Training Requirements for Becoming a Family Child Care Provider

All applicants must complete specific training prior to licensure according to Minnesota Statute 245A.50 

Other caregivers must complete certain training prior to providing care depending on how often they provide care.

The training you are required to complete to become licensed can only be provided by approved trainers. 

To become a licensed family child care provider the following pre-service training requirements must be met:

• 4-hours of Child Development and Learning for Behavior Guidance Training- The providers now may choose to take either a child development and learning course (KFC Content Area IIC) to meet this requirement.
• 6-hours Supervising for Safety Class- taking multiple 2 hour long classes will NOT meet this requirement
• Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) & Abusive Head Trauma- you can either attend and in-person class or complete the online training course to meet this requirement
• CPR & First Aid- you must have a certificate or card verifying completion in both CPR and First Aid including techniques for infants and children and the treatment of obstructed airways
• Child Passenger Restraint- (required only if you are planning to transport children)

Training Requirements for New Applicants

For training requirement information prior to becoming a licensed family child care provider, please click here for an explanation of the required classes.

In summary, the following classes are required:

1. Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) & Abusive Head Trauma
2. Supervising for Safety
3. Child Development & Learning and Behavior Guidance
4. CPR & First Aid

For information on registering for required classes, please scroll to the bottom of this page.

Training Requirements Currently Licensed Family Child Care Providers

You must have verification of 16 hours of training each license year. Your license year is based off of your license expiration date. For example, if your license expires July 1st, then your license year is from July 1, 2017 to July 1, 2018. The online classes listed in Develop will count toward meeting the mandated training requirements.

Each license year must include the following mandated training topic areas:

• 2 hours of Child Development and Learning or Behavior Guidance training - Providers now may choose to take either a child development & learning course (KCF Content Area I) or a behavior guidance course (KCF Content Area IIC) to meet this requirement
• 2 hours of Supervising for Safety- any course title beginning with "Active Supervision:" will meet this requirement
• SUID & Abusive Head Trauma Training (required every 2 years)- this can be completed either in-person or taking an online class
• SUID & Abusive Head Trauma Videos (required on the off years to the above listed training)- The videos are located on the DHS webpage. For proof of completion of this requirement print off and sign the Verification form at the bottom of the DHS webpage. All videos listed on their webpage must be watched to fully meet this requirement

Required training that is completed other than annually:

• Health & Safety I and Health & Safety II - Beginning January 1, 2018 providers will be required to complete both classes every 5 years. Providers have until December 31, 2022 to meet this requirement. 
• CPR (required every 2 years)- training must include CPR, techniques for infants and children, and the treatment of obstructed airways. Training must be from an individual approved to provide CPR instruction.
  • Persons providing CPR training must use CPR training that has been developed:
    • by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross and incorporates psychomotor skills to support             the instruction;   OR
    • using nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines for CPR training and incorporates psychomotor skills to             support the instruction.
• First Aid (required every 2 years)- Training must be from an individual approved to provide first aid instruction. 
• Children and Restraint Systems (C.A.R.S.) Training- Providers who want to transport children in their vehicle are required to take a certified Child Restraint System training. For more information about child restraint systems and classes held throughout the state, visit the Office of Traffic Safety, or search Develop. Some counties and/or community colleges occasionally offer this class also. 

Additional ongoing training subjects to meet the annual 16-hour training requirement must be selected from the following areas:

1. child development and learning training
2. Developmentally appropriate learning experiences, including training in creating positive learning experiences, promoting cognitive development, promoting social and emotional development, promoting physical development, promoting creative development; and behavior guidance
3. Relationships with families, including training in building a positive, respectful relationship with the child's family
4. Assessment, evaluation, and individualization, including training in observing, recording, and assessing development; assessing and using information to plan; and assessing and using information to enhance and maintain program quality
5. Historical and contemporary development of early childhood education, including training in past and current practices i early childhood education and how current events and issues affect children, families, and programs
6. Professionalism, including training in knowledge, skills, and abilities that promote ongoing professional development
7. Health, safety, and nutrition, including training in establishing healthy practices; ensuring safety; and providing health nutrition

Finding and Registering for Training Classes

Classes on various topics, including the mandatory training topics listed above, are listed on the website Develop- the Minnesota Quality Improvement & Registry Tool. There you can search for both in-person and online training classes occurring locally and across the state. To register for a training, first create an account in Develop. In order to attend a class listed on the Develop website- whether it is in-person or online- you will need to pay for the class online. To attend a training sponsored by an association there is no requirement to be registered with Develop.  

Training from additional resources may be accepted by your licensor.

Things to remember about Develop:

• Develop requires registration to a class by one week prior to the class date. Walk-ins will not be accepted at the class site. 
• You only have to register to be able to sign up for classes
• After you have registered as an individual, you can register as an organization- this will allow any person who must complete training in order to help/substitute/work in your daycare to be signed up for classes under you without having to create a new account for themselves. You will also be able to monitor if they have taken the class yet, or when they may be due to complete a class again. 

Re-licensing Letter

1. Minnesota Systems Licensing Application: Family Child Care ($100.00 re-licensing fee)

2. Enrollment Form

3. Family Child Care Licensing Requirements

4. Certificate of Minnesota Workers Compensation Law

5. Notice of Privacy Practices for Child Care Providers

6. Pet Records (if applicable)

7. Fee Schedule

8. Well Water Testing (if applicable)