Licensing Agency Types of Child Care Licenses
The division of Child Development and Early
Education and the DHHS are the licensing
agency. A licensing agency is a person who
evaluates you to see if you get your licenses or
not. Anyone who wants a permit can apply to get
a licenses.
Temporary Licenses may be issued to the
operator of a new center, or to the operator of
a previously licensed center when a change
of ownership or location occurs. This type of
license is effective for 6 months.
A star rated license is issued to a child care
facility that meets standards established in
child care law and rules.
A Provisional License is a permit that may be
issued for up to one year to child care
providers who fail to meet minimum licensing
requirements.
A Special Provisional License is a permit that
may be issued for up to six months to child
care providers when it is determined that child
abuse or neglect has occurred in a center.
A Probationary License is a permit that may
be issued for up to one year to child care
providers when it is determined that a
violation of the child care law or rules has
been willful, continual or hazardous to the
Applying for a Child
health and safety of children
Religious sponsored child care centers (those
Care License
operated by a church, synagogue, or school By: Division of Child Development
of religious charter) may receive a Notice of
Compliance Alexis Bullock
Steps To Getting A License
1. Potential child care providers should
contact the Division of Child Development
and purchase a booklet.
2. Attend pre-licensing workshops
3. Apply for a license
4. DCDEE sends out a consult to offer
technical assistance (offer advice)
5. Run on a daily basis and consulter will
come out and check how you are doing
6. Issue Licences
Education Standards
The number of points you earn in education
standards is based on the education level of all of
your staff. The Division's staff will evaluate
transcripts to determine the number of semester
hours that can be counted towards the higher
levels in this component.
What is Child Care?
Child care is defined as a program or arrangement
where three or more children less than 13 years old,
who do not reside where the care is provided,
receive care on a regular basis of at least once per
week for more than 4 hours but less than 24 hours
per day from persons other than their guardians or
full-time custodians, or from persons not related to
them by birth, marriage, or adoption.
Discipline and Behavior
Management
Each operator or staff member must attend to any
child in a nurturing and appropriate manner, and in
keeping with the childs developmental needs. Each
center must develop written policies, on discipline,
describing the methods and practices used to
discipline children enrolled in care. The use of
corporal punishment as a form of discipline is
prohibited in a licensed child care center and may not
be used by any operator or staff member of any
licensed child care center. The written discipline
policy must clearly state the prohibition of corporal
punishment. Corporal punishment may be used in
religious sponsored child care facilities that operate
under a Notice of Compliance only if the religious
sponsored child care facility files with the Division a
notice stating that corporal punishment is part of the
religious training of its program, and the facility
clearly states in its written policy of discipline that
corporal punishment is part of the religious training of
its program.
Requirements for the staff
All administrators must be 21 years of age. All
administrators must have, or complete, at least a
Level I NCECAC or its equivalent as determined by
the Division of Child Development. All administrators
must begin work towards a NCECAC or its
equivalent within 6 months of assuming the duties of
administrator. All administrators must complete a
NCECAC or its equivalent within 2 years. Within six
months of an individual assuming child care
administrator duties, each center must submit the
information in the individuals staff record regarding
status of NCECAC completion. All administrators
must have a high school diploma or its equivalent
and one of the following: two years of full-time
verifiable work experience in a licensed child care
center or early childhood work experience; or an
undergraduate, graduate, or associate degree, with
at least 12 semester hours in child development,
child psychology, early childhood education or
directly related field; or a Child Development
Associate Credential or completion of a community
or technical college curriculum program in the area
of child care or early childhood; or one year of
full-time verifiable child care or early childhood work
experience and a North Carolina Early Childhood
Credential (NCECC). All lead teachers must be at
least 18 years of age. Within six months of an
individual assuming child care lead teacher duties,
each center must submit the information in the
individuals staff record regarding status of NCECC
completion. All lead teachers must have a high
school diploma or its equivalent and have one of the
following: One year experience in a licensed child
care center or two years experience as a licensed
family child care home operator Successful
completion of a two year high school program of
Child Care Services Occupational Home Economics
Twenty hours of training in child development taken
in the first six months of employment.