Child Care Centers & Schools

CHILD CARE CENTERS & SCHOOLS

Young children are more likely to suffer from communicable diseases because their immune systems are still developing.  Children in child care centers and schools are in close contact with each other, making it easy for illnesses to spread.  A facility and work practices that help stop the spread of disease are vital.   Child care centers are inspected twice a year while schools are inspected once a year. Online health inspections are available soon after the inspection is completed.  Customers are encouraged to check the current sanitation of any child care center or school.

If you own or operate one of these facilities in Jackson County, you should familiarize yourself with the State rules around operating schools and the State rules around operating child care facilities.

Child Care Centers

If you are buying, building, or remodeling a child care facility, complete the following steps:

  1. Call Jackson County Environmental Health at 828-587-8250 or -8253 to find out what is required prior to making your purchase or starting construction

  2. If your establishment has onsite well and septic, make sure they are approved first. To learn more about the onsite application process, click here.

  3. Complete the Application for a Child Care Center

  4. Submit the application as well as plans drawn to scale to Jackson County Environmental Health for review and approval prior to initiating construction

  5. Franchise operations shall submit plans drawn to scale to the Children Environmental Health Branch

If your plans to build or remodel involve food service, click here to learn about Food Service Plan Review.

Schools

Jackson County Environmental Health does not review plans for schools. Jackson County Environmental Health only conducts inspections for schools.