Opening a Family Child Care: Part 1 ~ Is FCC a Good Fit and Where Do I Start the Process?

Becoming a small business owner as a family child care provider is not for everyone. When you welcome children into your home providing a nurturing, safe environment supporting their development, you are not “babysitting”.

What’s It Mean to be a Family Child Care Provider?

Providing child care in your home is an important job that many find to be a good fit for themselves and their family, a sustainable small business and a fulfilling career choice.

Here are some questions to consider about family child care as a career choice:

Do you enjoy spending extended time with children?
Is there an age group that you prefer engaging with, have more experience with, or knowledge about?
Are you comfortable working with families, having open communication on their child’s emotional, physical, and mental growth?
Are you comfortable working by yourself or do you prefer to work with other adults?
Are you comfortable being within your home as your work environment?
What skills do you have that will help you care for children and run a small business (for example, patience, energy, organizational skills, musical talent, etc.)?
Have you had personal experiences with child care? What are your feelings about those experiences?
Does your immediate family support the proposed usage of their home?

I don’t have an degree in education…….

To be a licensed family child care provider in Maine you need to be at least 18 years of age with a high school diploma or equivalent degree. You do not need a special credential or degree. To maintain your license you will need to participate in a minimum of 12 hours of professional training each year. There are many options available to secure these hours of training in areas that will support your professional growth and the ability to provide quality care to children served in your program.

I don’t own my own home…..

You do not need to own your own home. You do however need to reside in the home that will hold the program. If renting you will need written permission from your landlord.

You will also need to provide documentation of zoning/code approval from the municipality where the program is physically located. Some towns are very tight in regards to zoning. You need to check with your town office on whether a family child care program is allowed where you live. Do this at the very start of looking at the possibility of setting up a family child care business.

Still thinking operating your own small business as a family child care provider is what you want to do for a profession? GREAT! The remainder of this post along with Parts 2 and 3 will provide you with information, resources and links to help you through the process.

Operating a family child care business is like operating any other small business is important. You need:

a business plan,
an understanding of the regulations you need to meet on the state and local level, and
an awareness of the support services available to you.

As a potential family child care provider, you must apply for a license to operate your family child care. Meaning you have to comply with the Licensing Rule currently governing family child care programs.

Let’s start with the first information you need to know:

Your Town’s code around family child care

Does your town code allow family child care businesses? If so, what code requirements do you need to meet? If, not is there a process you could procedure through to get an exemption or change the code?

How many children you want to care for (capacity)

Your license fee covers a 2 yr license no matter how many children you care for. Your capacity will be determined by your space, ages of children in care and even your personal physical health. You also want to consider what your homeowner insurance will cover and professional liability insurance. Maine does not require homeowner’s or liability insurance, but without it you are putting your family at risk. Any cost of insurance is considered a business expense and thus a tax deduction.

Your water source

If on public water, you only need a one time first draw water test for lead. If you have private water, you will need to get an annual general water safety test, as well as, a more extensive test every five years. You will also need to get a one time first draw test for lead.

Year your house was built

Homes built prior to 1978 will need to be checked for lead. Licensing specialists perform lead hazard surveys.

DHHS will not review an incomplete application, so submit all your materials at once.

The Family Child Care Checklist for Initial License will help you navigate the process of obtaining a family child care license. This checklist is for your use only and should not be submitted.

What are those materials?

Documentation of current certification in adult, child and infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid. Both American Red Cross and American Heart are accepted.
With the 2022 FCC Licensing Rule a floor plan is no longer required for licensing. However, drawing up a site plan of your premises that includes: indication of all areas where children will be served (floor plan) and the location of any businesses co-located on the premises will help you both plan your space usage and allow you to figure your total square footage. Your square footage is important for figuring your taxes – Time/Share %. This drawing does not need to be a professional scaled plan, but you do need measurements of areas children will be in.
Appropriate water test from a designated lab
Pre-licensing training offered through Maine Roads to Quality Professional Development Network (MRTQ PDN): Getting Started in Family Child Care (On Demand training – 6 hours) – This training is required by Child Care Licensing in Maine for new family child care providers. It covers the basic aspects of operating an in-home family child care program.
You will need to clear a background check. Any adult living within your residence will also need to clear a background check. (done by the State of Maine through Licensing)
Fire Marshall inspection of premises. They can place restrictions on the ages of children or limitations on the use of basements, specific rooms within the property, or floors above the ground level. There is no cost for this inspection.

Here are the application materials that you must submit to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Child Care Application (Word) (This form is also used to renew an existing license)
Reference Form (PDF)
Zoning and Code Compliance Letter (PDF)

Here is the current Family Child Care Licensing Rule adopted May 27, 2021. Providers are able to decide how their program will meet or work within the requirements of the Rule.

So you’ve submitted your application……

It’s time to think of what you need to operate a sustainable family child care business, while complying with the Family Child Care Provider Licensing Rule.

