For Providers
Eligible child care providers receive reimbursement for serving families with low incomes and can draw on networks of training and technical assistance resources to help them provide high-quality child care services. Many states, territories, and Tribes are committed to building a well-trained, fairly compensated, cohesive child care workforce with jobs built on intentional training and education.
Starting a Child Care Program
The Resource Guide: Starting and Operating a Child Care Business document includes information about resources in your state and community, publications with startup information, and links to information on the web. It also includes a list of national organizations with information about child care issues, including startup costs, budgeting, program development, regulations and standards, funding, and staffing.
Funding a Child Care or Afterschool Program
The Resource Guide: Starting and Operating a Child Care Business document includes information about resources in your state and community, publications with startup information, and links to other information on the web. It also includes a list of national organizations with information about child care issues, including startup costs, budgeting, program development, regulations and standards, funding, and staffing.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers program supports the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during nonschool hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools.
The Afterschool Alliance offers information about starting an afterschool program including start-up guides, funding and sustainability information, state-level resources, and more. Also, Youth.gov—a U.S. government website—contains useful information about afterschool programs.
Meeting Background Check Requirements
Background checks for child care providers and other staff or family members are conducted at the state level and requirements vary from state to state. Additionally, there are different types of background checks and different types of state agencies may oversee the process. The National Center on Subsidy Innovation and Accountability has created a list with contact information for the appropriate agency in each state. You can contact the agency in your state and staff can explain the requirements and help walk you through the process of starting a check. This list also includes a link to the website on which you can start a background check, if that is available within your state.
Finding Training and Professional Development Opportunities
The Resource Guide: Child Care Workforce Qualifications, Training, and Professional Development document has information designed to help you identify the education, training, and experience to qualify for a teaching or administrative role in a child care center or to operate a family child care program in your home. Information is also included to help you locate training and professional development opportunities in your community.
Preparing Your Program for Emergencies
The Office of Child Care has a variety of materials related to emergency preparedness for grantees and providers, and the Resource Guide: Emergency Preparedness and Response Resources for Child Care Programs document includes information about resources in your state or community, publications with emergency preparedness information, and links to useful resources on the web. The resource guide also addresses how to develop emergency plans and steps to take before, during, and after a disaster or emergency.
Determining What to Charge for Child Care
Child care costs and child care provider fees vary by community and by state, as well as by the type of care. For example, center-based care tends to cost more than family child care. The age of the child also has an impact on the cost. ChildCare.gov—a U.S. government website—is a trusted source for child care information and other resources. ChildCare.gov provides free tools and resources and connects to programs in your local area.
Deciding What Insurance Coverage to Obtain
Liability insurance is a standard consideration for any business. It covers the center or family child care home when an injury occurs. Comprehensive general liability insurance covers expenses due to bodily injury, damage to property, medical emergencies, and legal costs. Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance on the provider’s home does not provide liability coverage for a family child care business. If the provider rents the home, the landlord may need to be listed on the family child care business liability policy. Contact an insurance provider for more information.
Insurance requirements vary across states. Some states require child care centers and family child care homes to have some form of insurance. Other states either require providers to carry insurance or to notify parents if they do not carry insurance. To find the specific insurance requirements in your state, contact your state child care licensing agency. The National Database of Child Care Licensing Regulations contains direct website links to state child care licensing regulations documents and licensing agency contact information. Users can access, download, and search state child care licensing regulations that apply to child care centers, family child care homes, and other licensed child care programs.
To learn more, see the Resource Guide: Starting and Operating a Child Care Business document, which includes information about resources in your state and community, publications with startup information, and links to useful resources on the web. It also includes a list of national organizations with information about child care issues, including startup costs, budgeting, program development, regulations and standards, funding, and staffing. This information may be useful when considering calculating your fees and determining the type of insurance to obtain.
Meeting Licensing Requirements
Licensing is a process administered by state governments that sets a baseline of requirements below which it is illegal for facilities to operate, unless the facility is legally exempt from licensing. States have regulations that include the requirements facilities must comply with and policies to support the enforcement of those regulations.
The National Database of Child Care Licensing Regulations contains direct website links to state child care licensing regulations documents and licensing agency contact information. Users can access, download, and search state child care licensing regulations that apply to child care centers, family child care homes, and other licensed child care programs. Because child care licensing laws vary from state to state, you should contact your state child care licensing agency to find out more about whether your facility needs to be licensed.