A bill for an act relating to child care center staff requirements for providing flex care to children up to five years of age.

HF 382 requires Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services to amend administrative rules so that child care center staff aged 16 or older may provide "flex care" (child care during nap times or brief supervision gaps) to children under five without needing additional adult supervision. This directly affects Iowa child care centers that serve children up to age five, allowing them to utilize older teen staff for specific care periods previously requiring an adult over 18. The bill defines "flex care" as care during designated nap hours or short periods when an 18+ employee is absent. The change would update existing rules to permit this staffing arrangement, pending rulemaking by the department.