Those serving more than 5 children are required to register with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). A registered child care location is in a single-family residence that is owned, rented or leased by the child care provider.
Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) provides professional development and consultation services that support the child care business's ability to achieve and maintain regulatory status in good standing and work to achieve and maintain performance at higher quality levels in Iowa’s Quality Rating System and Improvement System, Iowa Quality for Kids (IQ4K®). Please contact your Child Care Consultant with any questions you may have.
CCR&R provides training and technical assistance to child care centers in order to achieve and maintain regulatory status in good standing and improve the quality of care provided to children. The best part is assistance from a CCR&R Child Care Consultant is always 100% FREE!
A Child Development Home (CDH) provider:
CCR&R Child Care Consultants are a resource to help improve the quality of care for all of Iowa’s children. Consultants provide technical assistance and consultations to meet the individualized needs of each provider.
Consultation topics may include:
Contact a CCR&R Community Development Specialist in Your Area
There are five categories of home child care facilities recognized under Iowa law, based on the number of children in care, the space available for child care and the provider’s education and experience:
Child Development Home A Child Development Home B Child Development Home C, C1
Child Care Home Accepting Child Care Assistance
Child Care Home
Child Care Assistance Forms and Information
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - Child Care Provider Portal
Emergency Preparedness - Resources to help write plans and procedures
800-362-2178 please call if you suspect a child under the age of 18 is being abused or neglected or visit Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) child abuse website.
866-448-4605 - please call the Iowa Child Care Complaint Hotline if you have concerns regarding a child care provider.
HHS Child Care Reports - Showing the history of complaints and compliance reports.
Regulations are the program's responsibility. Please check with your local city zoning and county regulations for requirements.
Contact a CCR&R Community Development Specialist to start your early childhood career.
Child Development Home Orientation Guidebook
Data resources - Assess child care needs in your county
Business Plan Checklist
Financial Management Toolkits
Estimated Start-up Costs - (Spanish, Burmese, Swahili)
Operations of a Child Development Home - video
Application Process for Home Child Care
Self-Assessment Inspection for CDH
Child Care Assistance - Forms and Information
Child Care Ready - Professional development series for individuals seeking a career in early childhood care
ID# 470-5384
Spanish »
English »
ID# 470-0625
ID# 470-3384
Fillable »
ID# 470-3871
CCA Resources »
ID# 470-3301
Iowa’s partnership with FieldPrint, the Livescan Fingerprinting Process
Link »
ID# 470-5152 required per HHS Checklist 110.9 (237A) (1). (for household aged 18 and older)
Required per HHS Checklist 110.8(4).
Template »
EP Resources »
ID# 470-3384 (required for any injury that requires first aid or medical care)
ID# 470-5153
HHS Report of Suspected Child Abuse - ID# 470-0665
View »
DCI-77 State of Iowa form
Providers will be responsible for having their fingerprints "rolled" before submitting their registration materials. The provider is responsible for the completion of all required criminal record check forms. To obtain these forms please contact CCR&R staff for an application packet.
Policy guidebook offers suggestions of items to think about when creating policies for a family child care business.
Required information from HHS checklist, 110.9(4)A and B.
Packet of required information to be kept in the children’s file for each child enrolled.
English fillable EP Spanish
Checklist of required information to be included in each child's file.
Go to Form
Required information for HHS checklist, 110.9(4)I and J
Parent consent and release form addressing child pick up, trips, transportation, swimming, photos and other.
English Spanish fillable
Required information for HHS checklist, 110.14(3)C.
Child Development Homes (CDH) can use this document to learn about emergency exits.
Child Development Homes (CDH) can use this document to post emergency numbers.
Required information for HHS checklist, 110.9(4)B and C.
Packet of required information to be kept in the children's file for each child enrolled.
English fillable Spanish
This link will take you to the Emergency Preparedness page.
Iowa law requires child care providers to have a written emergency plan in place by October 1, 2016. There are templates and tools available for child care providers to help meet your program's needs. You are not required to use any of the templates and tools offered, although the tools and templates will help you meet requirements in Iowa law.
Go to EP Webpage
Required information for HHS Checklist, 110.8(1)G and H.
