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TYPES
OF CHILD CARE
There are two types of child care in Virginia: Center-Based
Child Care; and Family Child Care. They both have their
own unique advantages and disadvantages. Each type
of care can be broken down further by legal definition as defined
by Virginia state law. The selection of the type of care
chosen depends upon the families’ needs and availability
of child care.
Center-Based Child Care
What does the child care setting
sound like? Do the children sound happy and involved? What
about the teachers’ voices?
Do they seem cheerful and patient? A place that’s too quiet
may mean not enough activity. A place that’s too noisy
may mean there is a lack of control.
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Licensed: A child care setting providing
care for 2 or more children in a setting that is not a private
home or 13 or more children in a setting that meets the “Minimum
Standards for Licensed Child Day Centers” as established
by the Child Day Care Council.
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License-exempt: A child care setting providing care
for 2 or more children in a setting that is not a private
home, license-exempt child care must still meet certain requirements
of the law. The two types of care that meet the requirements
for license-exempt are certified preschool and religious-exempt
child care.
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Unregulated: A child care setting providing care
for 2 or more children in a setting that is not a private
home and does not have to meet licensing requirements. Factors
such as the total amount of time of attendance and/or operation
of programs such as camps and recreation programs determine
whether the program must meet licensing requirements. |
Family Child Care
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Licensed: A child care
setting providing care for no more than 12 children, not
including the provider’s children or children living
in the home, which meets the requirements of “Minimum
Standards for Family Day Homes”.
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Local agency approved: A child care
setting providing care for no more than 5 children, not including
the provider’s children or children living in the home,
which meets the requirements of standards used by local Department
of Social Service offices set by the State Board of Social
Services.
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Voluntarily registered: A child care
setting providing care for no more than 5 children, not including
the provider’s children or children living in the home,
which meets the requirements of “Voluntary Registration
of Family Day Homes: Requirements for Providers”. The
Virginia Department of Social Services has additional information
on voluntarily registered child care at the link below:
http://www.dss.virginia.gov/facility/child_care/unlicensed/vrfdh/index.html
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Unregulated: A child care setting providing
care for no more than 5 children, not including the provider’s
children or children living in the home, with no more than
4 children under the age of two, to include the provider’s
children and children living in the home. It is illegal
to exceed this child care capacity in an unregulated
family child care setting. |
As a recognized member of the National Association of Child
Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), VACCRRN members
cannot selectively endorse or recommend any child care provider,
but rather provide a randomized list of providers based upon
the criterion provided by the parents requesting referrals.
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