Licensing and Regulation for Child Care Facilities - Definitions and Requirements
- Licensed Day Care Home
- Group Day Care Home
- Registered Family Day Care Home
- Child Care Centers
- Preschools
- Further Information
A
child care facility in which care is provided for a maximum of ten
(10) children under 16 years of age and includes children under
eleven (11) years of age related to the provider. This total
includes children under eleven (11) years of age related to the
provider. The total number of children in care at any one
time is based on the ages of the children in care.
Click here to view a chart for licensed day care home's total number of children by age.
- The license is usually issued for the provider's own home but may be issued at a location other than the provider's home. The license identifies the address of the child care facility.
- The licensee must be 18 years of age, have an understanding of children and complete first aid and child care job related training or readings.
- A KBI criminal history and child abuse and neglect background check is processed on all persons living, working or volunteering in the licensed day care home.
- State Licensing fee $15.00. Local fees may also apply.
- The licensed day care home is inspected to check compliance with regulations to protect the health, safety and well-being of the children in care at least once every 12 months. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment contracts with local county health departments or private contractors to conduct on-site inspections.
A
child care facility in which care is provided for a maximum of twelve
(12) children under 16 years of age and includes children under
eleven (11) years of age related to the provider. The total number
of children in care at any one time is based on the ages of the
children in care.
Click here to view chart for Group Day Care Home's total number of children by age
- The license is usually issued for the provider's own home but may be issued at a location other than the provider's home. The license identifies the address of the child care facility.
- The licensee must be 18 years of age, have an understanding of children and complete first aid and child care job related training or readings.
- A KBI criminal history and child abuse and neglect background check
is processed on all persons living, working
or volunteering in the licensed day care home. - State Licensing fee $15.00. Local fees may also apply.
- The licensed group day care home is inspected to check compliance with regulations to protect the health, safety and well-being of the children in care at least once every 12 months. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment contracts with local county health departments or private contractors to conduct on-site inspections.
- The licensed group day care home must be approved for fire safety.
Registered Family Day Care Home
A
providers own residence in which care is provided by the applicant
for not more than six children form birth to 16 years of age with
not more than three children under 18 months of age. All children
under 12 years of age related to the provider are included in the
total.
- The registrant must be 18 years of age, have an understanding of children and complete first aid training.
- A KBI criminal history and child abuse and neglect background check is processed on all persons living, working or volunteering in the registered family day care home.
- State Certificate Fee is $5.00. Local fees may also apply.
- The registrant must complete a safety evaluation attesting to the safety of the home in providing for the health and well-being of the children. A registered family day care home is not inspected unless KDHE receives a complaint.
A child care facility in which care and educational activities are provided for 13 or more children two weeks to 16 years of age for more than three hours and less than 24 hours per day including day time, evening, and night-time care, or which provides before and after school care for school-age children. A facility may have fewer than 13 children and be licensed as a center if the program and building meet child care center regulations.
Click here to view chart on child care centers staff to child ratios.
- A qualified program director must be employed at the center full-time. Each unit must have qualified staff at all times when children are in care. Qualifications are stated by regulation and are based on the number of children in care.
- Staff caring for children must, have an understanding of children and complete first aid, recognition of symptoms of illness, child abuse and neglect and other child care job related training.
- A KBI criminal history and child abuse and neglect background check is processed on all persons living, working or volunteering in the licensed child care center facility.
- The annual state licensing fee $35.00 plus $1.00 for each child in the total capacity not to exceed $75.00. Local fees may also apply.
- The child care center is inspected to check compliance with regulations to protect the health, safety and well-being of the children in care at least once every 12 months. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment contracts with local county health departments or private contractors to conduct on-site inspections.
A
child care facility which provides learning experiences for children
who have not attained the age of eligibility to enter kindergarten
prescribed in K.S.A 72-1107(c) and any amendments thereto, and who
are 30 months of age or older; which conducts sessions not exceeding
three hours per session; which does not enroll any child more than
one session per day; and which does not serve a meal. the
term "preschool" shall include education preschools, Montessori
schools, nursery schools, church-sponsored preschools, and cooperatives.
A preschool may have fewer than 13 children and be licensed as
a preschool if the program and facility meet preschool regulation.
In lieu of being licensed, preschool operated in the same building
as private schools providing kindergarten through grade six shall
be governed by Kansas statutes applicable to private school.
The license for the preschool states the maximum number of children
than can be in care at any one time and also states the maximum
number of children than can be in care in any one unit by age group.
Staff to child ratios must be maintained at all times
Click here to view chart for preschool's staff to child ratios.
- A qualified program director must be employed at the preschool for all hours of operation. Each unit must have qualified staff at all times when children are in care. Qualifications are stated by regulation and are based on the number of children in care. Staff caring for children must, have an understanding of children and complete first aid, recognition of symptoms of illness, child abuse and neglect and other child care job related training.
- A KBI criminal history and child abuse and neglect background check is processed on all persons living, working or volunteering in the licensed child care center facility.
- The annual state licensing fee $35.00 plus $1.00 for each child in the total capacity not to exceed $75.00. Local fees may also apply.
- The preschool is inspected to check compliance with regulations to protect the health, safety and well-being of the children in care at least once every 12 months. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment contracts with local county health departments or private contractors to conduct on-site inspections.
Health certificates are required for all persons sixteen (16) years of age and older in contact with children.
Medical records on all children and youth in care must be on file at the child care facility.
The secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment may levy a fine, suspend, deny or revoke a license or a certificate of registration for violation of regulation of the child care licensing statutes.
Information about licensing procedures and copies of regulation may be obtained from the county health departments.
Day Care Referral Agency
An association, organization, individual or corporation receiving, caring for, and finding homes for children under 16 years of age who need day care
Registration
or Licensing for home-based day care IS NOT required as follows:
- When child care is provided for not more than two children unrelated to the provider for 20 hours a week or less and the home has not been closed as a result of enforcement action. Total time is determined by adding the hours each child is cared for weekly.
- When irregular child care is arranged between friends and neighbors on an exchange bases.
- When child care is provided in the child's own home.
- When child care is provided in the home of the child's relative.
For assistance in determining if a center-based program for children or youth is required to be licensed, please submit a complete written description to KDHE for review. The written description must include the program purpose and description of services offered for children or youth, ages of children served, hours and days of operation, months of operation, owner of the program, and operator of the program, if different from the owner. Please include a contact name and phone number in case further information is required to determine licensure requirements.
Child Care Licensing and Registration
1000 SW Jackson, Suite 200
Topeka, KS 66612-1274
Phone: (785) 296-1270
FAX: (785) 296-0803