For free Child Care Referrals to licensed family child care homes in Colorado Springs and surrounding areas, call 475-8828.

        Who is the Licensed Family Child Care Provider?

• Trained early childhood professional.

• Able to meet the specific needs of children, infant through school-aged.

• Nurtures the child's physical, social, emotional and intellectual well-being.

• Establishes and maintains a learning-rich child care environment.

• Partners with parents to customize care that promotes the growth and development of each child.

Licensed Family Child Care is far beyond academics: it is an all-about-life learning experience in the home environment that, hopefully and healthfully, models what the child may re-create as a young adult.

        What does Licensed Family Child Care offer you and your child?

• Licensed family child care is all about the children PLUS

• Long term provider-to-child bonding & attachment.

• Wide variety of child care practices, reflecting the individuality, creativity and uniqueness of each provider within the home environment.

• Family-styled mixed-age groups, allowing siblings to stay together.

• Respect of the child's individual development, learning style and family culture.

All Licensed Family Child Care Providers display their license, declaring the home's capacity with the current hologram, along with the current licensing inspection report.

    How is the Licensed Family Child Care Provider Trained?

• Security check of provider and immediate family members by the State of Colorado.

• Pre-licensing training.

• Continuous certification in CPR, First Aid, Universal Precautions and Medication Administration.

• Continuous annual training of at least 15 hours in 10 core categories including Child Growth & Development, Family Relations, Developmentally Appropriate Practices, Healthy & Safe Environments.

Information to help parents make the best choices for their child:

Being Prepared for Interviews with Providers

Developing a Partnership with Your Provider

Evaluating Your Child Care Expectations

It Is Illegal In the State of Colorado to care for children from more than 1 family without a child care license. To view records of any child care facility or home, contact the Colorado Department of Human Resources in Denver at 1-800-779-5876, or go to  www.colorado.gov/CDHS/childcare and scroll down the paragraph to "Licensing Histories of Child Care Facilities". If you find someone who has a child care business in their home without having a child care license, please call 574-9363, locally or 1-800-799-5876 in Denver. This number can also be called if there are concerns about child abuse or neglect in a licensed home or child care center.