District of Columbia Licensing Standards for Day Care Centers

Teachers: Must be at least 18 and have a Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or a related field including a minimum of 15 hrs. in early childhood education courses; or 2 or more years of college including a minimum of 15 hrs. in early childhood education courses and 1 year experience in a child development facility; or a HS diploma or equivalent and 3 yrs. experience as teacher or assistant teacher in child development center and 9 college credit hours in early childhood education from an accredited college or university; or experience as a teacher or assistant teacher in licensed child development center with a CDA.

Age Range	Ratio For Daycare Centers
2 years - 2 ½ years	(1:4)
2 ½ - 3 years	(1:8)
4 years	(1:10)
5 years	(1:15)
6 - 14 years	(1:15)
Mixed age group	Ratio shall be adjusted to protect the welfare of the younger children

Age Range	Ratio For Family Child Care
All ages	(1:5) [ratio includes family members under age 6]
Infants	(1:2)

Child Care Licensing Agency District of Columbia Health Regulation Administration Department of Health 825 North Capitol Street, NE, Suite 2224 Washington, DC 20002 Phone: (202) 442-5888 Fax: (202) 442-9430	Child Care Subsidy Agency DC Department of Human Services Early Care and Education Administration 717 14th Street NW, Suite 1200 Washington, DC 20005 Phone: (202) 727-1839 Fax: (202 )727-7728 or (202) 727-8166
Head Start - State Collaboration Office Office of Early Childhood Education 717 14th Street, NW, Suite 450 Washington, DC, 20005 Phone: (202) 727-8113 Fax: (202) 727-8164	Child Care Food Program Agency Special Nutrition and Commodities State Education Office 441 4th Street NW Suite 350N Washington D.C. 20001-2714 Phone: (202) 724-7655 Fax: (202) 727-2834
Child Care Resource & Referral Contact Washington Child Development Council 1400 Sixteenth Street, NW, Suite 715 Washington, DC 20036 Phone: (202) 387-0002 Fax: (202) 387-0411	Office of Child Support Enforcement Child Support Services Division Office of the Attorney General Judiciary Square 441 Fourth Street NW, 5th Floor Washington, District of Columbia 20001 Phone: (202) 724-2131 Fax: (202) 724-3710
Child Abuse Reporting To report suspected child abuse or suspected neglect in District of Columbia, call Local (toll): (202) 671-SAFE (202-671-7233). For national child abuse information, call Childhelp®, 800-4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453), or your local CPS agency.