Group day care providers: Must
be at least 19 years old and have a high school diploma or GED certificate
or 6 months documented prior work experience in day care or 5
clock hours of day care training or a professional credential
from a nationally-recognized organization.
Who Needs to be Licensed?
If you are caring for more than two children who aren’t related to you, you might have to be licensed. If you do not meet any of the exemption reasons below, then you need to apply for a license. If you do not meet one of the exemptions listed above and are caring for children, you are required by Wyoming law to be licensed. It is considered a crime to operate a child care facility without a license if you are not exempt. If you are not sure whether or not you are exempt from licensing requirements, contact the Child Care Licenser for your county. The exemptions are:
A legal parent’s or legal relative’s care of a child.
Occasional care of a neighbor’s or friend’s child if the person providing the care does not regularly engage in the activity.
Parents exchanging care on a cooperative basis.
Child care provided by a person employed to come to the home of the child’s parent or guardian.
Child care facilities providing care for no more than two unrelated children.
Child care facilities supervised by the state, and local government, school district, agency or political subdivision thereof.
Licensing Rules and Types of Child Care Facilites
Family Child Care Home - to provide care for 3 - 10 children in your own home without additional staff;
Family Child Care Center - to provide care for a maximum of 15 children in your home or another building in which you do not reside with one additional staff when more than 10 children are present; or
Child Care Center - to provide care for 16 or more children with adequate staff to meet the staff:child ratio requirements.
How Do I Get Licensed?
You can request an application for Child Care Certification from the Child Care Licenser for your county or download a copy of the application. You will need to submit the following information with your application:
Child/abuse neglect Central Registry checks from Wyoming and each state lived in the last 5 years results; click here
National Sex Offender Registry check and Wyoming and State Sex Offender Registry checks from each state lived in the last 5 years;
Results of a National criminal history background check; click here
Proof that you have been tested for TB; click here for TB screening form
Local zoning approval if it is required where you live;
Documentation from a licensed health care professional that the applicant has no diagnosed conditions that would impair their ability to provide child care; click here for Physician’s Statement form
Proof of required education, training or experience; and
A $50.00 application fee. (Check or money order made payable to the Department of Family Services).
CHILD CARE CENTERS
Capacity/Supervision Requirements.
(a) The licenser shall determine facility capacity based on individual room
capacity for all rooms used by children. This room capacity shall be displayed in each room
and never be exceeded.
(i) The children counted in the capacity include all children present to
include school age children and children related to staff.
(ii) Group size may be limited by room capacity.
(b) Staff:child ratios and supervision as described in this chapter shall be
maintained at all times.
(c) For rules relating to staff:child ratios refer to Chapter 4, General
Requirements.
(d) Staff:child ratio reduced at nap time to one (1) staff member in the sleeping
area as long as that staff person has a clear view of all napping children in the room. Other
staff may be excused for other activities; however, staff numbers shall be maintained within
the facility to meet overall staff:child ratios at all times.
(e) Group size may not be exceeded for more than one (1) hour during portions
of the day such as, but not limited to opening and closing hours and special events. Building
or room capacity shall not be exceeded and staff:child ratios shall be maintained.
(f) There shall be at least one (1) adult staff directly supervising children in each
area of the facility where children are located at all times.
(a) The director shall:
(i) Be at least 21 years old;
(ii) Have a high school diploma or an equivalent certificate;
(iii) Have a combination of education and experience equivalent to two
(2) years in the areas of management, early childhood education, child development, nursing
or other;
(iv) Shall have completed six (6) clock hours of child care training inaddition to pre-service training prior to licensing;
(v) Shall have received a professional credential from an organization
recognized by the Department;
(vi) Directors shall meet all training requirements as outlined in Chapter
4;
(vii) Be onsite and available for at least 50% of the operating week in
which they are listed as the director, unless an exception by the licenser for good cause is
given;
(viii) Whenever the director of a center is absent from the facility, an
assistant director shall be on duty; and the director remains responsible for the operation of
the center and the actions of all staff, volunteers and substitutes;
(ix) In the event the director leaves the employment of the facility, the
assistant director shall be responsible until a director is hired. A director shall be hired
within a reasonable time frame and the facility shall notify Child Care Licensing
immediately; and
(x) It is the responsibility of the center director to ensure that all records
and reports are maintained onsite.
(b) An assistant director does not need to meet the requirements of the director
but shall have the following:
(i) Be at least 21 years old;
(ii) A high school diploma or an equivalent certificate;
(iii) Have a combination of education and experience equivalent to one
(1) year;
(iv) Sufficient knowledge and training in the operation of the facility as
well as decision making authority to assume the duties of director during his/her absence
before they can assume responsibility of the operation of the facility; and
(v) Meet all training requirements as outlined in Chapter 4.
(c) Staff Requirements
(i) Before the director and any staff assume responsibility for direct care
of children, the staff shall meet the requirements specified in Chapter 4, General
Requirements.
Section 4. Evening and Overnight Care.
(a) Whenever any facility cares for children past 7:00 p.m, the following rules,
in addition to all other rules and regulations, shall apply:
(i) Adult staff shall be awake and on duty at all times when children aresleeping;
(ii) Staff:child ratio may be reduced to one (1) staff member in each
sleeping area as long as all children are sleeping and that staff person has a clear view of all
children;
(iii) Other facility staff may be excused for other activities, however, overall staff:child ratios within the facility shall be maintained at all times; and
(iv) When any child awakens relaxed staff:child ratios shall no longer be
used.
FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME
(a) The licenser shall determine total capacity for the facility. The licensed
capacity shall never exceed the maximum capacity of ten (10) children.
(i) The children counted in the capacity include the provider's ownchildren under the age of six (6) years old.
