Minnesota Statutes, Laws and Rules are published by the Office of the Revisor of Statutes. The website is updated after each legislative session, as updates or changes to requirements occur.
When legislative updates impact DCYF-licensed programs, including licensed family child care, DCYF creates implementation plans to help providers learn about and implement changes.
Minnesota counties perform the major functions related to licensing of family child care programs. County responsibilities include:
Accepting and processing family child care license applications
Conducting, inspecting, studying and evaluating license applications
Recommending to the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families the approval or denial of license applications
Processing requests for variances from rules
Monitoring compliance with applicable rules
Investigating allegations of license violations
Issuing correction orders
Recommending forfeiture orders and licensing sanctions
Enforcing orders of the DCYF commissioner
Representing DCYF in contested hearing cases conducted under Minnesota's Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 14)
Licensing actions
DCYF, in partnership with county and private licensing agencies, reviews licensed programs, investigates complaints, and issues licensing actions when providers are out of compliance. Types of licensing actions include correction orders, conditional licenses, suspensions, fines, and revocations.
The 2019 Legislature established and directed the Family Child Care Task Force to discuss and make recommendations related to family child care licensing and the Parent Aware program. Task force members included family child care providers, parents, legislators, the Department of Human Services, and appointees from various child care-related organizations.
