This post is a part of our series on Washington DC family child care licensing. For more on licensing in Washington DC, see the following posts:
Washington DC Family Child Care Licensing: An Overview
Types of Licenses
The Licensing Process
Training Requirements
Home Requirements
If you’re planning to open an in-home preschool, you will have to meet certain eligibility requirements described below:
Suitability for Employment for Child Development Homes and Expanded Homes
A Licensee shall maintain a qualified workforce comprised of individuals who are committed to promoting and ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of the children in their care. The suitability of a current or prospective staff member of a Licensee shall be assessed through completion of:
Criminal Background Check: Criminal background check that includes:
- A Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint check using Next Generation Identification;
- A search of the National Crime Information Center’s National Sex Offender Registry; and
- A search of the following registries, repositories, or databases in the State (which, for the purpose of this section, includes the District of Columbia) where the child care staff member resides and each State where such staff member resided during the preceding five years:
- State criminal registry or repository, with the use of fingerprints being required in the State where the staff member resides, and optional in other States;
- State sex offender registry or repository; and
- State-based child abuse and neglect registry and database;
Traffic Records Check: Traffic records check through the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles if a current or prospective staff member will also be required to drive a motor vehicle to transport children in the course of performing his or her duties. A Licensee shall submit a request for a traffic record check to OSSE, in the form and manner provided by OSSE.
Required Drug and Alcohol Testing Program: Caregivers and staff members of a licensed Child Development Home or Expanded Home shall participate in a drug and alcohol testing program established and administered by OSSE. Any Caregiver of a Child Development Home or Primary Caregiver of an Expanded Home who tests positive shall be immediately required to terminate the operation of his or her facility and surrender his or her license.
Staff Member Requirements: General Provisions
Physical Examination: A Licensee’s staff members shall complete a physical examination by a licensed healthcare practitioner at least annually, and obtain written and signed documentation from the examining practitioner that at the time of the examination, the staff member was free of tuberculosis and other communicable diseases, and is physically capable of caring for children.
Physically Capable: Each staff member shall be physically capable of caring for children, which includes but not limited to a staff member being able to lift at least forty pounds (40lbs), perform all activities with children for extended periods of time, and be outdoors for regular, prolonged activities. If a staff member is unable to conform to these requirements, the Licensee shall ensure that a sufficient number of staff members, who are able to conform to these requirements represent on the Facility premises in order to ensure adequate care and supervision of enrolled children.
Qualifications
Child Development Home Provider Qualifications
- Age: at least 18 years of age;
- Education: have earned a high school diploma or its equivalent;
- CDA credential: shall earn a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential by December 2018;
- Annual training: attend at least 4 child development-related training courses, approved by the District of Columbia Government, per year, for a total of at least 12 hours of professional development annually;
- Health & safety training: successfully complete all health and safety training requirements
Expanded Child Development Home Provider Qualifications
- Age: at least 18 years of age;
- Education: Associate of Arts (AA) in early childhood education (ECE) or AA with at least 24 semester credit hours in early childhood education by December 2020.
- Experience: Have successfully completed one of the following:
- At least 1 year of operating as the Caregiver in a licensed District of Columbia Child Development Home or its equivalent in another jurisdiction; or
- At least 1 year of supervised occupational experience in a licensed Child Development Center, or its equivalent in another jurisdiction, as a Center Director or Teacher.
Expanded Child Development Home: Associate Home Caregiver Qualifications
- Age: An Associate Caregiver in an Expanded Home shall be at least 18 years of age
- Education: Shall have earned a high school diploma or its equivalent;
- CDA credential: shall earn a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential by December 2018
- Experience: Have successfully completed at least one of the following:
- At least 1 year of operating as the Caregiver in a District of Columbia licensed Child Development Home or its equivalent in another jurisdiction; or
- At least 1 year of supervised occupational experience in a District of Columbia licensed Child Development Center, or its equivalent in another jurisdiction, as a Center Director, Teacher, or Assistant Teacher.
- Residency requirement: An Associate Caregiver need not reside in the dwelling where the licensed Expanded Home is located.
Resources for Home Caregivers and Expanded Home Caregivers
Child Development Associate (CDA): Home Caregivers and Associate Home Caregivers are required to have a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential by December 2018. The following is a list of programs and resources available in the DC metropolitan area. This list is neither exhaustive nor an indication of endorsement by OSSE.
The Planning Guide – Home Caregivers with a High School Diploma or GED can help you create a plan for meeting the new education requirements for child development staff.
Associate’s Degree: Expanded Home Caregivers are required to have an associate’s degree in early childhood education (or early childhood development, child and family studies or a closely related field) or an associate’s degree in any subject area with at least 24 semester credit hours in early childhood by December 2019. An Expanded Home Caregiver with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education meets the minimum education requirements. The following is a list of programs and resources available in the DC metropolitan area. This list is neither exhaustive nor an indication of endorsement by OSSE.
The following resources can help you create a plan for meeting the new educational requirements for child development staff:
Sources: OSSE Child Development Staff: Resources Available for New Education Requirements, Final Rulemaking for the Licensing of Child Development Facilities
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