Providers:  Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I need a license to do child care in my home?
2. How do I become a licensed child care provider?
3. Where can I find a copy of Licensing Requirements?
4. As a child care provider where can I get training?

1. Do I need a license to do child care in my home?
   Yes.  The Oklahoma Child Care Facilities Licensing Act 10 O.S., Sec. 401 through 415 mandates that anyone who provides child care on a regular basis be licensed by the Department of Human Services, Division of Child Care.  Find the Oklahoma Licensing Requirements.
   
   
2. How do I become a licensed child care provider?
   Contact the child care licensing specialist in your local county OKDHS office. The licensing specialist has inquiry information that they can send you as well as information about help that may be available to you.  They will answer your questions and help you through the process to become a licensed family child care home provider or child care center. 
   You should also contact the child care resource and referral agency that serves your area.  They can help with parent referrals, training, and technical assistance.  You can get the number of your local agency by calling 888-962-2772. 
   
   
3. Where can I find a copy of Licensing Requirements?
   You can find Oklahoma’s licensing requirements for family child care homes and child care centers via our web site link to the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care. (link opens in new window)  You may also contact your county OKDHS licensing office and they will mail you a copy.
   
   
4. As a child care provider, where can I get training?
   The Center for Early Childhood Professional Development (link opens in new window), Scholars for Excellence in Child Care (link opens in new window), and the Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (link opens in new window) provide support and training programs for child care professionals.

Parents:  Frequently Asked Questions
 

1. How do I find a child care provider?
2. How do I find an after-hour child care provider who has a contract?
3. Could I get help to pay for child care?
4. What is the quality of care at my child’s child care provider?
5. How do I make a complaint?
6. Staff-child ratio…what is it? 
7. Has this child care provider had any complaints or problems?
8. Who do I contact to report child abuse or neglect?

1. How do I find a child care provider?
   You can use the Child Care Locator to search and retrieve a list of child care providers using the city name or zip code(s) you are interested in.  Another good resource for you is the child care resource and referral agency (link opens in new window) in your area.
    
   Here are steps in finding child care and a quality check list to take with you when you visit.  After you visit call the OKDHS Licensing office and schedule a time to view the licensing case record for the providers you choose, or ask for a summary of those records. 
   
   
2. How do I find an after-hour child care provider who has an OKDHS subsidy contract?
   You can use the Child Care Locator to search and retrieve a list of child care providers using the city name or zip code(s) you are interested in.  Check the section that will pull only the family child care HOMES or child care CENTERS that have an OKDHS subsidy contract and choose all the “type care” that would apply to your need, such as evening, overnight and weekend. 
    
   Another good resource for you is the child care resource and referral agency (link opens in new window) in your area.
   
   
3. Could I get help to pay for child care?
   Review information on child care benefits. 
   
   
4. What is the quality of care at my child’s child care provider?   Reaching for the Stars created four levels of child care programs: one star, one star plus, two star and three star.  Each higher star level means that additional quality criteria were met.  Find out more at Reaching for the Stars.
   
   
5. How do I make a complaint?
   If your concern involves a non-compliance with licensing requirements, you may file a complaint with the Child Care Licensing Specialist for your county.  You may request a follow-up contact after the investigation has been completed. 
   
   
6. Staff-child ratio…what is it?
   The staff-child ratio is a minimum licensing requirement that establishes how many children a teacher can care for.  It varies based on the ages of children in the group.  Research shows that having fewer children in a group improves the quality of care children receive. See Oklahoma’s Licensing Requirements for specific guidelines.
   
   
7. Has this child care provider had any complaints or problems? To view or receive a summary of the compliance or monitoring history of a child care provider contact the local licensing office who directly monitors that facility.   
   
   
8. Who do I contact to report child abuse or neglect?
   To report suspected child abuse or neglect call the Statewide Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline at 1-800-522-3511.