(A) All foster children, under the age of 13, on the premisesshall be included in the capacity;
(B) All children, including those related to staff, on thepremises during hours of operation shall be included in the capacity; and
(C) School age childhood friends shall be limited to two (2) atany given time.
(b) There shall be at least one (1) adult staff supervising the care of children at
all times and the following supervision requirements also apply:
(i) Awake infants and toddlers shall be directly supervised by staff atall times;
(ii) Children who have completed kindergarten or are enrolled in first
grade or are six (6) years old or older may be located in adjacent fenced outdoor areas of
the facility if there is direct access, the staff person can clearly hear what happens in the
adjacent area and the staff person remains attentive and moves from one area to the other
every couple of minutes;
(iii) Children ages three (3) and older may be located in adjacent indoor
areas of the facility if there is direct access, the staff person can clearly hear what
happens in the adjacent area and the staff person remains attentive and moves from one
area to the other every couple of minutes;
(iv) If children are in more than two (2) non-adjacent areas, a staffperson shall be present and attending the children in each area;
(v) All children shall be located on the same level as staff at all times;and
(vi) Napping children who are not within sight of the staff person shall
be within easy hearing distance at all times, be checked on every few minutes, once
awake, and meet all other requirements.
Section 3. Provider and Staff Requirements.
(a) The provider shall have attained the age of majority and be physically and
mentally able to care for children.
(b) The provider shall have a high school diploma or an equivalent certificate;
or
(i) Shall be able to document a minimum of three (3) months of
supervised work experience or education in the care of children other than his/her own;
(ii) Shall have completed six (6) clock hours of child care training inaddition to pre-service training prior to licensing; or
(iii) Shall have received a professional credential from an organization recognized by the Department.
(c) The provider shall ensure all records and reports required are maintained
onsite.
(d) The provider shall be onsite and available in the facility a minimum of 75%
of the operating week, unless an exception by the licenser for good cause is given.
(e) When a provider is not present at the facility, a qualified adult staff person
with sufficient knowledge and training in the operation of the facility, as well as decision-
making authority, shall be left in charge.
(a) Whenever any facility cares for children past 7:00 p.m., the following rules
shall apply in addition to all other rules and regulations specific to the type of facility:
(i) Sleeping child(ren) shall sleep on the same level as the staff person andthe staff person shall be able to hear the child(ren); and
(ii) There shall be a staff person awake and on duty to release or receive a child.
| Age Range |
Ratios for Daycare Centers in Wyoming
State |
| Birth
to 12 months |
(1:4; 2:8; 3:10) 10 Max |
| 12
- 24 months |
(1:5; 2:10; 3:12) 12 Max |
| 24
- 36 months |
(1:8; 2:16; 3:18) 18 Max |
| 3
year olds |
(1:10; 2:20; 3:24) 24 Max |
| 4
and 5 year olds |
(1:12; 2:24; 3:30) 30 Max |
| 6
years and older |
(1:18; 2:32; 3:40) 40 Max |
| Age Range |
Ratios for Family Daycare Centers in Wyoming
State |
| Birth
to 12 months |
(1:4; 2:8; 3:10) 10 Max |
| 12
- 24 months |
(1:5; 2:10; 3:12) 12 Max |
| 24
- 36 months |
(1:8; 2:15; 3:15) 15 Max |
| 3
year olds |
(1:10; 2:15) 15 Max |
| 4
and 5 year olds |
(1:10; 2:15) 15 Max |
| 6
years and older |
(1:15) 15 Max |
| Age Range |
Ratios for Family Daycare Homes in Wyoming State |
| Birth
to 12 months |
(1:4; 2:8) 8 Max |
| 12
- 24 months |
(1:5; 2:10) 10 Max |
| 24
- 36 months |
(1:8; 2:10) 10 Max |
| 3
year olds |
(1:10) 10 Max |
| 4
and 5 year olds |
(1:10) 10 Max |
| 6
years and older |
(1:10) 10 Max |
| Who
is Required to be Licensed? |
Generally,
if your provider is caring for more than 2 children who aren’t
related to the provider, they probably should be licensed. If
you have specific questions as to whether or not your provider
should be licensed, contact your local Child Care Licenser.
There are three types of programs licensed by the state.
Family Child Care Home - This is a smaller
program offered in the provider’s residence where there are
10 or fewer children in care.
Family Child Care Center - This type of program provides care for 15 or fewer children and
may be located in either the provider’s home or a commercial
type building. Whenever there are more than 10 children present,
there must be 2 caregivers.
Child Care Center - This is a larger program where care is provided for more than
15 children in a commercial type facility. The number of children
that can be care for is based on the size of the facility. |
| Are
Any Programs Exempt from Licensing? |
| Yes. Listed below
are those instances where a program does not have to be licensed
by the state:
- A legal parent or legal relative’s care of a child
- Occasional care of a neighbor’s or friend’s child
if the person providing the care does not regularly engage in
this activity
- Parents exchanging care on a cooperative basis
- Child care provided by a person that you have employed to come
into your home to provide care
- Child care by a person who is caring for less than 3 children
- Any child care facility which is supervised by the state, local
government or school district
- Child care provided for the care only of the children in one immediate
family unit
|
| What
are the Regulations for Child Care? |
| All licensed child care
programs are required to meet the requirements in the Child Care
Licensing Rules. These rules are designed to assure the safety of
your child while he/she is in care. The physical premises must meet
health and safety requirements and the appropriate staff:child ratios
must be met. In addition, the provider and all staff are required
to meet continuing education requirements. There are other requirements
in addition to those listed above. If you are interested in viewing
more details about licensing requirements, the complete text of
the Child
Care Licensing Rules is available. |
 |
