Day-Care Centers
The following is excerpted from The Court TV Cradle-to-Grave Legal Survival Guide, an easy-to-read, in-depth explanation of the law as it affects all aspects of daily life. You can order the book, published by Little, Brown and Company, from our online store. It also is available in local bookstores, or you can call Little, Brown directly at (800) 333-3476.
Do all day-care centers have to be licensed?
The requirements vary from state to state, but most states require a day-care center that serves more than a certain number of children to be licensed, although centers that are operated by a church are usually exempt from licensing requirements. In reality, licensing generally just assures that a center has complied with certain minimum requirements (like having a fire extinguisher on the premises) that were set forth by the state; it does not necessarily mean that the center is particularly good or even better than average. All that a license will tell you is that the day-care center has passed some sort of inspection procedure.Of course, because parents have the right to determine their child's care, many opt to send their kids to informal programs that are not licensed.
