circular No.8
Section 8
Page 2
Stairways and stair wells should ho safeguarded.
Toilet facilities should be near the rooms and outdoor space
used. There should bo at least one toilet scat and wash basin for each
10 children. If adult-size toilets arc used, small sanitary seats should
be placed on top. Small stools or wooden boxes can be used in front of
toilet scats and wash basins to make them easily accessible to children.
Some sort of cleaning service should be available to keep them sanitary
at all time, Where outside toilets are used, they should be as sanitary
and hygienic as it is possible to moke thorn. Sidewalks or cinder or
gravel paths should be provided if this has not already been done.
■^2982 Education Circular No. 8
Section 9
Section 9. Sponsorshj-p Public Child Care Center projects shall
be under the sponsorship of the public education authorities. Services
of physicians as well as housing, rent, heat, fuel for cooking, and
play equipment shall be furnished by the sponsor or co-sponsor. Services
of nurses shall be furnished by the sponsor or co-sponsor wherever
possible, but if this is not possible and nurses are available, they
nay be assigned in accordance with the provisions of section 6, sub¬
section A, of this release. Because of specialized needs in Public
Child Care Centers, sponsors' contributions should also include
necessary provisions for laundering of bedding, towels, and wash cloths,
and transportation to and from the center when the distance makes it
necessary, such transportation being in accord with local and state
regulations.
In addition, sponsors shall be responsible for food and fruit
juices. Federal funds have not been allocated for food for Public Child
Care Centers, therefore food must be provided by sponsors. Menus for
well-planned meals at low cost for young children will be furnished
by the State technical supervisor of mmsery schools.
Before the opening of the project, the sponsor shall submit in
writing to the State WPA office:
1, The plan whereby food is to be provided.
2, The full description of rooms to bo used.
3, The plan by which equipment is to be provided
No Public Child Care Center shall be opened until evidence is given
that adequate provision has been made for its organization.
A2982
Education Circular No. 8
Section 10
Page 1
Section 10. Project Operation The following instructions
outline standards of enrollment and work organization of Public Child Care
Centers.
Enrollment and Age Range All children enrolled in Public Child
Care Center shall come from families on relief or similar low-
income groups where the mother is working. low-income groups shall be
understood to mean families in wage brackets similar to the security
wage and showing needs similar to those certified for public relief.
Public Child Care Centers shall not duplicate services given by kinder¬
gartens, WPA nursery schools, or day nurseries, nor shall they in any way
compete with any regular public or private agencies. All children shall
be enrolled for regular attendance.
1.. Public Child Care Centers may enroll children under 6 years
from families on relief or similar low-income groups
where mothers are employed on salaries similar to the
security wage.
2. Children may be from families where mothers are employed
on other WPA projects, or in industries connected with
defense preparations, or in other industries when the
family is in the low-income bracket.
3. Children attending kindergartens in the community which
are organized for half-day sessions only may attend the
Public Child Care Centers for the other half-day when they
are otherwise eligible, but attendance at the Public Child
Care Centers must at no time replace kindergarten atten¬
dance.
B. Crouping of Children Public Child Care Centers are designed for
the age range 18 months to 6 years. They may include 5— and-. 6-ycar olds
only when there is no other provision for these children in the regular
agencies, such as public schools, or when there is no one in the home
to care for them after school hours. The standards of enrollment set up
by the National Association of Day Nurseries and the Child Welfare League
of America shall be followed;
One staff member for each 12 to 15 children 2 to 3 years in¬
clusive.
One staff member for each 18 to 25 children 4 years and over.
When the age range is wide, the children nearest the same age
level should be grouped together and the schedule for the day's
activities set up so that all groups can receive adequate care. It
is generally suggested that the age range from the youngest to the
oldest shall not exceed 3 years.
A2982
Education Circular :To, 8
Section 10
Page 2
<5
C» Xength of Day The day shall "be such as is made necessary
by the hours of employment of the mothers. Children will usually
be left by mothers on their way to work and called for when the
working day is over. Such arrangements for the working hours of
the staff shall be made as makes this possible, providing for the
staggering of the staff where it is necessary.
E* Health Care One of the most vital phases of any program
planned for young children is its health asrject, which should be con¬
sidered in setting up the physical environment and in planning all
of the routine and play activities. There should be plenty of sun¬
shine, fresh air, water for drinking, rest, and medical care. Such
attention shall be given to the health care of the children enrolled as
insures satisfactory protection in accordance with standards of public
health service.
1* Physical Examination Because young children are
highly susceptible to contagious diseases it is of
utmost importance that when they meet in groups
great care be taken. To this end, it is advisable
that each child have a complete physical examina¬
tion before he is enrolled in the group, or as soon
thereafter as is possible.
2. Daily Health Inspection Each child should receive
an inspection each day before he enters the group.
