Are you thinking about becoming a licensed family child care provider?
Ask yourself these important questions prior to exploring a business in Family Child Care.
- Do you enjoy children and think you could work alone with them for 10 to 12 hours each day?
- Do you have good common sense, and handle emergencies well?
- Are you warm, affectionate and understanding, and feel you would communicate well with families?
- Are you in good health, and strong enough to be on the job all day, five days a week, working ALL day.
- Does your home have plenty of safe space, indoors and out, and can accommodate a variety of children’s needs?
- Do you have adequate toys and equipment?
- Is the profession acceptable to the other family members in your home?
- Can you handle financially difficult times, and have financial security to fall back on for several months?
- Do you understand the needs of children, ages and stages, and are you willing to continue your child development learning?
Providing licensed child care is not easy. It takes a special person to fulfill the needs of many families and children. You can’t just love children, or just want to watch them grow. You really need to know all the steps to help children develop and learn. Think of it this way - “not everyone can drive a bus, operate large machinery, spend hours waiting tables, or provide childcare”. All jobs take expertise, including CHILD CARE.
What are SOME of the benefits of providing licensed child care in your home?
You will know that YOU played an important role in leading our next generation to a good start in life; be introduced to a variety of resources, support, training opportunities, and new ideas from peers, SFCS staff, and Early Educators; have the potential to earn an income while being home with your own family; and your expenses for the childcare toys, equipment and some of the upkeep to your home will be a tax deduction.
Steps to becoming a licensed child care provider
If you are ready to learn more about becoming a family child care provider, attend an orientation to learn more about the requirements. The orientation is offered most months. See the attachment for details
Steps to becoming a Licensed Family Child Care Provider 
License Application and Instructions for Family Child Care Homes
