licensed & regulated child care programs
Licensed Child Care
thread’s child care referrals are for licensed and regulated programs only. Licensed and regulated child care programs include child care centers, group homes, and family child care homes, Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K), and Head Start.
It’s important to understand a child care license is issued by the State of Alaska Department of Health, or the local municipality, and should not be confused with a business license.
For a program to become licensed through the State of Alaska or the Municipality of Anchorage, it must:
- Complete a federal background check for each provider over the age of 16 present.
- Health & safety standards are met with annual monitoring visits.
- Undergo an annual monitoring visit to ensure standards are met.
- Ensure one person with a current CPR and first aid card is on duty at all times.
- Maintain specific child-to-caregiver ratios determined by the type of care.
- Ensure each staff member receives 24 hours of child development training per year.
Additional Resources
Approved Care
Approved care is a caregiver exempt from licensing who may or may not be related to the children in care and who is qualified through the State of Alaska Child Care Assistance Program.