Licensing & Accreditations
thread provides customized services that can help your program meet licensing requirements, including:
- Training
- Technical Assistance & Consultation
- Grants & Funding Opportunities
- Business & Administrative Support
Contact your local thread office to learn more about how we can support your program in getting or maintaining a child care license.
Why get licensed?
If you care for more than 4 unrelated children at a time, you are required by law to have a child care license, which is different than a business license. The benefits of having a child care license include:
- Increased income by being able to care for more than four children
- Free listing in thread’s child care referral directory to attract more families
- Ten (10) FREE hours of technical assistance from thread per year
- Eligibility for program grants and funding opportunities from thread
- Eligibility for professional development financial supports for you and your staff
- Eligibility to receive increased reimbursement amounts if caring for families participating in the State of Alaska Child Care Assistance Program
- Eligibility to receive monthly reimbursements for operating costs and training through the Child Care Grant Program
- Eligibility to receive support for providing meals and snacks through the Child and Adult Care Food Program
The State of Alaska, Department of Health and Social Services, Child Care Program Office licenses family child care homes, group homes, and centers throughout the state. The Municipality of Anchorage Department of Health and Human Services licenses family child care homes and centers within the Municipality of Anchorage.
Accreditation
Accreditation is voluntary and is an indicator of a high-quality early childhood education program. Becoming accredited is an extensive process that helps a program move from providing safe care to providing exceptional care.
Accreditation is offered through two professional associations:
- The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accredits center-based programs
- The National Association of Family Child Care (NAFCC) accredits family child care homes
thread offers financial assistance in the form of an Accreditation Quality Initiative each fiscal year (July 1 through June 30) to support programs with accreditation. Check our grants & funding opportunities for the next offering.
Contact your local thread office to learn more about how thread can help your program take steps toward accreditation.