Find child care that you’ll love.
Get StartedBecause these are child care providers’ homes, the publication of addresses is restricted. To find Family Child Care home providers in your area, contact your local child care resource and referral (R&R) agency or call 1-800-KIDS-793. Your local R&R can assist you in searching for the right child care program to meet your family’s needs and can provide you with addresses of facilities in your area.
The main difference is the venue. A child care center is in a commercial building. A family child care home cares for children in the caregiver’s home.
A license-exempt provider is a provider that is not required to have a state license. License-exempt care includes care in the provider’s home for children from one other non-related family besides the provider’s own children. This includes a friend, relative, babysitter, or nanny who cares for a child in the child’s home (full- or part-time) and some school-age centers or military programs regulated by non-state agencies.
If you’re not getting enough results in your child care search, try removing some of the search filters or increasing the search radius. Try starting with just the basics (age, full- or part-time care, location) and then add more search filters to narrow down your results.
There are several programs available in California to help you afford child care. These include CalWORKS, Alternative Payment Programs, State Preschool programs, Head Start & Early Head Start programs, other state-funded child care programs, and employer-sponsored child care programs. For more information about the child care subsidy programs available in California, visit this link.
We work with local Child Care Resource and Referral programs to gather information about the supply and demand for child care in every county in California. You can read more about this information by visiting this link.
You can contact Parent Voices, an advocacy group for families. Visit Parent Voices to learn more about opportunities to get involved.
Yes, all licensed child care providers in the state of California have passed a background check as a part of their licensing process.
To find out about the background check process for license exempt centers listed on this site, please contact the program directly and ask.
Parent Voices is a parent-led, parent-run grassroots organization advocating to ensure that quality child care is accessible and affordable for all families. There are currently 15 chapters across California. Learn more about Parent Voices at the organization’s website.
To be licensed all child care providers must complete a background check and a TB test as part of the application.To learn more about Family Child Care Home Requirements and Child Care Center Provider requirements visit this link.
Oliver’s Law is a California state law that gives any parent or guardian the right to request complaint information about a licensed child care provider/facility. Visit this link to learn more about Oliver’s Law and how to request the information: https://mychildcareplan.org/resource/families-rights-in-choosing-child-care/
Full street addresses are never shown for Family Child Care Homes (FCC). The address is not shared to keep the providers’ home addresses private. If nearby cross streets are entered, they will be shown. If this is not the case, the listing will be shown as “Location Unavailable”.
Every licensed child care program in California has a unique license number used to identify the program. The CA Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division operates a Care Facility Search website (“transparency website”) that lists each licensed program’s last five years’ worth of inspections. You can visit the Care Facility Search website here.
Quality Counts California (QCC) is a Quality Rating and Improvement System. QCC is a statewide effort to strengthen California’s early learning and care system to support young children and their families. To learn more, visit Quality Counts California.
The California Department of Social Services is responsible for licensing and monitoring licensed child care facilities in California. To learn about the current laws and regulations, visit their website.
No, we don’t. My Child Care Plan is supported by public funds and does not charge parents or providers for any of its services. Nearly every state in the USA has a child care consumer education website that is free to the public. You can find other states’ child care consumer education websites at www.childcare.gov.
Contact Child Care Initiative Project (CCIP). CCIP will help you set up your family child care home, understand licensing and other requirements, and complete your licensing application.
There are specific training requirements for various types of child care programs and staff working in those programs. Child Care Center providers typically need to have at least some early childhood education/development semester units and 6 months experience in a licensed child care center or comparable group child care program. Family Child Care Home providers are typically required to have 16 hours of Pediatric Health & Safety training obtained from an EMSA approved vendor or accredited college/university, and 1 year of experience as a licensee or teacher with a licensed provider. To learn more about the particular training requirements, please visit the Department of Social Services website.
Providers
Please click here to contact your local child care Resource and Referral agency and request to be listed in their referral database. Or, call our toll-free number at 1-800-KIDS-793 to speak to an information specialist (available in English and Spanish). This database currently includes licensed family child care homes, licensed child care centers, and legally license-exempt child care centers.
Your local CCR&R provides information and training on many topics, such as starting and running a business, child development, and health and safety tips. Contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral agency for information about training opportunities for child care providers in your area.
Parents
Yes. You can use the search function to search for up to 6 children at a time.
California has a variety of subsidy programs, with similar but different eligibility criteria and rules. Contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral agency to learn more about what programs and funding are available for you. Visit this link to learn more about subsidized programs.
Your local CCR&R works with licensed child care providers in your area to make sure their information is up to date and accurate.
If you suspect something is wrong at a licensed child care facility, you can file a complaint with Community Care Licensing (CCL). For more information, visit the Complaints to Community Care Licensing on our website.
There are many available types of child care in California. Choosing the right child care for your family can be one of the hardest decisions your family will make. Explore the different types of child care that are available to you.
Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (CCR&Rs) are helpful, free services available to any family in California. These programs exist in every county in California. Locate your local CCR&R using this directory.
Their services are free and available to all parents and child care providers.
They provide a variety of services to California parents, children, and families. CCR&Rs offer counseling about child care, and they help families learn about and find child care. They also share information about subsidized or reduced-cost child care and preschool options and assist in the subsidized child care application process. These agencies also provide help for new and established child care businesses.
You can contact us via different support channels with any questions, concerns or suggestions you may have. We would love to hear from you!
Background checks are important to ensure the safety of your child. Background checks are required for all licensed child care providers in the state of CA. An individual’s fingerprints are scanned and their record is checked for any criminal activity beyond a minor traffic violation. Visit this link to learn more about the two types of background checks.
You can ask the provider to see their licensing records. By law, all child care providers are required to publicly display their license information.