State/Max

[nothingwithoutjoy]

I live in MA and am allowed 8 children alone.
2 of those must be school-agers. My own count in the other 6, no matter how old they are, because they're home schooled.

[GretasLittleFriends]

What is your state/providence?

What is your max number of kids.

Not concerned about ages...just the maximum number of kids you can legally have ALONE.


I am in MN.

The max number of kids I can have ALONE is 12.

What you said...

I have to include 2 of my 3 own children in that head count. The other one will be 17 in September.

[MaritimeMummy]

I'm in Nova Scotia, and I can have 6, this number includes my own 2 kids.

I only have 5, so 3 DCKs.

I want to keep it at that number. It's a good number and I'm not overworked or stressed.

[laundrymom]

Indiana, over 3 yr only 12 + 3 B/A SA.
Mixed ages = 10 + 3 B/A SA.

[williams08]

I am in Arkansas and I can only have 6, and it ****s cause I'm hardly making any money! I could easily handle 10 kids!!

[VTMom]

Vermont- 6 full time + 4 school age (including 2 under 2 years old). Our own kids above age 2 aren't included in our numbers.

Interesting ranges between states!

[newtodaycare22]

In Md, you have to be licensed and the max for a small family home daycare is 8 (any child you have of your own takes away from that number) and the large family daycare is 12.

[DCMom]

VA - 12 total (not counting kids who live in the home), but per caregiver its based on a point system, in which your own kids do count:

infants are worth 4 pts
12-24 months (?) are worth 3 pts
2-5 is 2 points
5-9 is 1 point
over 10 is 0 points.

Each person is limited 16 points max. So the only way you keep the maximum of 12 kids alone is if you have mostly school agers.

This is a really interesting concept. I've never heard it before. Wouldn't work for me though...right now I have 25 points sleeping around me I have often wondered why child/adult ratios have varied so much from state to state.

I'm in MN, C3 Group license for 14. I must run at a C2 if I don't have a second adult (12). However, the under 2 ratios are different for C2/C3 so I just have a second person at all times just to make sure I am covered.

I have to say, I appreciate the higher numbers. It enables providers to make a decent living, which goes a long way to less burn out on the profession IMHO. Minnesota has several classes of licenses which enables providers to choose the type of daycare they want to have. From A1 (10 max / 6 under school age) that we all start out with to C3 (14 total/10 under school age) and everything in between.

Blackcat ~ why did you ask? Just wondering

[Blackcat31]

Blackcat ~ why did you ask? Just wondering

Because I noticed in several other threads providers had made comments about the differences in ratios and the total number of kids they could have so I figured if I made a new thread asking, the members who were wondering could get all the info for most states in one place

Personally, I feel MN is one of the most lenient states and I think there was a couple other states who could have as many but now I can't remember which ones. LOL!

I am amazed how some providers can even make a decent living with only having 4 or 5 kids. Then the ones who have to count their own....seems silly to even do daycare when you are only allowed to earn an income off 1 or 2 kids.

Someday, I would love to see a general framework of simplified, streamlined rules that applied to ALL states as far as ratios and capacity limits. Let the states/counties govern the little stuff but let the federal government manage the basics. IMPO, I think it would help professionalize child care as a profession as well as help ALL kids get the same benefits no matter which state they live in.

[Country Kids]

Because I noticed in several other threads providers had made comments about the differences in ratios and the total number of kids they could have so I figured if I made a new thread asking, the members who were wondering could get all the info for most states in one place

Personally, I feel MN is one of the most lenient states and I think there was a couple other states who could have as many but now I can't remember which ones. LOL!

I am amazed how some providers can even make a decent living with only having 4 or 5 kids. Then the ones who have to count their own....seems silly to even do daycare when you are only allowed to earn an income off 1 or 2 kids.

Someday, I would love to see a general framework of simplified, streamlined rules that applied to ALL states as far as ratios and capacity limits. Let the states/counties govern the little stuff but let the federal government manage the basics. IMPO, I think it would help professionalize child care as a profession as well as help ALL kids get the same benefits no matter which state they live in.

I'm allowed to have 10 but really 6 when my kids where little as I had 4 kids myself. So that was really tricky as you can only have 6 preschoolers! A little hard when at least 3 of mine at a time where preschoolers. Made it hard to sometimes make money. Also, they counted till they were 13 so for the first 10 years of childcare all four of mine where in my counts. All of them till 7th grade!

[DCMom]

Someday, I would love to see a general framework of simplified, streamlined rules that applied to ALL states as far as ratios and capacity limits. Let the states/counties govern the little stuff but let the federal government manage the basics. IMPO, I think it would help professionalize child care as a profession as well as help ALL kids get the same benefits no matter which state they live in.

I totally agree with this ~ that's why the point system interested me. It would be very easy for everyone to understand. You could 'earn' higher point levels with different qualifications. Like a preschool/kindergarten readiness program or separate daycare area/home or higher education or years of experience or whatever could all a higher point level.

[Fruitloops1]

Can I ask how long it took for you to go through the licensing process? We're buying a new house next year and I'm wondering if I should start the process now, or wait until we are moved in! We are currently renting to save up our down payment, so we can't start anything until we move.

I would say it takes them about 6 months or so. I've heard people say that it took them about 3 months. It all depends how quick you fill out your paper work and get your hazard plan together for them.

[sweetiejen]

I would say it takes them about 6 months or so. I've heard people say that it took them about 3 months. It all depends how quick you fill out your paper work and get your hazard plan together for them.

Thanks for responding! Looks like I will get on this soon.

[nanglgrl]

If you are unregistered in Iowa you can have 5 including your own.

If you are a type A registered provider in Iowa you can have 6 including your own.

If you are a type B registered provider in Iowa you can have 12 but if you have more than 8 you have to have an assistant present. Of the 12 two must be part time and their hours must be documented, combined they can't use more than 180 hours per month. Also 4 of the 12 must be school aged.

There is also a type C where there are 2 providers and the max is 16 children but I don't know the specifics.

To meet the requirements of each type you have to have a certain amount of square feet per child and certain other requirements.

For the type A and B you can have no more than 3 under 18 months and 4 under 24 months.

I'm a type B but I don't take school aged so I usually have 8 children in my care, 2 are my own but luckily one is in preschool so I count her as a part timer.