Gone are the days when the father was the sole earning member of a family while the mother was the homemaker. Times have changed with more and more women getting educated and joining the workforce. However, that does not mean that people have given up their will to start a family. Instead, they now choose to do both work and raise a family.

As a result, there has been a staggering increase in the demand for child care homes. This presents an ideal opportunity for people to start a family child care home in California. If you’re interested in learning more about the process of getting licensed, keep reading.

Does Your Home Qualify For a Family Child Care Home?

Anyone can start a small family child care home no matter their type of residence, be it a condo, apartment, or single-family home. However, it would be best if the size is at the rate of thirty-five square feet of space for every child being taken in. Also, having an outdoor space is always a great addition for a small family child care home.

But bear in mind, the story is different in the case of starting a large family child care home. In such cases there are more regulations to keep in mind, such as getting a free safety clearance from a fire marshal. Further, if you are caring for more than six children, you will need to employ an assistant of at least 14 years old.

You might also need to acquire a zoning permit and business license to operate a large family childcare home. And lastly, you need to have at least one year of experience in operating a small family child care home.

Whether you are starting a large or small family child care home, you will need to get the hosting house inspected by the California Community Care Licensing Department. This pre-licensing inspection will determine whether your home is safe for children or not.

What are the Other Important Requirements For Your Home?

People are entrusting their children to you, which means you have loads of responsibilities on your shoulders. So here are some areas you need to take care of:

•   Proper ventilation, cleanliness, and heating ensure a comfortable environment for children
•   Your home must provide safe play toys and brain development materials
•   Telephone service is a non-negotiable requirement for every family child care home
•   You must be able to detect illnesses among children and separate the ill child from

others

•   Your home must have a strict no-smoking policy in place, as a violation can cancel your license.
•   All food that children bring must be labeled with their names, and you need to refrigerate and store the food properly.
•   In terms of safety measures, you need to focus on many areas, including accessibility to pools, fenced stairs, effective venting of gas heaters, and many more.

Get Your Family Child Care Home License Today!

If you are someone who enjoys spending time with children, and are brewing the idea of starting a small home business, you can consider starting a family child care home. However, taking care of the aforementioned information will make the licensing process simpler for you.

If you want assistance, or simply would like more information, reach out to our team here at the International Institute of Los Angeles. We can help you get started on this journey!