Child care licensing exists to ensure the health and safety of children in out of home care and to establish minimum standards for operation of child care facilities. Although child care licensing provides support to help child care providers offer quality care, meeting licensing requirements does not guarantee that a program provides high quality care for children. Parents need to carefully screen child care programs to ensure that their children are receiving the best care possible.
A child care or preschool program that is “licensed” means that that program has fulfilled the requirements mandated by The Division of Early Care and Learning.
Licensed programs must abide by the Rules and Regulations through DECL which can be found here:
Child Care and Preschool Facilities
School-Age Child Care Centers
Family Child Care Homes
All licensed programs must also abide by the General Rules for Child Care Facilities as well as Rules Regulating Special Activities.
There are legally exempt child care programs. Visit the Office of Early Childhood’s website for more information.
If you feel that you need to file a complaint with the Division of Early Care and Learning, you may call 303-866-5958 Monday through Friday between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.
Call 911 immediately if you witness a child in a life-threatening situation.