CHILD CARE LICENSING 1
Teneessee Child Care Licensing Requirements
Courtney Goins
School of Education, Liberty University
Summer 2024 EDEC 655
STATE REGULATIONS FORM TEMPLATE
Licensing of Child Care Centers in Tennessee
Web address for regulations in your
state:
https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/1240/124004/1240-
04-01.20220629.pdf
What is the name of the
organization that gives childcare
licenses in your state?
(e.g., Virginia Department of Social
Services
Tennessee Department of Human Service – Child Care
Services
CHILD CARE LICENSING 2
– Division of Licensing Programs)
What term is used in your state for
a child daycare center? How is it
defined?
Child Care Center
A child care center is a center that provides care for 13 or
more children, including the provision of supervision and
protection, and meeting, at a minimum, the basic needs of a
child for less that twenty-four hours a day.
(Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies, 2022)
What information must be
maintained in each child's record?
- Proof of identity and age?
- Immunizations?
- Emergency contacts?
The state of Tennessee requires that each child’s record
include the following information:
•Child’s name and birth date
•Parent or Guardians Names
•Child’s and parents’ or guardians’ home addresses
and phone numbers
•Parents’ or Guardians’ business addresses, phone
numbers, and work hours
•Any diagnosed disabilities for children who have
special needs, medical conditions (including allergies)
or relevant history of the child
•For a child with life-threatening allergies, a written
plan of action endorsed by the child’s pediatrician or
licensed medical provider
•Name, address, and telephone number of a physician
to call in case of an emergency
•Written consent of parents or guardians regarding
emergency medical care
•The name and address (home and business or school)
and current phone number of an emergency contact
•A written statement stating to whom the child shall
be released
•Written transportation agreement Daily attendance
records.
•An individual attendance list shall be
CHILD CARE LICENSING 3
maintained in each classroom
•Field trip permission slips
•A signed personal safety curriculum
notification form
•A Tennessee Department of Health official
Immunization certificate
(Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies, 2022)
The following information shall also be included in
an infant, toddler, or non-verbal child’s records:
•Time and amount of feeding
•Any incidence of excessive spitting up
•Toileting
•Times of Diaper Changes
•Sleep Patterns
•Developmental Progress
•A well child exam that has been signed or
stamped by a physician or licensed medical
provider
•Transition plan for moving from one age
group to another.
(Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies, 2022)
The following information shall be included in a
school-age child’s records:
•The information form shall the name,
address, and phone number of the school
the child attends
•The records of any child who is five years
old in a child care agency which lacks
approved kindergarten status for purposes
of T.C.A. 49-6-201 shall include a signed
acknowledgement by the child’s parent or
guardian that recognizes that the child’s
attendance does not satisfy the mandatory
kindergarten prerequisite for the child’s
enrollment in first grade. The statement of
acknowledgement shall be signed by the
parent or guardian.
(Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies, 2022)
Special needs records will include a written activity
record that consists of daily activities and behavior.
(Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies, 2022)
CHILD CARE LICENSING 4
What does your state require of staff of a
childcare center?
- Criminal record checks?
- Age requirement?
- Training or education requirement?
- References?
- Health records (e.g., tuberculosis)?
Crimminal background checks are required for the
following people no more than 90 days before
having access to any child care agency:
- Any person who owns or operates a child
care agency
- Any person who applies to work in a child
care agency as an employee, director, or
manager
- Any person who will provide substitute
services to a child care agency for more
then 36 hours in a calendar year and who is
counted in the adult:child ratio
- Any person who is 15 years of age or older
who will reside in a child care agency
- New background checks are required when
the staff member has been separated from
employment from a child care provider
within the state for a period of more than
180 consecutive days.
- Background checks are required for all staff
at least every 5 years.
(Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies, 2022)
Child Care Center Educators receive the following
training:
- Licensing rules and regulations
- Shaken Baby/Abusive Head Trauma
- Pre-Service Training
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
- 12 hours annual training with 3 in
preliteracy and literacy skills, 6 in health
and safety, and adverse childhood
experiences
(Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies, 2022)
Childcare workers in Tennessee must be at least 18
years old (Tennessee Licensing Standards for
Daycare Centers, 2022).
Each child care workers must be screened or test
for all communicable diseases as required by the
Department of Health prior to having contact with
children (Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies,
2022).
Do the same requirements apply to Volunteers records must include their names,
volunteers? addresses, telephone numbers and hours and dates
of services (Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies,
CHILD CARE LICENSING 5
2022).
