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How to Get a Home Daycare License in Massachusetts

Are you interested in getting a license to open your own home daycare? Or are you curious about what it would take? Read on for a full list on how to get a home daycare license in Massachusetts.

In Massachusetts, child care is regulated by the Massachusetts Dept. of Early Education & Care (the “EEC”). The EEC governs both center-based and home daycares. The EEC officially refers to home daycares as “Family Child Care.”

At first glance, the EEC’s requirements for a Family Child Care license are relatively straight forward:

1. Attend two Potential Provider Meetings online
2. Complete 13 on-demand online training course
3. Pass a physical exam
4. Proof of at least one-year full-time experience
5. Sign up for Professional Qualifications Registry
6. Pass a pre-licensing home inspection by your Licensor
7. Pass a background check (CORI, SORI, & fingerprints)

Taken individually, each of the above seems perfectly reasonable. But put together, combined with the EEC’s new website and online application platform, there’s a lot of moving parts for an aspiring Provider to keep track of.

Let’s take each of these pieces one by one.

1. Attend two Potential Provider Meetings online

The Potential Provider Meeting 1 is a two-hour class you can watch on-demand on StrongStart, the EEC’s online learning platform. You’ll need to create an account on StrongStart, which you will use again for the other “essentials” courses.

Meeting 2 (PPM2) is a live Zoom meeting, hosted by the regional offices. Contact us or call your local regional office to get the schedule and register to attend. They will send you a confirmation email. On that call, they should also register you in the LEAD platform, which you’ll later use to submit your application.

2. Complete 13 on-demand online training courses

This interactive online learning series covers many different topics, including:

Safe Sleeping Practices 

It is critically important that Providers understand the risk of SUIDS and safe sleep practices.

Medication Administration – “The 5 Rights”

This is a training hosted on an e-learning platform. At the end, you’ll receive a certificate to save and include in your application.

Transportation Safety – “Look Before You Lock”

This is another online resource and self-assessment.

Childhood Nutrition

The EEC suggests that Providers take a free online course with the Institute of Childhood Nutrition.

First Aid and CPR 

The EEC regulations require that every Provider renew their Pediatric CPR certificate every year, regardless of the expiration date on your certificate. Note that the First Aid certificate is valid for two years.

Here are the rest of the trainings you will also have to complete:

• Neglect and Abuse
• Emergency Response
• Food Related Risk and Response
• Hazardous Materials
• Infectious Disease and Immunizations
• Physical Premises Safety
• Shaken Baby Syndrome
• Child Growth and Development

Getting a home daycare license in Massachusetts might seem complicated, but with the right resources, you’ll be on track in no time.

3. Pass a physical exam

You’ll need to schedule a physical exam with a physician. The EEC has a form for the Physician to complete.

4. Proof of at least one-year full-time experience

If you’re a parent or have professional experience working with children, you are qualified according to the State regulations. If you have worked informally as a nanny or part-time, your licensor may request a letter from your employers.

5. Sign up for Professional Qualifications Registry

The Professional Qualifications Registry or PQR is used to keep track of continuing education credits.  As a Provider, you are required to complete 10 hours of training per year.  The PQR is where the EEC tracks your hours.

6. Pass a pre-licensing home inspection by your licensor

Once you’ve submitted your application to the EEC, your licensor will schedule a pre-licensing home inspection. During the home inspection, they’ll make sure your home is free of chipping paint, has two safe exits paths, and is conducive to hosting a great home daycare. (note: there are a number of considerations for your home inspection – contact us to learn more).

7. Pass a background check (CORI, SORI, & fingerprints)

As of October 2018, all Providers and all people who live in the Provider’s home over the age of 15 are required to submit all three forms of a background check. After you submit your application to the EEC you’ll receive instructions on how to schedule your checks.

The time is now to get your home daycare license in Massachusetts

There you have it — a summary of the seven key things you’ll need to qualify for a home daycare license from the EEC. These requirements have been developed with the best interest of children in mind. Taken collectively, there’s a lot to keep track of, and there are important details about each of the above that we’ll go into in separate posts.

It’s also important to remember that getting your home daycare license is just the first major step towards opening a thriving daycare. Next, you’ll need to register your business, secure insurance, market your daycare to parents, enroll students, and start operating the daycare and collecting tuition payments. Phew, that seems like a lot, right? We hear you. That’s why we wrote the 5-Part Guide to Opening a Home Daycare — to make it easier for Providers like you to navigate the process and open the daycare of your dreams, faster.

Overall, we find that many great Providers are put off by the licensing process and concerns about the business aspects of opening a home daycare. But we’re here to help! contact us to learn how you can partner with NeighborSchools and get help in licensing, setting up, and marketing your program.

Just want to learn more? Contact us and we’d be happy to assist you.

Originally published November 2018, updated November 2020

Family Child Care Licensing | Patch Hawaii

Family Child Care Licensing

Child care is regulated

Child care is regulated to ensure the safety and well-being of young children and reduce risks of harm. While parents may check a number of conditions before placing their own children with an individual provider, the State has established specific standards for all child care providers to safeguard all children.

By law, anyone, who cares for more than two children, not related by blood, marriage, or adoption, with or without payment, must be licensed by the State Department of Human Services (DHS). An application must be made with the DHS and each applicant and home is “studied”. An application can be approved or denied, and a license can be revoked or suspended if conditions are considered dangerous to the children’s health, safety or welfare. Only when standards are met and a license is issued can a person provide child care. Persons who are required to be licensed but provide child care without a license are in violation of the law and subject to a fine.