Information should be readily accessible for equipment checks of smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguisher and evacuation equipment.
English Spanish
Fire and tornado symbols may be used as visual aids to help children understand the required written emergency plans posted by the primary and secondary exits.
View
Required information for HHS checklist, 110.9(4)D.
The provider should give this form to the parent/guardian of the attending child, to have the form completed by a physician. The provider should then keep a copy of this form in the child's personal file.
English Fillable Spanish
The provider should give to the parent/guardian of the attending child for completion. The provider should then keep a copy of this form in the child's personal file.
Visit our CCNC page for eligibility information, resource materials and Health Families Line!
You can visit the Health Child Care Iowa Website to download posters, brochures, and forms to print yourself.
Health Child Care Iowa webpage Child Care Nurse Consultants webpage
When a Certificate of Immunization or Immunization Exempt Form are not available, a Provisional Certificate of Immunization can be used. Expiration date is usually 60 days. If the immunizations are further behind than can be caught up in 60 days, another provisional can be issued for an additional 60 days. As you can see on the record, a child must have received at least one dose of each of the required immunizations for this to be a valid option.
Medical or Religious
Form parents complete if they refuse to immunize their children because of religion or doctor recommendation.
Medical Form
Religious Form
Available for CCHC Health and Safety Assessment
Designated poster from HHS to post for notifying parents that they operate a mandatory child abuse reporting site.
Go to Poster
Required information for HHS checklist, 110.8(3)C.
Form to be completed by the parent and provider when an enrolled child is given any medicine, topical cream, sunscreen, diaper ointment, breathing treatment, etc. Parent signature is required.
Form to document when provider has practiced monthly fire/tornado drills and changed batteries in smoke alarms.
Required information for HHS checklist, 110.8(2)
Child Development Homes (CDH) can use this document to learn about outdoor space: swimming/wading pools.
Form to document training requirements prior to registration and tracking of required professional development hours for each registration period.
English PDF Spanish
Required information for HHS checklist, 110.8(5)A through D.
Safe Sleep procedures for providers and parents.
English » Spanish » Burmese » Swahili »
This self-assessment will be used by the provider and Child Care Consultant to assure homes are a safe, nurturing place for children that promote developmentally appropriate practices. Use this form to prepare for your DHS annual inspection.
Visuals Form
Required information from Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) checklist, 109.10(11).
A direct link to the Iowa Department of Health Smoke Free Air Act information. Providers contact this email regarding no smoking/tobacco signs tobcontactus@hhs.iowa.gov or call 888.944.2247
Website
Required information for HHS checklist, 110.8(1)M.
This link will take you to the Iowa Child Restraint Law document.
Go to Website
Chart will help plan for safe daily outdoor time.
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requires additional training during each licensing period.
i-PoWeR Professional Workforce Registry
Professional Development Record (Spanish) (Word) Fillable form to assist individuals in their professional development plan.
Minimum required training prior to registration:
CCR&R Professional Development Opportunities
Child Care Ready
Child Development Associate (CDA) CredentialTM
HHS Approved Professional Development Opportunities
Iowa Early Learning Standards
Opportunities for Connection!
Business Technical Assistance for Child Development Homes - featuring CCR&R, First Children's Finance and Child Care Collaborative of Iowa
Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™ - Nationally recognized credential for early care and education
ChildNet 3.0 - Series training for home child care programs
Iowa Quality for Kids (IQ4K®) - Iowa’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS)
Update Your File - Update your file and program surveys
Links to resources that child care businesses might find helpful.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - Equal Access to Child Care
Area Education Agency - AEA
Child and Adult Care Food Program - CACFP
Child Care Collaborative of Iowa - Business Library
Child Care Nurse Consultant - CCNC
Family Child Care Resource - Child Care Aware of America
NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment
Teacher Education and Compensation Helps - T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® IOWA
Resource Page - links to additional services
Benefits of registration as a Child Development Home (CDH) provider include:
"My Child Care Consultant is polite, extremely knowledgeable and always informative. She has always gone the extra step to help me out! I would be lost without her." - Susan, Child Development Home Provider