What requirements/qualifications apply to
directors of childcare centers?
Directors for a child care center must have
graduated from an accredited 4-year college or be
a registered nurse with less than a 4-year degree
and 1 year of full-time experience with children in a
group setting; or 36 hours of courseworl at least 30
of which shall be in business management, child or
youth development, early childhood education or a
closely related field or a TN Early Childhood
Administrator Credential; and 2 years of full-time
experience with children in a group setting; or high
school diploma (or equivalent as recognized by
state law) and Tennessee Early Childhood Training
Alliance Certificate for 30 clock hours of
Administrator Orientation training or the
equivalent as recognized by the Department and 4
years of full-time experience with children in a
group or continuously employed as an on-site child
care director or a child care agency owner as of the
effective date of these rules (Licensure Rules for
Child Care Agencies, 2022).
What regulations does your state have
concerning the facilities of a child day center?
- Asbestos inspection?
- Building and fire codes?
- Health Department inspection for
water, sewage, and food service?
- Temperature regulation?
- Space requirements per child?
- Outdoor play space requirements per
child?
- Number of bathrooms required?
Children will have outdoor play when temperatures
that have been adjusted for wind chill or heat index
are between 32 and 95 degrees and it is not
raining.
The physical facilities must be inspecd annually by
the State Fire Marashall’s Office and the General
Environmental Division of the Tennessee
Department of Health
The child care agency shall maintain
documentation of required inspections and the
approvals.
The agency must maintain compliance with all
applicable codes, and with any updated standards
or codes issued by the Tennessee Department of
Health and the State Fire Marashall.
Each child shall have 50 square feet of usable play
space
The outdoor play area should have a fence or
barrier of at least 4 feet in height
CHILD CARE LICENSING 6
Drinking water supply shall be from a source
approved by the health authority having
jurisdiction
Connection to a public sewage disposal system
shall be made where possible
The use of a private sewage disposal system shall
have the approval of the local department of
environment and conservation division og ground
water protection and it shall be operating
satisfactorily at all times.
Indoor temperature must be maintained between
68 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
All children shall have at least 30 square feet of
play space in the classroom each.
(Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies, 2022)
How does your state define the ages of
children?
- An infant means _____________
- A toddler means _____________
- Preschooler means _____________
- School-aged means ____________
An infant is a child that is six weeks through 12
months of age.
A toddler is a child who is thirteen months through
30 months of age.
A preschooler is a child who is at least 31
months old but has not entered kindergarten
yet. A school age child is a child who has entered
kindergarten through the age of 17.
(Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies, 2022)
What are the staff-to-children ratio
requirements?
Infants 6 weeks to 15 months 1 adult for every
4 children with a maximum group size of 8. 12
months to 30 months 1 adult for every 6
children with a maximum group size of 12. 24
months to 35 months 1 adult for every 7
children with a maximum group of 14
3 year olds 1 adult for every 9
children with a maximum group
of 18
4 year olds 1 adult for every 13
children with a maximum group
of 20
5 year olds 1 adult for every 16
children with maximum group of
20
School Age 1 adult for every 20 children with no
maximum group size.
(Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies, 2022)
CHILD CARE LICENSING 7
What actions toward children are prohibited? - No shaming, humiliating, frightening,
verbally abusive, injurious discipline
methods, or techniques that isolate the
child
- Discipline shall not be related to food, rest,
or toileting
- Active play shall not be withheld
- Spanking and all types of corporal
punishment are prohibited
- Mechanical and chemical restraints
(Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies, 2022)
List 3 other interesting regulations from your
state.
1. A childcare facility cannot be without an
onsite director for more than 60 days
within one licensing year. They can put an
interim director in charge but it has to be
for less than 60 days.
2. The regulations do not outline a minimum
number of restrooms just state that they
must be in accordance with local ordiances
and regulations.
3. The regulations specifically state what the
child care facility is to do if someone
unauthorized or appearing dangerous
attempts to pick up the child from the
center.
(Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies, 2022)
References
Daycare.com. (2022). Tennessee Licensing Standards for Daycare Centers. Tennessee
licensing staff - daycare.com. https://www.daycare.com/tennessee/state4.html
The Tennessee department of human services division of child care and community
services. (2022, June). Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies. Chapter 1240-0401
Licensure for child care agencies .
https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/1240/1240-04/1240-04-01.20220629.pdf
