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Health and Safety

Child Care Licensing Keeps Children Safe

Kansas is dedicated to the safety of children in care. All providers are required to undergo ample training and background checks to provide parents with a higher level of confidence in the care they are providing. 

To obtain a child care license, all program facilities must undergo annual surveys, licensing compliance checks, and fire safety checks. In addition, all staff – as well as anyone over the age of 16 living onsite- must pass required background checks, health exams, and TB tests. If you suspect a health or safety problem at your child’s care facility, file a complaint now.

State Training Requirements for Providers

The health and safety of you and your children are vitally important. Child care professionals undergo orientation and extensive training required by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) to ensure your child can grow in the best environment. 

Training includes:

  • Basic child development 
  • Recognizing, reporting, and preventing child abuse or neglect
  • Prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions
  • Handling of hazardous materials
  • Administration of medication to children
  • Building and physical premises safety
  • Safe sleep practice and reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) 
  • Prevention and control of infectious diseases
  • Transportation of children
  • Emergency preparedness and response planning 
  • Pediatric first aid and pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification. An in-person skill test is required, and a copy of the current certification card must be on file.

Kansas Child Care Safety Statistics

These tables have the total cases in a year of serious injury, death, and substantiated child abuse for licensed child care centers, licensed child care homes, and DCF enrolled providers. The tables cover a three-year period. 

 

Children in Care

FFY 2023

Serious Injury

FFY 2023

Death in Child Care

FFY 2023

Substantiated Child Abuse

FFY 2023

Licensed Child Care Center Capacity

School Age Program, Child Care Center, Head Start Child Care Center, Preschool, School Age Drop-In Program (includes all school age types under school age program)

107,570

19

0

9

DCF Subsidy Children

7,437

13

0

1

Licensed Child Care Home Capacity

Group Day Care Home, Licensed Day Care Home

34,883

16

0

2

DCF Subsidy Children

4,878

6

0

1

License-exempt Center

Child Care Center

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

Slide for more >

*Serious Injury – An injury to a child that requires treatment by a health care professional.

*Death in child care – Any injury or illness which results in the death of a child in care.

*Substantiated Child Abuse – Defined as when a reasonable person weighing the facts and circumstances would conclude it is more likely than not (preponderance of the evidence) the alleged perpetrator’s actions or inactions meet the abuse and/or neglect definition per applicable K.S.A. and K.A.R. and criterion for a substantiated case finding is met.


Updated January 25, 2024

 

Children in care

FFY 2022

SERIOUS INJURY

FFY 2022

DEATH IN CHILD CARE

FFY 2022

SUBSTANTIATED CHILD ABUSE

FFY 2022

Licensed Child Care Center Capacity

School Age Program, Child Care Center, Head Start Child Care Center, Preschool, School Age Drop-In Program (includes all school age types under school age program)

104,914

27

0

3

DCF Subsidy Children

7,144

13

0

1

Licensed Child Care Home Capacity

Group Day Care Home, Licensed Day Care Home

34,616

23

0

6

DCF Subsidy Children

4,491

2

0

0

License-exempt Center

Child Care Center

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

Slide for more >

 

Children in Care

FFY 2021

Serious Injury

FFY 2021

Death in Child Care

FFY 2021

Substantiated Child Abuse

FFY 2021

Licensed Child Care Center Capacity

School Age Program, Child Care Center, Head Start Child Care Center, Preschool, School Age Drop-In Program (includes all school age types under school age program)

99,944

24

0

11

DCF Subsidy Children

6,479

9

0

1

Licensed Child Care Home Capacity

Group Day Care Home, Licensed Day Care Home

34,886

19

1

5

DCF Subsidy Children

4,127

3

0

1

License-exempt Center

Child Care Center

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

Slide for more >

Kansas Child Care Inspections

Every child care provider must undergo yearly inspections and compliance checks in order to keep their license. These inspections are available for public review at any time.

Learn more about inspections

Kansas Provider Background Checks

Parents need to be confident that individuals caring for their children do not have prior records of behavior that could endanger children. For the safety of Kansas children, all licensed providers and each individual residing, working, or regularly volunteering in a licensed child care facility must pass a variety of background checks, including in-state checks, applicable interstate, criminal, sex offender, and child abuse and neglect checks.

Background checks are conducted through KDHE. These checks lower the risk of neglect or abuse in child care settings, helping to protect children and giving confidence to parents about the care they receive.

What’s Covered

State & Federal Criminal Registries

The criminal history information maintained by the KBI and FBI includes felony and misdemeanor arrests, prosecution data, court dispositions, and information on incarceration in state-operated confinement facilities.

Child Abuse & Neglect (CAN) Registry

The Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) database contains the names of individuals who have been determined to be perpetrators of child abuse and/or neglect. Some of these findings include physical abuse, sexual abuse or sexual maltreatment, educational neglect, medical neglect, physical neglect, or emotional maltreatment.

Sexual Offender Registries

As punishment for certain sex and violent crimes, the State of Kansas requires the convicted individual to be registered on the state’s Sex Offender List. Some crimes that require registration include rape, solicitation, aggravated human trafficking, internet trading in child pornography, and kidnapping.

Common Prohibiting Offenses

Here are a few of the most common offenses a regulator may find on a background check that would make a child care staff member ineligible for employment:

Misdemeanors:

  • Battery and/or assault (including domestic offenses)
  • Furnishing alcoholic beverages to a minor
  • Contributing to the delinquency of a minor
  • Unlawfully hosting minors consuming alcohol
  • Robbery

Felonies:

  • Battery and/or assault (including domestic offenses)
  • Drug convictions

Note: This is not an exhaustive list of prohibiting offenses.

Family Resources

These resources can provide you with the information necessary to keep your family safe while at home, outdoors, and on the go.

CDC

Learn how to track your child’s development and milestones.

Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition

Explore breastfeeding resources for new and expecting parents.

Covid Resources

Get information about how to handle Covid-19 within your family.

CACFP for Families

See how CACFP helps providers offer healthy food and meals.

Haz Mat

Understand how to reduce children’s access to hazardous materials.

Mobile Crisis Response Line

Call for help with behavioral issues, referrals and more.

Emergency Preparedness

Plan ahead so you know how to handle an emergency or disaster.