Arggggg in KY

[mduck]

K so after NOT wanting to care for anymore children aside from caring for an acquaintances Dcg, I finally decided that I'm might change my mind, BUT only under certain circumstances.

Anyhow, I've checked the ky gov websites and googled my head off trying to find the answer, I'm still unsure. :confused: You guys seem to be the ONLY ones who know these type things. I need to know how many kids I can care for legally without being licensed, certified or registered. Can someone answer this question? Thanks!

Oh, and I have 3 children of my own. I also watch a 1 year old one day a week during a time that I would never have the kids that I plan to advertise for.

[Thriftylady]

I think there is a link on this site let me check.

[Thriftylady]

Here is all the info for KY on the site here. https://www.daycare.com/kentucky/

I didn't see anything that said you can be legally unlicensed but I didn't read it all yet. Some states don't allow it at all.

[mduck]

I've searched and found stuff on their site about not being req to have a license or cert, but can't find it now. Even then it was a lilttle confusing. Now I see where there is a ter called registered meaning you can accept people that get gov money I think. Oh, I'm so confused.

[Thriftylady]

I've searched and found stuff on their site about not being req to have a license or cert, but can't find it now. Even then it was a lilttle confusing. Now I see where there is a ter called registered meaning you can accept people that get gov money I think. Oh, I'm so confused.

In most states in order to take the state funded kids, you have to have a license of some type. For instance here in Ohio, I am legally unlicensed, but can't take state funded kids.

[mduck]

Ok, so I just went back to the Kentucky gov website and it only says info about being certified, licensed, or registered. Nothing else is mentioned as if they WANT you to do the above three.

It doesn't say that you can't otherwise. It's really tricky. It does say something to the effect of You as a parent can choose one of the three providers to care for your children. It does not say that you MUST. So I'm still confused. I even went to the contact us section in the Kentucky gov website to get an email address in order to get some first hand info. I sent it and it came back as mail failure as if the email address in now invalid. How hard is it to be clear about what is legal and what is not!

btw: the registered provider must jump through the same hoops as being cert. I would be spending more to get registered than I would probably make in a year watching just this one child 1 day a week. Can anyone enlighten me?

[Laurel]

Ok, so I just went back to the Kentucky gov website and it only says info about being certified, licensed, or registered. Nothing else is mentioned as if they WANT you to do the above three.

It doesn't say that you can't otherwise. It's really tricky. It does say something to the effect of You as a parent can choose one of the three providers to care for your children. It does not say that you MUST. So I'm still confused. I even went to the contact us section in the Kentucky gov website to get an email address in order to get some first hand info. I sent it and it came back as mail failure as if the email address in now invalid. How hard is it to be clear about what is legal and what is not!

btw: the registered provider must jump through the same hoops as being cert. I would be spending more to get registered than I would probably make in a year watching just this one child 1 day a week. Can anyone enlighten me?

Don't know about Kentucky but some states like mine (Florida) it goes by county not state. There are state rules but they are the minimum. Counties can make additional laws. In our county we need a license but can watch one child or two from the same family and remain unlicensed. Otherwise, we need a license. In the county north of us they don't need to be licensed, only registered. So check on that aspect also. I would probably just make some calls.

Laurel

[mduck]

Oh my goodness! What a racket! I tried the contact methods available to me through the Kentucky gov website. I tried live chat - they were not able to help and said they would forward my questions to someone who would email me. I did that this morning and it is the end of the day now. Guess what? No email.

Sometimes I wonder if the state omits info in order to discourage something even if it is legal, just to steer people in the direction they want - certification, license, registered care. "Maybe if we don't respond/answer/don't give info, they will just do what we want and jump through the hoops we want." So ridiculous.

If it is illegal now to care for children without doing one of those three things - just say so please.

[Thriftylady]

Oh my goodness! What a racket! I tried the contact methods available to me through the Kentucky gov website. I tried live chat - they were not able to help and said they would forward my questions to someone who would email me. I did that this morning and it is the end of the day now. Guess what? No email.

Sometimes I wonder if the state omits info in order to discourage something even if it is legal, just to steer people in the direction they want - certification, license, registered care. "Maybe if we don't respond/answer/don't give info, they will just do what we want and jump through the hoops we want." So ridiculous.

If it is illegal now to care for children without doing one of those three things - just say so please.

