Child care providers are essential partners in promoting healthy child development and Rhode Island requires the licensing of certain child care providers. To ensure the health and safety of all children and families served in child care programs across the state, Rhode Island has established specific requirements for child care providers. In order to be eligible for a Rhode Island certificate in early childhood education, applicants must have a bachelor's or master's degree in early childhood education from an accredited or approved school and a minimum of three months of supervised teaching experience in an authorized or approved early childhood program. The Public Health Law Center has reviewed child care licensing laws to identify how the environment is defined and regulated.
This resource compares science-based best practices with Rhode Island's child care licensing regulations on healthy eating, active play, and screen time limits. Child care centers are offered by a group of people or organizations that provide care for children from six weeks of age to approximately five years old. Family child care homes are offered by a person, within their household, who cares for no more than eight children, from six weeks of age to school age. Group family child care homes are offered by an individual provider, with assistants, inside your home, who cares for eight to twelve children, from six weeks of age to school age. The resource also identifies the language of child care licenses that affects screen time in child care settings.
Age range ratios for caring for family children in the state of Rhode Island are as follows: if care is provided for a child younger than 18 months, do not care for more than 4 children under 6 years old, no more than 2 of whom may be younger than 18 months; providers can have up to 8 children if there is an approved aide; no more than 4 can be younger than 18 months old. Child care providers are important partners in supporting healthy child development. To ensure the health and safety of all children and families served in child care programs across the state, it is important to understand the licensing requirements for child care facilities in Rhode Island. By understanding these regulations, families can choose quality care and providers can improve and communicate their quality. This comprehensive guide provides an overview of the licensing requirements for child care facilities in Rhode Island. It covers topics such as eligibility requirements for certification, regulations on healthy eating and active play, screen time limits, age range ratios for caring for family children, and more.
With this information, families can make informed decisions about their childcare options and providers can ensure they are meeting all necessary standards.
