Types of Regulated Care

Child Care Centers provide care for 13 or more children. The number and ages of children enrolled determine the number of adult staff. The Department of Human Services licenses over 2400 centers, which care for over 190,000 children each day.

Family Child Care Homes provide care for at least five but not more than seven children. Children under ten years of age, who are related to the caregiver, must be included in the total number. Approximately 750 family homes are licensed by DHS each year.

Group Child Care Homes provide care for at least 8 but not more than 12 children. Up to 3 children additional school age children may receive care before and after school, on school holidays and snow days, and during summer vacation. If the group home is in an occupied residence, children related to the care giver who are ten years of age or older must be included in the total number. DHS licenses over 600 group care homes each year.

Drop-In Centers provide casual care for no more than 15 children, not to exceed 10 hours per week and not for more than 6 hours per day for any individual child while parents or other custodians are engaged in short term activities. Drop-In Centers are operated in connection with a business establishment, recreational facility, or similar activity.

Examples of child care which do not require licensure

• Care provided in a child's own home
• Program which operate no more than 2 days a week
• Occupational Child Care/Teen Parenting Labs
• Summer Day Camps
• Programs which operate less than three hours a day
• Boys and Girls Clubs
• Programs which care for four or fewer children

For more information, please visit the DHS website.