You need a business contract for clients and a handbook of policies.

Licensing requires some policies, but many providers include additional policies that are specific to the operation of their small business. Let’s look at the required policies in place. When additional requirements are added by Licensing they can be found under “Licensing Rule“, but this post is the place to start.

Parents/Legal Guardians need to sign off that they are aware of these policies:

Child guidance practices
Parental visitation at the child care site
Expulsion and suspension practices
Management of child illness
Emergency preparedness for natural disasters and human-caused events, including but not limited to, fire drills
Release of children to non-custodial caregivers
Mandated reporting/Abuse and Neglect
Serious injury and child death reporting.

FCCAM has examples and templates for all these required policies/forms available for members.

As part of your contract and registration to attend your program you will need to maintain information on the children in care, their legal guardians, and any staff or volunteers in your program.

Child’s name, birth date, street address and mailing address
Name, street address, mailing address and telephone number of the child’s legal guardian(s)
Places of employment, telephone number, and street address of the child’s guardian’s employers
Method of contacting the guardians while the child is in care
Name, street address and telephone number of an emergency contact other than the guardians, for use in the event of an emergency, if the guardians cannot be reached
Dates of enrollment and termination
Immunization records;
Names, addresses and telephone numbers of the child’s physician (Many providers also include dentist and hospital preference.)
Written authorization to obtain emergency medical care for the child
Records of all serious injuries and reportable incidents sustained by the child while in care. These need to be recorded on the same day of the injury and include the date and time of the notification of a guardian, and signed by the guardian within 48 hours of the incident.
Names of individuals who are permitted by the guardians to remove the child from the premises
Notation of any known significant changes in the child’s appearance, hygiene, health or behavior including, but not limited to, aggression, withdrawal, sexual acting out and prolonged tantrums
Child’s known allergies and other health conditions, including any related health plans
Written permission or denial for use or distribution of images or personal information of the child on any publications, social media or promotional materials
A complete record if suspected child abuse or neglect is reported to the Department’s child protective intake
Any professional developmental assessments of the child provided by the parent, if available
Any relevant documentation of medical necessity
Written permission from the child’s guardians before allowing the child to participate in any high-risk activity.
If any information is missing from the child’s record, licensees must include a written explanation in the child’s record that states why the information is missing

Personnel records must include:

Name, street and mailing address, birth date and telephone number of the individual
Documentation of training, as required by Licensing rule
Dates of employment and termination of employees. (Documentation regarding the reasons for termination must be kept in the personnel record for at least one year.)
A comprehensive background check report initiated prior to the date of hire
Documentation of any disciplinary action.

Provider records:

Records of hours worked by providers (including self), including the arrival and departure time for each provider
Record of any volunteer hours.
Immunizations

General Records:

Daily attendance list that includes all children served, including the arrival and departure time(s) for each child.
Record of monthly fire drills, available for inspection by the Maine Department of Public Safety, Office of the State Fire Marshal and local fire inspectors.

This might look like a long list, but it’s all important in the operation of your business.

FCCAM has examples and templates for all this material available for members. In these examples you will also see additional areas other providers have felt were important to have in their handbooks to support their businesses.

Now, you’re a licensed provider, where do you go for support?

You’re here so you’ve heard of FCCAM, a statewide professional association that is all about supporting family child care providers. We have members willing to mentor you, public and member only resources, professional training links.

FCCAM is also the state affiliate for the National Association of Family Child Care (NAFCC).

In Maine, you are lucky to have Maine Roads to Quality PDN. You have access to trainings, technical assistance/on-site consult and regional peer networks. Many of the services they offer are free.

There are small, local networking groups throughout the state, as well as, an online statewide Community of Practice just for family child care providers that meets by zoom on the second Monday each month.

Rising Stars for ME (Maine’s QRIS) where licensees can work on advancing the quality of their program.

Your Licensing Specialist is also there to answer questions and provide resources materials or sources.

The CACFP food program has local sponsors throughout the state. A national program to check out if you are going to be providing snacks and meals.

MaineAEYC is the state affiliate for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Family Child Care providers are welcome to join this national early education association.

A local tax specialist or accountant that works with family child care providers. Many are happy to provide information on what is and isn’t a valid business expense.

What about your Cost to start up?

(2021 expenses example)

Licensing: $160
Pre-licensing course: $30
water test (maximum cost is for private water source): $300 range
CPR training: $75 range
liability insurance: 8 children – $500 range
homeowners insurance: does not usually change much from current cost
**membership in FCCAM $25

You probably have most of the general equipment and if not can repurpose free or low cost materials for much of it. You do not need all new or even a large quantity.

Remember all these costs of doing business are deductible.

This series is being written to inform and inspire those who are considering opening family child care programs. Material for this series has been pulled together from a variety of resources by members of FCCAM. We have done our best to have quality sources and valid links. Please feel free to contact us at any time with specific questions.