Family Child Care

Providers who care for the children from only one family. This is generally child care by relatives.. Providers, who receive federal funding to subsidize the cost of child care, must have the Department of Children and Families 3 Hour Introduction to Family Child Care Class. All others are encouraged to take this class, which covers health and safety issues for children.

All registered and licensed family child care providers will need to have 5 Hours of Early Literacy training. The Department of Children and Families is approving appropriate early literacy courses/programs. There will also be an Department of Children and Families on-line course in the future that you can take. For now, please click on the Workshops button to see what is being offered in this area.

Providers who care for children from more than one family need to become registered. The provider and all members of the household over the age of 18 are required to complete a series of background screening checks. These include a local criminal records check, a national and state criminal records check done by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement through fingerprint check done by the FBI, Affidavit of Good Moral Character must be notarized, employment check is done to verifying employment for the previous two years. Juveniles 12 and over are screened through a juvenile records check. The provider must attend the 30 Hour Family Child Care Class before they can care for children. As of July 14, 2003, all register and licensed family child care providers must have 10 hours of inservice after the first year of being registered or licensed.

Providers who want to take the next step towards professionalism may elect to become a licensed family child care provider. The provider completes the same initial requirements as a registered provider. A licensed home also passes a health and safety inspection which is done by the Department of Children and Families. They must complete the 30 Hour Introduction to Family Child Care class before caring for children. Substitutes for the family child care provider must take the 3 hour Introduction to Family Child Care if they work less then 40 hours a month and the 30 Hour Family Child Care Class if they work more then 40 hours a month. As of July 14, 2003, all register and licensed family child care providers must have 10 hours of inservice after the first year of being register or licensed.

Licensed homes are able to participate in the USDA Food Program and may elect to sub-contract with their local Resource and Referral Agency. For more information call Debra Self, Quality Assistance Coordinator at Child Care Services at 833-9334.

Large Family Child Care Homes may have two providers as the main operators and have up to 12 children in their care. To become a large Family Child Care Home provider, you must have been a licensed home in operation for two years and must have a CDA or equivalent for one year, before you can apply to be a large Family Child Care Home. As of July 14, 2003, all register and licensed family child care providers must have 10 hours of inservice after the first year of being register or licensed.

For more information on background screening and becoming licensed call the following family childcare licensors for the Dept. of Children and Families:

If you need an accommodation because of a disability in order to participate in the child care training process, contact Dian Baldock at least two weeks prior to the first training date at 833-9336 between the hours of 8am and 5 pm.

You can register for classes and print your training certificates at the following website:

The training coordinating agency will come up. Click on Training Schedule and find the class you want or need to take and click on the pencil.

Follow the directions. If you would like to print out more detailed instructions you may print out the following document.

Please note that you are not officially in the class until payment for the class is received and you will not be able to attend if you are not on the class roster. Payment must be received 3 days before the beginning date of the class.

After January 1, 2004, you will have to pass a competency test for your training certificate.

To register for the compentecy tests please call this number after January 1, 2004