Is there a charge for becoming a licensed child care provider?

Mille Lacs County Family Services has implemented a policy regarding fees for licensing inspections and background checks for licensed child care providers. 

There is a $150 licensing inspection fee.  This $150 is due upon application and at relicensing.  Mille Lacs County Family Services conducts relicensing visits after the first initial year of licensing, and every other year after that.

There is a $100 background check fee.  Background checks are required upon licensing, relicensing, and when required due to disqualifications. The fee includes all persons residing in the home and back-up care givers.

A fire marshal inspection may also be required.  There is a $50 fee for each time the fire marshal has to come out to the home and inspect.

Who is required to have a background check, and what does a background check entail?

Licensed Homes

Background checks are required to be performed on all persons ages 13 and above residing in the home.  They are also required on back-up care givers.  Criminal and Social Service history checks are performed. Juvenile records are checked on persons ages 13-23.

Unlicensed Homes

Background checks are only required on unlicensed providers and the residents of the provider's home, if that provider is being funded through the county's sliding fee child care program.  The $100 background check fee is required.

How many kids can I care for to provide legal unlicensed child care?

Refer to 9502.0325, Subp. 3 - Exclusions from Licensure

Persons can legally provide unlicensed child care for one relative family and one non-relative family.  Exceeding the provisions of this rule can result in a misdemeanor offense.

What standard does my home have to meet to be licensable?

Refer to 9502.0425 - Physical Environment and Rule 9502.0435 - Sanitation and Health.

Some examples are as follows:

• 35 sq. feet of indoor space needs to be provided per child.
• 50 sq. feet of outdoor play space needs to be provided per child. Fencing may be required if the residence is located near rail, traffic, water, or machinery hazards.
• There needs to be two means of escape from every room in the residence that is used by children. One must be a stairway or a door, leading to the floor of exit or discharge. The other must be a door or a window directly leading to the outside. Please refer to Rule 9502.0425 for the dimensions of the window.
• Portable, operable fire extinguisher with a rating of at least 2A10BC beeds ti be maintained in the kitchen or cooking area of the home.
• Water heater temperature needs to be set no higher than 120 degrees.
• First aid kit needs to be readily available and portable to take on field trips. See Rule 9502.0435 for required contents of first aid kit.

How long does the licensing process take?

The licensing process takes approximately 3 months. 

The following is a list of situations that may extend the length of the licensing process.

1. Fire Marshal inspection. It is taking approximately one and a half months for the Fire Marshall to get out to homes for the initial inspection. The Fire Marshall may find corrections that need to be made, and additional appointments may be required.
   
   
2. Most background checks are processed within a month; however, some background checks can take longer than three months to complete. If the applicant has lived out of state, it may take longer to retrieve the necessary information.
   
   
3. Three non-relative references are required prior to becoming licensed. The references will be mailed out upon receiving the application from the applicant. It can take some time before all three references are returned.
   

The licensing process

The first step is to attend an orientation meeting. Every six weeks, Mille Lacs County Family Services holds a day care orientation meeting that is approximately three hours in length.  At orientation you will receive all of the necessary paperwork that must be submitted prior to licensing.  The Mille Lacs County Licensor will go over the licensed child care rule with you and will answer any questions you may have.

After attending orientation you will be asked to complete the paperwork and to contact your licensor to schedule a home visit. At this visit, the licensor will collect the majority of the paperwork and go through the home to determine if it is in compliance with the licensing rule.  There may be more than one visit needed to determine this or to bring the environment into compliance with the rule requirements.  The licensing inspection fee is due prior to the first home visit or upon receipt of the application by the agency, which ever occurs first.

A family child care license will be issued within 20 days after all of the necessary paperwork has been received and processed by Mille Lacs County Family Services.

To get information about the next day care orientation, please contact Mille Lacs County Family Services at 320-983-8208 or 1-888-270-8208.

Complaints  

All complaints are public information.  If one has a complaint regarding a Mille Lacs County Licensed Child Care Provider, or is inquiring whether any complaints have been received on a licensed child care provider, please contact Mille Lacs County Family Services at 320-983-8208 or 1-888-270-8208 and ask to speak with the licensor.