Have you ever thought about becoming a child care provider but aren't ready for the licensing process yet? If so, you can apply to be an approved child care provider and care for up to 5 children (4 unrelated) in your home for up to one year.

Approved child care providers are those providers who are otherwise exempt from licensure and who are approved to provide child care services to children whose families receive child care assistance. They include:

Approved Providers

An approved provider provides child care services to child care assistance-eligible children in a private residence as the sole caregiver.
Approved providers must become licensed within one year to continue receiving child care assistance payments.

Approved Relative Providers

An approved relative provider provides child care services only to child care assistance-eligible children who are their grandchild, great grandchild, sibling (if living in a separate residence), niece or nephew.
Approved relative providers must renew their status every two years.

Requirements of Participation

To participate in the child care assistance program as an approved provider or an approved relative provider, you must:

Submit a completed application;
Agree to meet basic health and safety requirements;
Pass a criminal history background check (also any household member 18 years of age and older;
Become age appropriate CPR/First Aid certified within 6 months of your approval and maintain your certifications.

Capacity

Approved and approved relative providers may care for no more than a total of five children under 12 years of age, including their own children. Of those five children:

No more than four children may be unrelated to the approved provider; and,
No more than two children may be under 30 months of age.

How do I Apply?

To apply to become an approved or approved relative provider, please contact the child care assistance program at the following numbers:

Juneau ~907.463.6184

Toll Free ~800.505.6124

Friendly staff will be able to mail, e-mail, fax you the application, or give you directions to the child care assistance program main office located in Juneau, Alaska at 415 Sixth Street, Rooms 104 & 105.

Billing for Children on Assistance

Child care providers must submit a PASS II/III monthly billing report form to the local child care assistance office in order to receive payment for services provided to children on assistance. Billing reports can be submitted for payment after the month of service is completed, i.e. for child care services provided in March 2009 the provider can submit the bill on April 1, 2009.

The billing report form and its instructions are available at this link: http://dpaweb.hss.state.ak.us/e-forms/pdf/cc/cc19.pdf

For additional billing inquires, please contact the child care assistance program.

Licensed Child Care

If you are interested in getting licensed to do child care out of your home or open a group home or child care center, please view the state of Alaska licensed child care power point (contact info is at the end of the presentation):
www.hss.state.ak.us/dpa/programs/ccare/files/child_care_licensing_presentation.pdf