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Definition of Licensed Family Child Care Homes (June 2007)

Key:
NA = Not addressed in regulations
NC = No category of facility
NL = Facility not licensed
SAC = school-age children

Source: Data compiled by NCCIC from child care licensing regulations posted on the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education Web site at http://nrc.uchsc.edu/STATES/states.htm on June 14, 2007.

Endnotes:

^*States includes the District of Columbia for a total of 51 entities. Back

For the purposes of this document, a licensed program is required to have permission from the State to operate and must meet specified family child care standards. Some States may call their regulatory processes certification or registration; the term licensed is used to represent all regulatory processes.
Several States have county or city licensing regulations that may supersede State requirements; this table does not include such regulations.

California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, South Carolina, and Wyoming exclude child care that is provided for the children of only one family.

Vermont exempts family child care that is provided for the children of one or two families, unless it receives public funds.

State Notes:

¹ Alaska: A large family child care home (“child care group home”) requires only one provider if the provider has completed 1 year of licensed home child care or the equivalent or meets the college credit or CDA requirements and there are no more than a total of 10 children, with no children younger than the age of 30 months; or no more than a total of 12 children who are all school-age. Family child care regulations governing group size and ratio differ slightly between the State and the city of Anchorage. Back

² Arizona: Regulations for large family child care homes include a staffing option of one provider caring for up to five children. Licensing is voluntary for these homes, unless the home receives public funds. Back

³Arkansas: A licensed home may care for two school-age children for not more than 3 hours per day before and/or after a school day; these two children are not required to be counted in the child-staff ratio. Back

⁴ California: For a small family child care home, the maximum number of children for whom care shall be provided, including children younger than age 10 who live in the licensee’s home are four infants; six children, no more than three of whom may be infants; or eight children, if at least two of the children are at least 6 years of age, no more than two infants are cared for during any time when more than six children are cared for, and the licensee notifies each parent that there may be up to seven or eight children in the home at one time. Large family child care homes may care for up to 14 children when at least 2 are at least 6 years of age, no more than 3 infants are in care, and the licensee notifies each parent that there may be up to 13 or 14 children in the home at one time. Back

⁵Colorado: Separate rules apply to infant and toddler and experienced provider homes. Back

⁶ Delaware: There are two levels of small family child care homes.  A Level II provider has more extensive qualifications, as demonstrated by education, credentials, or experience specified in the rules, and is permitted to enroll more children. In Level I homes, the provider must meet the qualifications for initial licensure. The following table is an example of the differences that are permitted when the provider is more qualified:

There are two types of large family child care homes. Type 1 large family child care homes may care for 7–12 children. A Type 2 large family child care home is also called an “infant/toddler” home. The data reported in the table are for Level l small family child care homes and Type 1 large family child care homes. Back

⁷Georgia: In large (“group”) homes, mixed-age ratios are determined by the age of youngest child if younger than 3; ratios in groups with children older than 3 years of age are determined by the age of the majority of children. Back

⁸ Idaho:Voluntary licensing is available for family child care homes. State certification is required for large family child care homes, which includes obtaining a fire inspection and a staff criminal history check. Back

⁹ Illinois: One provider may care for a group consisting of up to eight children younger than age 12, of which up to five children may be younger than age 5, of which up to three children may be younger than age 2; or up to eight children younger than age 12, of which up to six may be younger than age 5, of which up to two may be younger than 30 months of age. In a large/group family child care home, the provider and assistant may care for 16 children: no more than 12 can be younger than age 6 and no more than 6 can be younger than 30 months of age, of which no more than 4 can be younger than 15 months of age. Back

¹⁰ Iowa: Homes caring for five or fewer children are not required to register. Iowa registers three types of family child care homes; categories A, B, and C. The data reported in the table for small family child care are for category A homes. Requirements for category C homes are reported under large family child care. Back

¹¹ Kansas: Kansas regulates two types of small homes. Homes with one to six children must be registered and can be licensed voluntarily. Homes with 7 to 10 children must be licensed.

In a licensed small family child care home serving 7–10 children, one provider may care for the following:

In a licensed large family child care home serving 7–12 children, the maximum number of children is as follows:

Back

¹² Massachusetts: A third category of family child care homes, Family Child Care Plus Home, is regulated by the licensing office. A provider in a Family Child Care Plus Home may care for up to eight children, provided that at least two of the eight children are school-age. Back

¹³ Montana: Small family child care homes providing care to infants only may enroll up to four infants. Large family child care homes providing care to infants only may enroll up to eight infants. Back

¹⁴ Nebraska: The number of providers required and the maximum size of the group depends on the ages of children enrolled. The following table summarizes the requirements.
  

N/A = Not applicable  Back

¹⁵ New York: A maximum of 10 children are allowed in large family child care homes if any child is younger than 2 years old. Back

¹⁶ North Dakota: A small family child care home must be licensed if it cares for four or more children ages 24 months and younger, or six or more children at any time.  Back

¹⁷ Oregon: The following tables summarize the child-staff ratios for large/group family child care homes:

A) If all children in care are in the same age group, the following determines the staff-child ratio.

Table A

B) If children in care include any infants and/or toddlers, the following table determines the staff-child ratio.

Table B

C) If children in care include a mix of only preschool- and school-age children, the following table determines the staff-child ratio.

Table C

Back

¹⁸ Pennsylvania: The following table provides the large/group family child care home ratio and group sizes allowed by the State.

Back

¹⁹ Tennessee:

Back

²⁰ Texas:Texas requires family child care homes that care for one to three children to be listed with the State. No inspections are conducted, and there are no standards to meet. Small family child care homes are required to be registered and meet State requirements; large family child care homes are required to be licensed. Regulations for registered and licensed homes are combined, with specific stipulations included for each type of home. The following tables present the child-staff ratios and maximum group sizes allowed by the State. A large (licensed) family child care home with 3 providers may care for up to 12 children of any age birth through age 13.

Back

²¹ Utah: Small family child care homes that care for up to four children may voluntarily become registered; homes that care for one to eight children may elect to become licensed. Small family child care requirements reported in the table are for homes required to have a residential certificate. Back

²² Vermont: Vermont regulates two types of small homes. Homes with 3­–6 children must be registered, and homes with 3–12 children are licensed. A registered family child care home may care for up to 12 children during the summer if 2 caregivers are on duty. In a licensed family child care home, when only children younger than age 3 are enrolled, two staff are required for four to seven children, and three staff are required when eight or more children are in care.  Back

²³ Virginia:

In determining the need for an assistant, the following ratios are required, including the provider’s own and resident children younger than 8 years of age:

When children are in mixed-age groups, the provider shall apply the following point system in determining the need for an assistant. Each caregiver shall not exceed 16 points. The provider's own and resident children under 8 years of age count in point maximums.

Back

²⁴ Washington:

Back

²⁵ Wisconsin: The maximum number of children per provider allowed by the State is outlined in the following chart.

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