I would pick up the phone tomorrow. Sometimes you get farther faster by making some phone calls. The internet is great, but isn't always the answer. I know when I was in Kansas, I had to be registered or licensed, almost the same thing really with a few small differences. Here in Ohio I can be licensed or not, but there are still differences. I am thinking from looking it over, that KY requires you to have at least some registration, but just going by what I read. A couple of phone calls should iron it all out I am betting.

[Febby]

My understanding of the laws is that you can have up to three unrelated children without having to be licensed or certified. If you're not licensed/certified, the you can have as many of your own children as you want.

Being registered is optional, if I remember correctly, but it would allow you to accept CCAP (child care assistance). Licensed centers are going to have to be in STARS (KY's QRIS) to accept CCAP starting in August, but I'm not sure that requirement applies to registered homes. I'm not sure if registered homes even can participate in STARS.

That said, I've only ever worked in centers so my knowledge of the home child care laws is a bit spotty.

[Mom2TLE]

I went to this site: http://chfs.ky.gov/dcbs/dcc/regul.htm

and from what I read I agree with previous poster you can care for 3 unrelated children without certification.
I would call the number in the contact us section and clarify for sure.
This is what I read:
The cabinet shall establish a family child-care home certification program
which shall be administered by the department. A family child-care
provider shall apply for certification of the provider's home if the provider
is caring for four (4) to six (6) children unrelated to the provider. A family
child-care provider caring for three (3) or fewer children may apply for
certification of the provider's home at the discretion of the provider.
Applicants for certification shall not have been found by the cabinet or a
court to have abused or neglected a child, and shall meet the following
minimum requirements:

Here is the phone contact info:
To contact the Cabinet by phone, you may call the Office of the Ombudsman. If you are looking for an office or an individual and can't find them on this site, try the KY Telephone Directory.

◾Ombudsman: Toll-Free 1-800-372-2973
TTY (for hearing impaired) 1-800-627-4702

[Mom2TLE]

You could also contact your local Child Care resource and referral and ask them to point you in the direction of someone that could answer your questions.

[mduck]

Thanks all for your time and responses!

I can see where I can opt to not be cert or licensed. But i read that if you choose not to be cert or be licensed, that you 'can' be 'registered' in which case you have to still do the training, register with the state, and follow regulations, but no one will check on you unless there is suspicion that you aren't doing the above. To me that says that they won't do a pre inspection, BUT, don't be surprised if they do a post insp.

It doesn't seem to mention not being any of those three options that I can tell. But I'll look at the sites you all posted.

I'm not hiding anything. I'm just an average sahm that homeschools my kids, BUT I've just heard too much lately about the state overstepping their bounds after being 'invited' into a home so to speak. The fact that they MUST be permitted into your home if they WANT to be, without a warrant, is something that disturbs me. Call me paranoid. I guess I've just heard too much.

Anyways, it looks like I'll just have to call. I tried that earlier, but got the 'hang up on you after being on hold' treatment, and then 'leave a message after being on hold forever' treatment as well. Try,try again.

[mduck]

This is where I get confused. It doesn't say you HAVE to be licensed, certified, or registered, but it doesn't really cover if you are not any one of these three. Below is the guidelines for being registered (The ratio guidelines anyway) I 'think' that the difference between being registered and not might just be your ability to accept those receiving ccap funding (plus all the hoop jumping). If you are not registered, you cannot accept ccap. So according to the below info, does that mean that I can accept up to 5 if I have 3 kids of my own if none are ccap?

Section 6. Child Ratios. During hours of operation, a registered child care provider shall not care for more than:
(1) Three (3) children receiving CCAP per day;
(2) Six (6) children receiving CCAP per day, if those children are:
(a) A part of a sibling group; and
(b) Related to the provider; or
(3) A total of eight (8) children inclusive of the provider’s own children.

I still plan on calling though. I hope I don't get someone on the phone though that 'thinks' they have the answer but that really doesn't. That would stink.

[Febby]

No, you cannot have more than 3 unrelated children without being certified or licensed. Being registered IS optional if you have 3 or less unrelated children and would allow you to accept CCAP.

From KRS 199.8982:
The cabinet shall establish a family child-care home certification program which shall be administered by the department. A family child-care provider shall apply for certification of the provider's home if the provider is caring for four (4) to six (6) children unrelated to the provider. A family child-care provider caring for three (3) or fewer children may apply for certification of the provider's home at the discretion of the provider. Applicants for certification shall not have been found by the cabinet or a court to have abused or neglected a child, and shall meet the following minimum requirements
(bolding mine)

The full statue can be read here: http://www.lrc.ky.gov/Statutes/statute.aspx?id=7244