Since the services of a nurse may not be available,
the leader of the group shall be instructed by some
qualified person, such as a doctor or nurse from some
health agency, as to how the daily inspection should
be given. This inspection should include any examina¬
tion necessary to detect redness or swelling of the
throat, swelling of the glands of neck, moisture cr
clogging of the nose, moisture or redness of the eyes,
moisture or swelling in the ears, rash or other deviation
from the normal in the condition of the skin, and any
scalp condition as pediculosis (lice).
Health services may be secured from local, county,
or State departments of health, and medical societies,
the Red Cross, Visiting ITurse Association, free clinics,
facilities provided ,by organization with which the unit
is housed, etc.
Pollow-up contact should be made with the hone in
the event the child is ill. If the family cannot afford
a private physician, the center should be able to put
then in touch with the services of health agencies.
A2982
Education Circular No. 8
Section 10
Page 3
Such measures as seen advisable should be taken to
secure the best health protection possible for the
children.
3»- Isolation If a child is found to be ailing, and if
there is anyone in the hone to care from him, he should
be taken there. Because these are children of working
mothers, often there will be no one in the hone who can
be responsible for a child during the day. Therefore it
is necessary to have an isolation roon v/here the child
can be cared for until he can be removed to his home,
4, Medical and Dental Care During the child's attendance,
provision for these services should be made, at all times
making every use of all community agencies interested in
health care.
E. Standards of Operation While there will be variation in standards
nevertheless Public Child Care Centers should be maintained only where
the minimum conditions of plant, equipment, playground, safety and staff
services are met at the beginning of the program and where there is indis¬
putable evidence of continued effort toward improvement.
1. Play Play forms such a large nart of the young child's
life that anything which is related to it affects his
present as well as his future physical, mental, emotional,
and social well-being.
a. Unorganized Play The child on the pre-school
level is interested in the activities of the
world he knows—his family and the individuals
of the community with whom he comes in contact.
He re-lives in his play the grocer, the postman
going about his duties etc. There should be
ample opportunity for free, experimental, and
dramatic play in this group and only the loose
organization that comes when a child calls in
other members of the group in certain forms of
cooperative play.
Organized games and rhythms belong to older
children at the period when the child has become
group conscious. The younger child should be
allowed to play freely. It is especially important
that, though the adult is handling a group of
children, there must be provision for each child
to develop at his own rate as an individual. Regi¬
mentation of any kind should be avoided.
A2982
Education Circular No. 8
Soction 10
Pag - 4
There should "be varieties of play equipment
in order to meet individual interests and needs
within tho group. For educationally sound play
materials for outdoor and indoor use, see Nursery
School Bulletins No. 2 on Housing and Equipment*
and No. 5 (Supplement to No. 2).Nursery School
Equipment.*
b. Outdoor Play Space It is advisable that the
children be out-of-doors as much as possible.
Therefore such play space is very important. It
should be large enough to permit children freedom
for running with a minimum of interference. The
space recommended is 50 to 100 square feet per
child. It should allow for a maximum amount of
sunshine and fresh air, and be free from glass or
sharp stones ana dampness underfoot. It should be
enclosed by some sort of fencing to insure safety
and protection for the children.
c. Indoor Space When young children play together in
large numbers it is desirable to have then rest occa¬
sionally indoors. Since, further, there are days when
because of inclement weather the children must play
inside, adequacy of indoor play space must be con¬
sidered, Approximately 35 square feet per child is
recommended.
There should be such window space that the rooms
may be properly ventilated and lighted and that arti¬
ficial lighting need be resorted to only on the darkest
-days.
There should be a heating system which will maintain
an even temperature of 55 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prinking water should be accessible. There should
be individual glasses or china cups. These should
be washed in hot soapy water, or other provisions should
be made for sterilizing them. Otherwise paper cups
are suggested. Individual towels either of cloth or
paper should be provided for the children.
♦National Advisory Committee on Nursery Schools. Bulletin No. 2, 10
cents; Bulletin No. 5, 25 cents. Distributed by the Association for Child¬
hood Education, 1201 Sixteenth Streets N.W., Washington, D. C.
A2982 Education Circular No, 8
Section 10
Page 5
Individual locker space or at least hooks
should "be provided for each child's wraps. Since
he should learn to hang up his own wraps, hooks
should "oe placed low and lockers sturdily "built,
2# Equipment That suitable for young children is sot forth
in Nursery School Bulletins No. 2, Housing and Equiunmt.
and No, 5 (Supplement to No, 2), Nursery School Equipment
previously mentioned.
E, Parent Education Since the young child must be considered as
a whole in the light of his experience 24 hours a day, and since because
of his immaturity his life is largely identified with his home and his
family, parent education shall be regarded as an integral part of the
program of Public Child Care Centers,
Workers should, to the fullest extent possible, cooperate with
those specialists m this field -who are already conducting such programs
in their communities. Such leadership may be found through contacting
Parent-Teacher Associations,, the American Association of University
Women, child study groups, and child welfare groups, as well as such
other phases of the WPA programs as Farent Education, Adult Education,
and Homemaking Education courses.