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Child Care Centers: A Type I child care center is
a facility that is licensed to care for twelve or more children.
Licensed child care centers must meet standards set by the
Cabinet for Health Services, Division of Licensing and Regulation.
Regulations include: 12 hours of training annually for all
staff, a fire inspection, a liability insurance requirement,
and compliance with building codes, child/adult ratios,
and program requirements. Facilities undergo at least one
unannounced re-licensure survey visit by state licensing
specialists annually. The child/adult ratios are as follows:
Age Group |
Ratio |
Maximum Group Size |
birth to 12 months |
5:1 |
10 |
12 to 24 months |
6:1 |
12 |
2 to 3 years |
10:1 |
20 |
3 to 4 years |
12:1 |
24 |
4 to 5 years |
14:1 |
28 |
5 to 7 years |
15:1 |
30 |
7 and older |
20:1 |
30 |
before and after school only |
25:1 |
30 |
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Note:
The age of the youngest child in the group is the
ratio that must be maintained. |
Family Child Care: A family child care provider
cares for a small number of children in his or her home.
The following terms are used to describe family child care
homes in Kentucky. These definitions are provided to help
parents understand the three different family child care
options available:
License Exempt: Providers caring for three or
fewer children, in addition to related children, are legally
exempt from Kentucky's child care regulations. Related
children as defined by Kentucky law include: grandchildren,
nieces, nephews, and children in legal custody. Children
in care can be of any age. 4C does not list license exempt providers for referral in Kentucky .
State Certified: Providers caring for four to
six unrelated children are certified by the Kentucky Cabinet
for Families and Children, Division of Child Care. Certified
providers must meet standards set by the Cabinet, and
are monitored with two home visits each year by a state
certification specialist. Providers must have current
CPR and First Aid certification as well as a minimum of
six hours of child development training annually. Providers
may not care for more than six children under age six,
including related children. No more than four of the children
can be under the age of 12 months unless an assistant
is present, and providers may not care for more than a
total of ten children. For further information about Kentucky
Certification call either 4C at 781-3511 or 1-800.256.1296,
or the Kentucky Cabinet for Families and Children at 1-800-421-1903.
Licensed Type II: Providers caring for seven
to twelve children are licensed by the Kentucky Cabinet
for Health Services, Division of Licensing and Regulation.
Licensed Type II Providers must meet regulations set by
the Division of Licensing and Regulations. These regulations
are the same ones met by Child Care Centers (listed above).
- Criminal Record Check is only required for Licensed
Type I, Type II and Certified providers.
Note: A 4C referral does not imply a recommendation.
4C lists only legally operating child care providers. If
providers are exempt from Kentucky's child care regulations,
they must become listed on the 4C registry to receive
referrals to parents. Kentucky Certified and Licensed providers
are added to and deleted from the 4C registry according
to current state listings of regulated programs.
Children
and Parent Rights
Pursuant to KRS 199.898
All children receiving child-care services in
a day-care center licensed pursuant to KRS 199.896,
a family child-care home certified pursuant to KRS
199.8982, or from a provider or program receiving
public funds shall have the following rights:
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The right to be free from physical or mental
abuse;
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The right not to be subjected to abusive language
or abusive punishment; and
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The right to be in the care of adults who shall
meet their health, safety, and developmental needs.
Parents, custodians or guardians of children specified
in subsection (1) of this section shall have the following
rights:
- The right to have access to their children at
all times the child is in care and access to the
provider caring for their children during normal
hours of provider operation and whenever the children
are in the care of the provider;
- The right to be provided with information about
child-care regulatory standards, if applicable;
where to direct questions about regulatory standards;
and how to file a complaint;
- The right to file a complaint against a child-care
provider without any retribution against the parent,
custodian, guardian or child;
- The right to obtain information from the cabinet
regarding any type of licensure denial, suspension,
or revocation of an operator, and cabinet reports
that have found abuse or neglect by any child-care
provider or any employee of a child-care provider.
Identifying information regarding children and their
families shall remain confidential;
- The right to obtain information from the cabinet
regarding the inspections and plans of correction
of the day-care center, the family child care home,
or the provider or program receiving public funds
within the past year; and
- The right to review and discuss with the provider
any state reports and deficiencies revealed by such
reports;
The child-care provider who is licensed pursuant
to KRS 199.896 or certified pursuant to KRS 199.8982
shall post these rights in a prominent place and shall
provide a copy of these rights to the parent, custodian
or guardian of the child at the time of the child's
enrollment in the program. |
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