The Daycare Licensing Process
Opening a daycare can be a more challenging process than many anticipate. Each state has its own rules and regulations regarding accreditation and licensing of child care centers. Although each state has its own classification system for daycare/childcare centers, the application process for daycare licensing is quite similar across states. The licensing agency is often at the state level and may fall within the jurisdiction of childcare regulation, human resources, health services, or another licensing and regulations department. Regardless, it is best to contact the agency to determine which forms you need to submit, the fees that need to be paid, and the time frame that is required to process background checks, inspect the facility and process other documents. The best way to proceed through this complicated process is to break it down into small steps.
Step 1: Application Information
Contact the licensing agency and determine which child care license you should apply for. In some states there will be only two classifications: center-based and family-based. Others will have further classifications largely dependent on the number of children that will be cared for at any given time. Each license has its own rules, procedures and fees. The National Child Care Information Center has an excellent online directory of licensing departments for each state. Most of the licensing agencies have telephone and email contact information along with application packages that can be ordered or downloaded directly. There are also help pages or frequently asked questions to give you a good understanding of the application procedure. If the answers are not available on the website itself, it would be best to find a contact for your jurisdiction that can give you timely, accurate answers to your questions.
Step 2: Daycare Requirements
The complete daycare licensing process will generally fall into just a few categories: orientation, background checks, medical training, facility preparedness, submission of the application and inspection. In many cases, you will be required to provide criminal background checks and proof of applicable health and childcare training before you can start the application process. You many also be required to attend a seminar given by the regulating body. The purpose of the seminar is to give you more information about the application process, answer questions you may have, and get you started on determining which license to apply for and whether or not your child care center may be exempt from the application procedure. Before undertaking the grueling process of filling out forms, it’s best to find out the order in which the tasks need to be completed along with the amount of time needed for completion. For instance, criminal background checks for yourself and your staff can be quite lengthy, so they should be completed early on in this process.
Step 3: Taking care of business (TCOB)
Once you have identified all of the staff and daycare requirements, it’s time to plan how you are going to meet those requirements. Starting the background checks and enrolling in all the necessary courses early on, will give you time to renovate and child-proof the house later on. Fire regulations and Food Code ordinances are quite meticulous. Likewise, the policies regulating the space and equipment required for playing, sleeping, and eating are equally explicit. Following state guidelines issued through the licensing agency and other governing bodies should help you prepare for the final inspection. However, it may be wise to anticipate delays and last-minute changes throughout the daycare licensing process.
In addition to the above three steps, be sure to document and file all relevant information collected throughout the process. It’s easy to get lost in paperwork and lose track of an invoice or receipt. Keeping a time-ordered checklist and some type of filing system for your documents will help prevent this from happening. A file containing detailed contact information, First Aid training, background checks, references, and educational background should be kept on hand for each employee of the daycare. Demonstrating how and when you have satisfied all of the application criteria can go along way to ensuring your child care center receives accreditation. Lost forms and missing information can lead to lengthy delays and inconvenient rescheduling. The daycare licensing process is in place to ensure the safety and well-being of the children you will care for. Not only will the license assure that you are following all laws and regulations, it will afford parents necessary added piece of mind accreditation provides them.