Child Care Centers

The Environmental Health section completes sanitation inspections on all childcare centers in Sampson County twice each fiscal year, and one time in each six-month period. All childcare centers are licensed by the Division of Child Development and inspections performed by this department are forwarded to their agency.

Constructing a New Child Care Center

If you are constructing a new childcare center, before initiating construction you must submit equipment specifications and the Plan Review Application to this office. 

Some of the items noted during the inspection include:

• Handwashing
• Food sources and storage, protection and service
• Kitchen requirements
• Cleaning and sanitizing of food preparation areas
• Water supply and temperatures
• Diaper-changing procedures and facility
• Storage areas
• Chemical and medicine storage
• Beds, cots and linens
• Overall cleaning and sanitizing of the facility
• Construction of the facility
• Lighting and thermal environment
• Control of communicable disease
• Outdoor learning environment and premises

A score card is posted at the center that states the classification and number of demerits noted during the inspection. A center receives a superior classification if the demerits do not exceed 15 and no six-point violations are found. The center is classified as approved if the demerit score is more than 15 but less than 30, and no six-point demerits are noted. A provisional classification is issued when the demerit score is more than 30 but does not exceed 45, or if any six-point demerit item is violated. The center has seven days to repair all provisional violations. A center is classified as disapproved if the demerit score is more than 45, or if the conditions that resulted in a provisional classification have not been repaired in the time period specified by the Department.