Topic Overview

In the United States, licensing standards for child care centers vary by each individual state. General provisions for licensing address these issues:

• Health and safety requirements
• Ways of dealing with a child's negative behavior
• The number of staff that are needed to safely care for the children
• Training requirements for staff
• Type of equipment needed
• Requirements for daily program
• Types of food services needed for children of different ages

Standards vary widely by each state. And how each state monitors and enforces guidelines also varies greatly.

As part of your research, find out which of your potential child care providers are accredited or are in the process of obtaining accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and/or the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC).¹ Accreditation from these organizations helps ensure that a family or group child care center meets basic quality standards, even if your state has lax licensing requirements or enforcement.

For detailed information on state child care licensing, see the Other Places to Get Help section of the topic Choosing Child Care.