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Licensed Homes

The Partnership for Children & Families recognizes that providing child care in your own home comes with a unique set of needs and challenges that differ from running a larger center. The following resources are specific to those needs.

Please complete the 15 survey above annually to ensure referrals are accurate.

Getting Started

Which Home License Should I Apply For?

Regular Family Child Care Home: 1-6 children
3 Children Under 2 Family Child Care Home
Infant/Toddler Home: 0-3 year olds
Large Family Child Care Home: 7–12 children
Experienced Family Child Care Provider (ECCP)
The Regular Family Child Care Home license type allows you to care for six children from birth to eighteen years of age with no more than two children less than two years of age. You may also provide care for up to two additional school-age children attending full-day school. A child is school-age if they are six years old OR if they are in the first grade. Children who are in kindergarten can also be considered school-age. All children cared for, including any children living in your home who are less than 12 years old, are counted toward the approved maximum capacity, except if specifically indicated otherwise. Children living in the home include, but are not limited to, your birth, adopted, step and/or foster children.
The 3 Children Under 2 Family Child Care Home license type allows you to care for six children from birth to eighteen years of age, three of which can be under two years old. No more than two of the three children under two years old can be younger than twelve months of age. The maximum license capacity includes your own birth, adopted, step or foster children who are less than twelve years of age. This license type allows you to switch between the 3 under 2 and regular license capacities without notifying the State Department as long as you are in compliance with all licensing rules.
The Infant/Toddler license type allows you to provide less than twenty-four hour care for children who are between birth and three years old ONLY. To qualify for the Infant/Toddler license, you must complete the Department approved Expanding Quality in Infant/Toddler Care (EQIT) training course.
The term “large” does not refer to the size of your home or space available to provide care; it refers to the number of children you are allowed to care for.The large family child care home license allows for the care of seven to 12 children from birth to 18 years of age, however, you are not allowed to care for more than two children under two years of age at any given time.
The Experienced Family Child Care Provider (ECCP) license type allows you to care for a maximum of nine children of different age combinations. You can review the different age combinations in the Colorado rules regulating family child care homes, 7.707.22(F) (4). To qualify for an Experienced Family Child Care Provider license: You must have been licensed as a family child care home provider in Colorado for at least the last six (6) consecutive years; equal experience operating as a licensed military family child care home is acceptable.

Business & Administration

A variety of tools for family child care home providers…

Carefully and completely read all relevant child care licensing rules and regulations to ensure your home is compliant. These documents are available on the Office of Early Childhood website (www.ColoradoOfficeofEarlyChildhood.com): Select the “For Providers” tab at the top of the page. Then select “Rules and Regulations” from the left side of the page. Relevant rules include:

Make sure you are in compliance with local zoning, building and planning ordinances, and any applicable homeowner association covenants (see General Rules, 7.701.34.C for more information). You can usually get this information at your city or county planning and zoning office.

Grand Junction Resources for Businesses

Resources from Grand Junction’s Chamber of Commerce

Fort Lewis Small Business Development Center

Contracted by the Office of Early Childhood to share child care-specific business resources. Trainings and consultations available.

Tax Deductions

You must report as income all the money you receive caring for children. But, you can also deduct many business expenses such as food, toys, supplies, car expenses, and many household items. You can also deduct expenses associated with your home (rent, property tax, mortgage interest, utilities, house insurance and more). These expenses will significantly reduce your income and keep your taxes low.” –Tom Copeland

Emerging and Expanding Child Care Grant

The Emerging and Expanding Child Care Grant Program has been created for the purpose of expanding access and availability of licensed child care throughout Colorado and especially in areas where there are child care deserts. Eligible programs may apply and include: 1) Currently open and operating licensed programs, serving children birth to five, with a permanent or provisional license which are expanding their current licensed capacity; OR 2) An applicant actively pursuing a child care license through the Division of Early Care & Learning Child Care Licensing Division.

Currently licensed programs and those who are actively seeking a child care license will be eligible for a grant award from $3,000 up to $50,000 in expenses related to the expansion of current capacity or the opening of a new child care program. Programs must serve children ages birth to five to be eligible. 

Child Care Licensing Specialists and Early Childhood Councils will provide support at the local level including offering consultation to prospective programs on how to become licensed, and assisting existing child care programs to expand their licensed capacity. 

“Program” refers to both licensed and those seeking a license that are family child care homes, or child care centers serving children birth to age five. Existing programs that have outstanding violation corrections from a recent inspection or be under the adverse licensing process, must meet these requirements before funds can be awarded. Programs that receive 100% of funding from public sources such as Head Start/Early Head Start or the Colorado Preschool Program will not be eligible.

Apply here: Colorado Shines | Eegrantsubmit

Child and Adult Care Food Program

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides reimbursement for healthy meals and snacks served to Colorado’s children and adults in child care centers and homes, afterschool programs, emergency and homeless shelters, Head Start, Early Head Start, and outside-school-hours programs and adult day care centers. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds the CACFP and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment administers the program.

  • Licensed family child care home providers can participate in the CACFP through a sponsoring organization.
  • When School’s Out: A comparison of child nutrition options (Afterschool Snack Program, CACFP’s afterschool program and the Summer Food Service Program).
  • Use this cost-benefit tool to see how your program can benefit from CACFP participation.
  • For additional support in Mesa County, please contact morgan.haynie@mesacounty.us

Colorado CACFP Sponsors

Laurie Ware, Kid’s Nutrition Company (Sponsor of Homes)
7815 West 16th Ave, Lakewood, CO 80214
303-987-4851, kncinc.org

Wildwood CACFP (Sponsor of Homes and Unaffiliated Centers)
12200 E Briarwood Ave #175, Centennial, CO 80112
(303) 730-0460, https://www.wildwoodonline.org/

SOUTHWEST FOOD PROGRAM, INC.
15180 Sun Hills Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80921
P 719-440-8990, https://southwestcacfp.com/

Become a CCCAP Provider

Contact Mesa County’s CCCAP Team for information. If a parent or caregiver has selected you as the child care provider for their children, the county will send you a packet of information detailing the necessary documents and training including:

  • Fiscal Agreement, or the contract between you and the county, which outlines each party’s responsibilities, policies and the rate you will be reimbursed for child care services. You will need a Fiscal Agreement with each county that you will accept children from under the CCCAP program.
  • Form W-9 (IRS) used for identification purposes to report payments made by CCCAP. You will receive a 1099 Form (IRS) at the end of each calendar year for tax purposes.

See additional information from the Office of Early Childhood here.

Support

Join Mesa County Family Child Care Home Association

Contact Kathy Laro to join: 970-434-4607

Join Mesa County Director's Network

Contact Kirk Huddleston at childcarebizconsulting@gmail.com

Meeting Link:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88522315849.

Meeting held every 2nd Tuesday of each month from 1 – 2:30pm.

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