Family Child Care
Providing Child Care as a Career
Becoming a Licensed Family Child Care Provider is an exciting career move which offers you the opportunity to be at home with your own children, and to provide appropriate care and guidance for other children in your community. Licensed Family Child Care Providers can earn income for their families while providing an invaluable service for the community. The process takes time and planning is the key to success as you consider everything from policies and procedures to ordering supplies and setting up your child care environment.
Are you Ready to Start a Child Care Business?
As you begin the journey of opening a Family Child Care Home, there are many things to consider and you may wish to seek legal advice before you decide to use your own home for child care, purchase property or sign a lease agreement. These documents below provide things to consider:
- Do I Need a License? English Flyer | Spanish Flyer
- Are you Ready to Start a Child Care Business?
- Questions to Consider for Meeting Licensing Requirements
- Family Child Care Home License Submission Guide
- Small Business Development Center Resource Guide
Zoning Information
Contact Zoning: Call the Zoning office to assure that your residence is zoned to operate a Family Child Care Home. This step is crucial as Zoning supersedes Licensing.
For zoning within the city limits, call Colorado Springs: 719-385-5905
City Administration Building
30 S. Nevada Ave., Suite 105
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
HOME DAY CARE ZONING PERMIT WEBSITE
WEBSITE TO PRINT ZONING PERMIT APPLICATION
For zoning outside the city limits, call El Paso County: 719-520-6300
Teller County: 719.687.3048
Elbert County: 303.621.3135
Prior to applying for a Family Child Care Home License
- Once you have complied with all local zoning, building or planning ordinances, and any Home Owner Association or Community Covenants, the next step is reading the Child Care Rules and Regulations. These are provided below and available on the Department of Early Childhood website in English and Spanish.
- Read the 7.701 General Rules for Child Care Facilities, 7.707 Rules Regulating Family Child Care Homes, and 7.719 Rules Regulating Special Activities.
- It’s important to know that as a child care provider, you must meet new and ongoing training requirements. The Office of Early Childhood (OEC) has developed a 2022 licensed child care provider required training tool. The CDEC is working hard to offer all required training for free online through the Professional Development Information System (PDIS).
- Alliance for Kids is here to assist you with PDIS when you reach this point. Visit the Quality Improvement page for more information.
- Pre-Licensing training and applying for your Child Care License are the next steps.
Pre-Licensing Training is Required*
Alliance for Kids is here to support you every step of the way, and offers the following Pre-Licensing classes:
AFK offers a quarterly course for becoming a licensed provider. Cost is $150.
- Where to start and what is important to consider when exploring the possibility of opening a family child care home – call us first if your considering enrolling in the Pre-Licensing classes!
- Assistance with zoning and HOA needs
- Support with completing the licensing application
- Technical assistance and on-site support for setting up your learning environment
*Exemptions from 15 hours of Pre-Licensing Training
All persons with a State of Colorado Director Certification, two-year or four-year degree IN Early Childhood Education are exempt from the 15 hours of Pre-Licensing training but must have the following:
- Providers must have Standard Precautions and Medication Administration, and current CPR/First Aid certification. (Visit our Calendar for upcoming training or see list of approved trainers.)
- Providers are required to attend the licensing rules and regulations overview as well as the family child care business requirements training (see below).
All persons who completed the Pre-Licensing training at Fort Carson Youth and School Services, Family Child Care, within the last 12 months AND still holds a current certificate.Ne
Application Process for a Family Child Care Home License
The licensing process takes approximately 90 days once an application packet is received by the Division of Early Care and Learning (DECL). The licensing process includes the following steps:
- Complete and sign the Family Child Care Home Application and all necessary attachments. Detailed instructions are included in the Licensing Application Packet. The licensing application and rules and regulations can also be downloaded from the State site:
- Complete and mail your application materials. The application form and the fees must be submitted together in the envelope provided with your application packet to the Division of Early Care and Learning, CDHS.
- Licensing Fee Schedule
- For complete background check information, click here.
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Due to changes implemented by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) will no longer offer non-criminal fingerprint services to the general public. All fingerprinting will be processed through two vendors, IdentoGO and Colorado Fingerprinting.
Update:
You will want to read important instructions HERE before navigating the IdentoGO site. For locations, hours and directions, visit this direct link on the IdentoGO.com website. For IdentoGO FAQs, click here. - Current health evaluations must be done for ALL those living in the home and must be signed by a licensed physician or licensed nurse practitioner. These forms are included in your licensing packet. The health forms are NOT mailed into the state.
Mail to:
Application Processing
Division of Early Care and Learning, CDHS
1575 Sherman Street, 1st Floor
Denver, CO 80203-1714
- Once the licensing package is received and processed, a Licensing Specialist will contact the applicant to schedule an inspection of the home to verify compliance with licensing rules and regulations, and to determine if a license should be issued.
- Make the necessary preparations
- Start-up preparations will vary from one individual to another. Allow yourself plenty of time for planning, creating your policies and procedures, contracts, gathering supplies, and setting up your child care environment before your home visit is scheduled with the Colorado State Division of Child Care Licensing Specialist.
Licensing
The Institute for Racial Equity & Excellence (IREE) is responsible for providing licensing services in Arapahoe, El Paso, and Pueblo counties. IREE uses the “Community Based Licensing” model created by President and CEO Dr. Rosemarie Allen.
Community Based Licensing© focuses on providing licensing services that are culturally responsive using four Cs: Competence, Caring, and Compassion while ensuring Compliance.
Visit the IREE Website
In El Paso County, licensing questions may be directed to:
Brenda Beadling
Brenda@IREEinc.com
720-210-4751
Deputy Director of Licensing
Institute for Racial Equity & Excellence (IREE)
For a list of Licensing Specialists assigned to different zip codes to inspect Family Child Care Homes, please click here.
Additional resources can be found on our Licensing Resources page.
Scholarships
Pre-Licensing
Alliance for Kids is offering a scholarship for each upcoming session of the Pre-Licensing class required to become a licensed child care provider.
Early Childhood Education Scholarships
Alliance for Kids is here to help students navigate the path toward advancing their education and professional development goals. Please visit our Scholarships page for more information.
Resources
Please visit the Family Child Care Providers page.
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