Oregon Family Child Care: Types of Licenses

This post is a part of our series on Oregon family child care licensing. For more on licensing in Oregon, see the following posts:

Oregon Family Child Care Licensing: An Overview
The Licensing Process
Eligibility
Training Requirements
Home Requirements

As you start your in-home child care program in Oregon, you will have the option to choose between two types of programs: Registered Family Child Care Home License and Certified Family Child Care Home License.

Family child care home license comparison

Here’s an overview of the differences between Registered Family Child Care Homes and Certified Family Child Care Homes as detailed by the Oregon Early Learning Division Office of Child Care.

Characteristics 

‍Registered Family Child Care Home

• Up to 10 children
• 2 infants at maximum
• No square footage requirement
• Background checks for all applicable persons over the age of 18
• 10 hours of training within 2 years
• Minimum of 6 hours of training out of 10 hours must be in child development
• Minimum of 1 unannounced visit annually
• Biennial renewal

‍Certified Family Child Care Home

• Up to 16 children
• Ratio and ages of children is dependent on the number of qualified caregivers
• Zoning approval is sometimes required
• Square footage requirement per child
• Qualifying experience needed
• Background checks for all applicable persons over the age of 18
• Annual training requirements varies based on position
• Minimum of 1 unannounced visit annually
• Annual environmental health inspection
• Annual renewal

Prior to application

‍Registered Family Child Care Home

• Overview at a local Child Care Resource & Referral

‍Certified Family Child Care Home

• Certified Family Child Care Home introductory packet
• Contact OCC or Licensing Specialist
• Precertification visit – space approval and receive Certified Family Child Care Home application packet

Prior to Visit

‍Registered Family Child Care Home

• Enrollment in Central Background Registry

‍Certified Family Child Care Home

• Enrollment in Center Background Registry
• Complete environmental health inspection

Required training

‍Registered Family Child Care Home

•  Introduction to Child Care Health & Safety
• Food Handlers
• First Aid and CPR for infants and toddlers
• Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect (RRCAN)

Certified Family Child Care Home

• Introduction to Child Care Health & Safety
• Food Handlers
• First Aid and CPR for infants and toddlers
• Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect (RRCAN)

After receiving license

‍Registered Family Child Care Home

• 10 hours of training within 2 years
• Minimum of 6 hours of training out of 10 hours must be in child development

Certified Family Child Care Home

• Annual training requirements varies based on position

Caregiver-to-child ratio for Registered Family Child Care Homes

You can care for a maximum of 10 children under thirteen years of age, or under age eighteen if the child has special needs, at any one time. This includes your own children as well as the child care children.

• Of the 10 children under thirteen years of age or under eighteen years of age with special needs, the provider may care for:
• A maximum of 6 children preschool age or younger, including the provider's children, of which only 2 children may be under twenty-four months of age.
• 4 school‐age children, in addition to the 6 children preschool‐age or younger.
• More school‐age children if there are fewer than 6 children preschool age or younger,  as long as there are no more than 10 children in the home at any one time.
• No child younger than 6 weeks of age can be in care in a Registered Family Child Care Home. This does not include the provider's child(ren).

Sources: Rules for Certified Family Child Care Homes, Rules for Registered Family Child Care Homes , Licensed Child Care Overview, Oregon Department of Education Early Learning Division (ELD)

Caregiver-to-child ratio for Certified Family Child Care Homes

The maximum number of children allowed in a Certified Family Child Care Home at any one time is 16. All children in the home, including the provider's or other caregivers' own children, shall be counted in determining the caregiver/child ratio and group size.

Staff ratio requirements are determined by capacity and children's ages

The number of caregivers is determined by the age and number of the youngest child(ren) in the group. If the provider is certified to care for more than 12 children and plans to care for more than 8 infants and/or toddlers, the provider must develop a plan showing how infants and toddlers will be limited to a group size of not more than eight. The plan must be approved by the Office of Child Care.

If all children are in the same age group, the following table determines the staff/child ratio:

If children in care include any infants and/or toddlers, the following table determines the staff/child ratio:

If children in care include a mix of only preschool and school-aged children, the following table determines the staff/child ratio:

 If the home is certified to care for more than 12 children and the age blend is such that group separation is required:

• Groups may be joined for meals, naps, outdoor play, and limited quiet activities such as a video or  circle time
• The provider must develop a plan that shows how the groups will be separated without requiring remodeling of the home. The plan must be approved by the Office of Child Care

Prior to a facility providing care to more than 2 children under twenty-four months of age, the provider shall have at least 30 clock hours of training specific to infant and toddler care.