§ 9402 — Definitions

In this chapter: (1) The term “caregiver” means an individual, including a relative, neighbor, or family friend, who regularly or frequently provides care, with or without compensation, for a child for whom the individual is not the parent. (2) The term “child care provider” means a provider of non-residential child care services (including center-based, family-based, and in-home child care services) for compensation who or that is legally operating under State law, and complies with applicable State and local requirements for the provision of child care services. (3) The term “early learning”, used with respect to a program or activity, means learning designed to facilitate the development of cognitive, language, motor, and social-emotional skills for, and to promote learning readiness in, young children. (4) The term “early learning program” means— (A) a program of services or activities that helps parents, caregivers, and child care providers incorporate early learning into the daily lives of young children; or (B) a program that directly provides early learning to young children. (5) The term “Indian tribe” has the meaning given the term in section 5304 of title 25. (6) The term “Local Council” means a Local Council established or designated under section 9413(a) of this title that serves one or more localities. (7) The term “locality” means a city, county, borough, township, or area served by another general purpose unit of local government, an Indian tribe, a Regional Corporation, or a Native Hawaiian entity. (8) The term “parent” means a biological parent, an adoptive parent, a stepparent, a foster parent, or a legal guardian of, or a person standing in loco parentis to, a child. (9) The term “poverty line” means the poverty line (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget, and revised annually in accordance with section 9902(2) of title 42) applicable to a family of the size involved. (10) The term “Regional Corporation” means an entity listed in section 619(4)(B) of title 42. (11) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. (12) The term “State” means each of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (13) The term “training” means instruction in early learning that— (A) is required for certification under State and local laws, regulations, and policies; (B) is required to receive a nationally or State recognized credential or its equivalent; (C) is received in a postsecondary education program focused on early learning or early childhood development in which the individual is enrolled; or (D) is provided, certified, or sponsored by an organization that is recognized for its expertise in promoting early learning or early childhood development. (14) The term “young child” means any child from birth to the age of mandatory school attendance in the State where the child resides.