Types of Child Care: Regulatory Basics
As you search for child care, you'll find that the main types of care include:

•Registered Family Child Care Homes
•Licensed Child Care Centers
•Legally Exempt Child Care Providers
•Non-Regulated Care

Below is a list of definitions of main types of care and some of the relevant state regulations:


Registered Family Child Care Homes are in-home child care businesses regulated by the State of Vermont.
According to the State of Vermont Regulation, a registered family child care provider can care for:
•up to 6 children under the age of 6 on a full-time basis, including up to 2 under the age of 2.
•4 school age children (for no more than 4 hours/day), in addition to their own children.

Registered family child care providers are required by regulation:
•to know basic first aid and CPR,
•refrain from smoking tobacco in the presence of children,
•engage in six hours of professional training annually
•to have cleared a background check for criminal convictions and substantiated claims of child abuse or neglect background.
•to limit television for children to no more than two hours a day.

The State of Vermont inspects homes if a complaint is made and occasionally conducts random spot checks.

click here for a full copy of the regulations


Licensed Homes are home based programs that have applied for and been granted a license as a center.

Licensed homes must follow state licensing guidelines and adhere to higher standards of health and safety. The number of children they take depends on the square footage of space available to children in care. Usually, Licensed Homes take 12 children and have 2 child care providers.


Licensed Child Care Programs include full-day centers, part-day preschools, private kindergartens and school-age programs.

The following group sizes and ratios apply:

Centers have the same basic requirements listed under registered family child care homes. In addition, center directors must have specific related education. All teachers and caregivers are required to have a minimum of 12 hours of training per year.

click here for a full copy of the regulations

Other Requirements For All Regulated Care:
Parents must have free access to all information about their child's activities and behavior, and free access to the center (or parts of the home where care is provided) anytime the child is in care.

Providers are required to meet with parents upon request within a reasonable time.

Up to date immunizations are required for children enrolling in full or part-time child care programs.

Children with certain symptoms and certain contagious illnesses listed by the state must be excluded from centers while they are ill.

Legally Exempt Child Care Providers for children from only 1 or 2 families.
These providers are not required to be registered with the state but may choose to go through a simple authorization process. Going through this process enables the care giver to receive payment from the state child care subsidy program (for a qualifying child in their care). There are no training requirements for these providers.

Non-Regulated Care
There are many programs that offer after-school activities, care for school vacations and/or summers or temporary care for parents while they exercise.

Recreational programs that run for less than 10 consecutive weeks do not have to be licensed by the state; this includes many town summer recreational programs that run during the summer only.

Programs that take care of children on a non-recurring basis, such as fitness centers or after-school enrichment programs that operate for only a few afternoons, do not have to be licensed.

In addition to detailed information on specific licensed and registered programs as well as camp options, Child Care Resource can also provide suggestions for finding in-home care options, playgroups, parenting classes and school age programs.

Questions? E-mail us