5.1 Licensing Requirements

Each Lead Agency must ensure it has in effect licensing requirements applicable to all child care services provided within the State/Territory (not restricted to providers receiving CCDF funds). 5.1.1 Providers subject to licensing For each category of care listed below, identify the type of providers subject to licensing and describe the licensing requirements. a. Identify the center-based provider types subject to child care licensing: Providers who are providing group care and supervision of children on a regular basis for part of a day as a supplement to regular parental care, with or without compensation including more than 12 children outside of a person’s home is known as a child welfare agency. All center-based child care providers are licensed and must meet the following requirements: background checks; orientation training; annual ongoing training; environmental health and safety standards such as hand washing, cleanliness, diaper change requirements, playground requirements including fences; fire and life safety standards including smoke detection systems, fire extinguishers, exit requirements, outlet covers; child to staff ratios; discipline standards; reporting abuse and neglect, injuries, and communicable diseases; nutrition requirements; record keeping, etc. Each licensed program receives a pre-license and annual inspection that verifies compliance with all standards. Are there other categories of licensed, regulated, or registered center providers the Lead Agency does not categorize as license-exempt? [ ] Yes. If yes, describe: [x] No. b. Identify the family child care providers subject to licensing: Family child care providers receiving federal funds are required to be registered with the Department of Social Services. Registered Family Day Care providers are required to have background checks; orientation training; annual ongoing training; environmental health and safety standards such as hand washing, cleanliness, diaper change requirements, playground requirements; fire and life safety standards including smoke detection systems, fire extinguishers, exit requirements, outlet covers; child to staff ratios; discipline standards; reporting abuse and neglect, injuries, and communicable diseases; nutrition requirements; record keeping, etc. Each voluntarily registered family provider receives a pre-license and annual inspection that verifies compliance with all standards. Are there other categories of regulated or registered family child care providers the Lead Agency does not categorize as license-exempt? [ ] Yes. If yes, describe: [x] No. c. Identify the in-home providers subject to licensing: South Dakota does not require licensing for in-home providers. This is a license exempt option for providers interesting in serving CCDF family’s child(ren). Are there other categories of regulated or registered in-home providers the Lead Agency does not categorize as license-exempt? [ ] Yes. If yes, describe: [x] No. 5.1.2 CCDF-eligible providers exempt from licensing Identify the categories of CCDF-eligible providers who are exempt from licensing requirements, the types of exemptions, and describe how these exemptions do not endanger the health, safety, and development of children. -Relative providers, as defined in CCDF, are addressed in subsection 5.8. a. License-exempt center-based child care. Describe by answering the questions below. i. Identify the categories of CCDF-eligible center-based child care providers who are exempt from licensing requirements. NA ii. Describe the exemptions based on length of day, threshold on the number of children in care, ages of children in care, or any other factors applicable to the exemption. NA iii. Describe how the exemptions for these CCDF-eligible providers do not endanger the health, safety, and development of children. NA b. License-exempt family child care. Describe by answering the questions below. i. Identify the categories of CCDF-eligible family child care providers who are exempt from licensing requirements. Informal (care provided for one family in the providers home) are eligible to receive CCDF payments and are required to meet all federal health and safety standards, orientation and on-going training, background checks and submit to a pre-license and annual inspection. The pre- license and annual inspection cover all items required in federal law. Informal providers must be at least 18 years of age. ii. Describe the exemptions based on length of day, threshold on the number of children in care, ages of children in care, or any other factors applicable to the exemption. Informal providers are limited in providing care to one CCDF family’s child(ren). iii. Describe how the exemptions for these CCDF-eligible providers do not endanger the health, safety, and development of children. Informal providers must be at least 18 years of age and meet the following: all federally required health and safety standards, orientation training, ongoing training, background checks, and submit to a pre-license and annual inspection. The pre-license and annual inspection cover all items required in federal law. c. In-home care (care in the child’s own home by a non-relative). Describe by answering the questions below. i. Identify the categories of CCDF-eligible in-home care (care in the child’s own home by a non- relative) providers who are exempt from licensing requirements. In-home providers (care provided for one family in the family home) are eligible to receive CCDF payments and are required to meet all federal health and safety standards, orientation and on-going training, background checks and submit to a pre-license and annual inspection. The pre-license and annual inspection cover all items required in federal law. In-home providers must be at least 18 years of age. ii. Describe the exemptions based on length of day, threshold on the number of children in care, ages of children in care, or any other factors applicable to the exemption. In-home providers are limited in providing care to one CCDF family’s child(ren). iii. Describe how the exemptions for these CCDF-eligible providers do not endanger the health, safety, and development of children. In-home providers must be at least 18 years of age and meet the following: all federally required health and safety standards, orientation training, ongoing training, background checks, and submit to a pre-license and annual inspection. The pre-license and annual inspection cover all items required in federal law.