States must certify that all child care providers within the state will comply with the child abuse reporting requirements of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), which requires that states have “provisions or procedures for an individual to report known and suspected instances of child abuse and neglect, including a state law for mandatory reporting by individuals required to report such instances.” [2]

This requirement applies to all child care providers within the state, regardless of whether or not they serve children receiving subsidies. The CCDF Plan requires that states provide the citation for the training requirement. 

In many state licensing requirements, this topic is part of the training every staff person working in child care must complete annually.

The annual number of incidences of substantiated child abuse in child care settings is also an item that must be reported on the state website for consumer education.

In addition, the final rule requires states to establish a hotline or similar process for parents to submit complaints about child care providers. Lead Agencies may designate another state entity to manage the hotline.

[1] Office of Child Care. (2016). Child Care and Development Fund final rule frequently asked questions. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/occ/faq/child-care-and-development-fund-final-rule-frequently-asked-questions

[2] Ibid.