We commend you for your interest in becoming a licensed family child care provider. After all, caring for someone else’s children,… all day… every day, is a tough job. Not everyone is suited for it. So, before you put the time and effort to get your license and open your home as a child care business, it’s a good idea to ask yourself some important questions. But, remember, negative answers don’t necessarily mean you should not become a child care provider.

are you suited for child care?

• Are you at least eighteen years old?
• Do you make children feel welcome, secure and cared for?
• Are you in good health, physically and emotionally?
• Do you have the energy and stamina for the job?
• Do you like children and know enough about them to take good care of them?
• Are you flexible enough to accept children from different backgrounds?
• Can you handle accidents calmly?
• What if you become ill or have an emergency? Can you find a substitute?
• Is your proposed child care home a legal dwelling (complies with local county codes)?
• Does your community/condominium association or landlord allow child care?
• Are there parking spaces for parents to safely drop off and pick up their children?
• Is your home and yard safe for children?
• Are you willing to have licensing workers and parents of the children in your care visit your home any time during your hours of operation?
• Do you need a work Visa (non-U. S. citizen)? Is it current?
• Are all adult household members willing to obtain medical clearances, and criminal and child abuse/neglect checks?
• Does any household member have a criminal conviction or child abuse/neglect confirmation?
• Do you want this much responsibility?

CONTACT your local Department of Human Services Child Care Licensing Units to get an application packet.

VISIT DHS SITE

Fire safety requirements for private kindergartens

• Notes
• ›
• Announcements

Fire safety requirements for private kindergartens

With the growing demand for kindergartens, the number of private kindergartens in the municipality of Purovsky District is increasing. In most cases, these private kindergartens are opened in apartments in multi-apartment residential buildings or in block-built buildings.

But often, in pursuit of profit, individual entrepreneurs neglect the mandatory requirements of fire safety.

The Department of Supervisory Activities and Preventive Work for the Purovsky District of the UND and PR of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia for the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, in connection with the increased incidence of fires at the protection object – private kindergartens, recalls the mandatory fire safety requirements for protection objects to accommodate groups of daytime pastime for preschool children , as well as to the objects of protection engaged in educational activities.

Fire safety requirements for protected objects to accommodate groups of daytime activities for preschool children

Multi-apartment residential buildings, functional fire hazard class F-1.3

1) In residential buildings of class F-1.3 (multi-apartment residential buildings), it is allowed to provide premises for a family kindergarten for a group of no more than 10 people in apartments with a two-way orientation located no higher than the 2nd floor in buildings of I and II degrees of fire resistance.

2) At least two emergency exits must have apartments located on two floors (levels).

3) Living quarters of apartments in residential buildings with a height of three floors or more should be equipped with autonomous optical-electronic smoke detectors.

Single-family, including blocked residential buildings,
functional fire hazard class (Form 1.4)

1) Each house must have at least one evacuation exit directly to the outside, including stairs of the 3rd type. An independent evacuation exit should also have public premises associated with individual entrepreneurial activities of the residents of the house, as well as premises of the basement or basement floors, if they have a heat generator on gaseous or liquid fuel and (or) store such fuel.

The exit from the basement to the first floor must be equipped with a door with a self-closing device and a seal in the porch. This door should not open into the bedroom.

2) In houses with a height of two floors, it is allowed to use internal open stairs (type 2) as evacuation stairs, as well as spiral staircases and stairs with winder steps. The fire resistance limit and fire hazard class of the staircase elements, as well as its width and slope are not regulated.

3) In houses with a height of 3 floors, open internal stairs can be considered as evacuation ones, if in order to exit them outside, one should climb or descend no more than one level (floor)

If in these houses it is necessary to go down two levels (floors) to get out from the upper floor, then open internal stairs can be considered as evacuation stairs only if the following conditions are met simultaneously:

a) each room that can be used for sleeping must have at least one window located at a height of not more than 1 m above the floor;

b) these premises must have access directly to the corridor or to the hall with access to the balcony;

c) the height of the mentioned windows and balconies above ground level should be no more than 7 m.

4) When constructing a staircase in a house with a height of no more than three floors, it is allowed to place an entrance vestibule and floor halls in its volume. Wall and ceiling structures of such staircases, including lobbies and halls, must have a fire resistance rating of at least REI 45 and a structural fire hazard class of at least K1. The staircase may not have light openings in the walls, but be illuminated by overhead light. Stairs can be wooden.

5) Houses and residential blocks with a height of 4 floors must have emergency exits from each floor, except for the first, to the stairwell or stairs of the 3rd type.

6) Living quarters of apartments in residential buildings with a height of three floors or more should be equipped with autonomous optical-electronic smoke detectors.

For private kindergartens licensed for educational activities, fire safety requirements apply as for objects of protection of the functional fire hazard class F 1.1. (buildings of preschool educational organizations). It is also necessary to comply with the fire safety requirements established by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of April 25, 2012 No. 390 “On the fire regime”, regulating the rules of human behavior, the procedure for organizing production and (or) the maintenance of territories, buildings, structures, premises of organizations and other objects of protection (hereinafter referred to as objects of protection) in order to ensure fire safety.

Remember!

Unified emergency telephone number: 101 and 112.

Compliance with fire safety measures is the key to your well-being,
the safety of your life and the lives of your loved ones!

Municipal budgetary preschool educational institution “Kindergarten No. 114 of a combined type” of the Sovetsky district of Kazan

Municipal budgetary preschool educational institution “Kindergarten No. 114 of a combined type” of the Sovetsky district of Kazan

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