In Colorado, 61% of children under age 6 have all available parents in the workforce. The great majority of these children need to be in some kind of non-parental care, whether that be non-licensed family/neighbor/nanny care, or a licensed center or home. All Coloradans should care about the systems of early care and education that allow parents to work, AND provide children with safe and stimulating environments in which to grow and learn.

How do I find out about...

+ Preschool Standards & Assessments

The CDE's Office of Early Learning & School Readiness has developed:
Preschool Standards & Assessments Crosswalk
Video guide to using the Preschool Standards & Assessments interactive crosswalk

+ Finding Child Care
Colorado Child Care Facility Search is hosted by the Colorado Department of Human Services, Division of Child Care, which is the State’s lead agency in planning and implementing public child care policy.

The Division of Child Care is responsible for the licensing and monitoring of child care facilities; managing the child care assistance program (CCCAP) for eligible families; administering child care grants and quality initiatives, and serving as the lead in implementing federal child care programs. The overall goal of the Division of Child Care is to promote quality, accessible and affordable child care services for Colorado families.

Qualistar is the state network office for Child Care Resource and Referral. Qualistar Colorado manages a system of 17 local agencies throughout Colorado that supports parents, child care providers and local communities.

Your local Qualistar Partner can walk you through the complexities of the child care system, providing you with the tools you need to make an informed child care decision. They can provide you with free referrals to child care programs matching your needs and preferences. They can give you information about location, quality, hours of operation, child care philosophies, licensing requirements and financial assistance.

Visit our Child Care / Preschool page

+ Colorado's state requirements about director qualifications, teacher preparation, ratios and licensing standards?
This link addresses Colorado's state requirements for teacher preparation, child/teacher ratios and licensing standards in daycare centers and family daycare. It also has contact information about local agencies. Another resource is the National Child Care Information & Technical Assistance Center (NCCIC). This link provides information on state requirements for child care directors.

+ Getting my child care home or center licensed?
The Child Care Division at the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) is responsible for licensing child care homes and centers in Colorado. This page on the CDHS website gives a list of frequently asked questions about getting a child care license, and provides the links for ordering the necessary forms.

In addition, there are many training opportunities available that can help you prepare to meet the requirements of licensing.

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