Regulation .10 Basic Life Needs.

Serve food that meets or exceeds the children's recommended dietary allowances as established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences;

Maintain at least a 72-hour supply of food in accordance with the planned menu;

Maintain nonperishable food items in the event of an emergency, in accordance with the licensee’s emergency preparedness plan;

Provide each child three meals each day, which are approved by a registered dietician and offer nutritious between-meal snacks, with not more than 14 hours between dinner and breakfast the following day;

Offer approved supplementary or modified nutritionally sufficient diets for religious, cultural, life philosophy, or health reasons, as appropriate;

Prohibit forced feeding of or withholding of food from a child as a form of discipline;

Ensure that if employees are served food from the facility, it shall be the same food as that served to the children;

Observe the applicable requirements of the Maryland Department of Health and local health departments; and

Design menus that:

Have and observe a written policy concerning a child’s personal funds which addresses:

Make an inventory of the child's personal funds and other belongings upon admission, and update the inventory as needed;

Treat money earned by a child or received by the child as a gift or as an allowance as the child's personal property;

Account for and maintain a child's personal funds separate from program funds;

Transfer a child’s personal funds to the child within 5 business days of discharge from the program;

As applicable, deduct reasonable sums from a child's allowance as restitution for damage done, if the practice is consistent with the licensee’s program and written restitution policy; and

Ensure that restitution shall be paid from the child’s personal funds in accordance with the child’s court order.

Ensure that the children have an adequate supply of clean, comfortable, well-fitting clothes, and shoes for indoor and outdoor wear;

Treat a child's clothing as the child's personal property;

Allow a child to be involved, as appropriate, in the selection, care, and maintenance of the child's clothing;

Use donated clothing only if suitable and in good condition; and

Transfer a child's clothing to the child upon discharge.

The licensee shall have a policy regarding personal belongings that will:

The licensee may limit the size, value, or type of personal belongings that a child may bring to the program.

Instruct the children in good habits of personal care, hygiene, and grooming; and

Provide each child with culture-specific and gender-specific hygiene products, including, but not limited to:

Establish and follow routines for waking the children and putting them to bed; and

Provide children the opportunity each night for at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep, except in the event of an emergency or drill.