Congregations Caring for Children

Establishing and Licensing a Child Care Center

Establishing and Licensing a Child Care Center

Establishing and Licensing a Child Care Center

Establishing and Licensing a Child Care Center

Establishing and Licensing a Child Care Center

Decisions you will need to make about your center

Decisions you will need to make about your center

Decisions you will need to make about your center

Decisions you will need to make about your center

Decisions you will need to make about your center

Do you have a site in mind?

Is it convenient to families you wish to serve?

Is it available for your use?

How much does it cost?

How many children does it have space to serve?

Does it meet building code requirements?

Will it be approved by the fire marshal?

Is it zoned correctly?

Is there space for off street parking for parents and staff?

Will you buy, lease, or rent? Will your landlord approve a child care center?

Are there improvements or renovations needed?

Will the landlord pay for lease improvements?

Is there room for expansion when/if your center gets bigger?

Is there adequate outdoor space?

Is maintenance of facility and grounds and utilities included in the lease?

Is there security for staff, children, and parents?

Is there community/business support?

Indoor and outdoor play spaces for children are regulated by licensing.  The

design of your facility must not only be adequate to meet state regulations but

also offer a variety of stimulating play and learning activities.

In planning your facility, both for inside and outside, consider safety, make it

easy to keep clean, and make it flexible.  Plan space for large groups, individual

play, quiet places, noisy places, sunny and shady outside places.  Put yourself in

the child's place and see what it is like to play at your center.

Provider Responsibility

Provider Responsibility

Provider Responsibility

Provider Responsibility

Provider Responsibility

A child care center provider has the responsibility to:

Provide adequate care and supervision at all times.

Child care centers will be advised by their local fire inspector on the type of extinguisher

needed for their particular building.

Establish admission procedures.

Maintain children's records and personnel records.

Isolate sick children.

Label children's food.

Provide positive discipline.

Provide adequate heating and ventilation.

Barricade stairs from children under the age of five.

Store toxins inaccessibly.

Make all bodies of water inaccessible (pools, spas, ponds, etc.).

Fence outdoor play areas and provide continuous supervision.

Obtain criminal record clearance and child abuse index checks as necessary on all staff.

Obtain tuberculosis tests on all staff.

Hire verifiably qualified staff.

Provide in service training for staff.

39