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: Center early learning programs, including school-age programs, and outdoor nature-based programs. 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 home early learning programs, which are identified as family child care providers. 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: NA 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. Exempt federally recognized Tribal providers can request to become Certified or to be certified for Payment Only from DCYF. To become Certified, the Tribal program must meet the same minimum standards as a licensed program in the State of Washington on their Tribal land, but because DCYF lacks jurisdiction to license programs on Tribal land, the program receives certification instead of a license. To become certified for Payment only, the Tribe must establish its own rules and standards that meet CCDF requirements and must provide DCYF documentation of those standards and a letter from their Tribal chair requesting certification for Payment Only. After review, DCYF issues a Payment Only certification. Military providers follow the rules of the Department of Defense. Once DCYF receives documentation from the identified military provider, DCYF issues a Payment Only certification for each provider. 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. RCW 43.216.010(2) exempts from licensing programs operated within the boundaries of federally recognized Tribes and Military reservations. iii. Describe how the exemptions for these CCDF-eligible providers do not endanger the health, safety, and development of children. Certification of these programs does not endanger the health, safety, and development of children. In the case of certified tribal programs, DCYF verifies these programs meet the same standards as licensed providers. In the case of programs certified for payment only, Tribal programs are subject to health and safety oversight as approved by ACF under the Tribe's CCDF Plan, and in the case of military programs, these are subject to stringent health and safe standards of the Department of Defense. 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. Family Home child care programs on Tribal land are exempt from licensing but may be Certified or certified for Payment Only in the same manner as their Center counterparts. 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. RCW 43.216.010(2) exempts from licensing programs operated within the boundaries of federally recognized Tribes and Military reservations. iii. Describe how the exemptions for these CCDF-eligible providers do not endanger the health, safety, and development of children. Certification of these programs does not endanger the health, safety, and development of children. In the case of certified tribal programs, DCYF verifies these programs meet the same standards as licensed providers. In the case of programs certified for payment only, Tribal programs are subject to health and safety oversight as approved by ACF under the Tribe's CCDF Plan. 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. If an FFN provider is a not a relative of the subsidized child, care must be provided in the child's home and the provider must complete a background check, complete health and safety training provided by DCYF, and receive health and safety monitoring visits for compliance with health and safety standards at least once annually. 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