Title: 
Headings: Child Care Regulations in Tennessee
Child
 
Care
 
Regulations
 
in
 
Tennessee
 

Overview
 

Types
 
of
 
care
 
that
 
must
 
be
 
licensed
 

Types
 
of
 
care
 
that
 
may
 
be
 
registered
 

Types
 
of
 
care
 
that
 
may
 
operate
 
without
 
a
 
license
 

Age-group
 
definitions
 

Subsidized
 
child
 
care
 

Whom
 
to
 
contact
 

Tennessee
 
Department
 
of
 
Human
 
Services
 
Child
 
Care
 
Services
 

Child
 
abuse
 
reporting
 

Child
 
care
 
centers
 

Licenses
 

State
 
inspection
  

Staff:child
 
ratios
 

Maximum
 
group
 
size
  

Staff
 
qualifications
 

Director
 

Caregiver
 

Substitute
 

Staff
 
training
 

CPR
 
and
 
first
 
aid
 

Staff
 
medical
 
requirements
 

Staff
 
background
 
checks
 

Discipline
 

Parents’
 
rights
  

Health
 
and
 
safety
 
requirements
 

Child
 
medical
 
requirements
 

Care
 
for
 
sick
 
children
 

Group
 
child
 
care
 
homes
 

Licenses
 

State
 
inspection
  

Staff:child
 
ratios
 

Maximum
 
group
 
size
  

Staff
 
qualifications
 

Primary
 
caregiver
 

Assistant
 

Substitute
 

Staff
 
training
 

CPR
 
and
 
first
 
aid
 

Staff
 
medical
 
requirements
 

Staff
 
background
 
checks
 

Discipline
 

Parents’
 
rights
  

Health
 
and
 
safety
 
requirements
 

Child
 
medical
 
requirements
 

Care
 
for
 
sick
 
children
 

Family
 
child
 
care
 
homes
 

Licenses
 

State
 
inspection
  

Staff:child
 
ratios
 

Maximum
 
group
 
size
  

Staff
 
qualifications
 

Primary
 
caregiver
 

Assistant
 

Substitute
 

Staff
 
training
 

CPR
 
and
 
first
 
aid
 

Staff
 
medical
 
requirements
 

Staff
 
background
 
checks
 

Discipline
 

Parents’
 
rights
  

Health
 
and
 
safety
 
requirements
 

Child
 
medical
 
requirements
 

Care
 
for
 
sick
 
children
 


Content: More
 
detailed
 
information
 
about
 
child
 
care
 
centers,
 
group
 
child
 
care
 
homes,
 
and
 
family
 
child
 
care
 
homes
 
may
 
be
 
found
 
later
 
in
 
this
 
guide. Types
 
of
 
care
 
that
 
may
 
operate
 
without
 
a
 
license
 
Some
 
types
 
of
 
child
 
care
 
are
 
not
 
required
 
to
 
be
 
licensed
 
by
 
the
 
state. There
 
are
 
no
 
agencies
 
investigating
 
or
 
regulating
 
these
 
providers,
 
so
 
be
 
sure
 
to
 
thoroughly
 
check
 
a
 
provider’s
 
background
 
and
 
experience
 
before
 
choosing
 
this
 
type
 
of
 
care. In
 
Tennessee,
 
the
 
following
 
forms
 
of
 
child
 
care
 
are
 
exempt
 
from
 
licensing: Care
 
provided
 
in
 
the
 
child’s
 
home
 
or
 
by
 
relatives
 


 
Full-
 
or
 
part-time
 
care
 
for
 
five
 
or
 
fewer
 
children
 
not
 
related
 
to
 
the
 
primary
 
caregiver
 


 
Parents’
 
day-out
 
programs
 
and
 
drop-in
 
centers
 
caring
 
for
 
fewer
 
than
 
15
 
children
 


 
Programs
 
operating
 
for
 
fewer
 
than
 
three
 
hours
 
per
 
day
 

Private
 
kindergartens
 
that
 
operate
 
on
 
the
 
same
 
schedule
 
as
 
public
 
kindergartens
 
may
 
not
 
be
 
required
 
to
 
be
 
licensed
 
by
 
the
 
state. When
 
children’s
 
programs
 
are
 
run
 
by
 
the
 
public
 
elementary
 
schools,
 
they
 
must
 
be
 
approved
 
by
 
the
 
Department
 
of
 
Education
 
and
 
must
 
meet
 
similar
 
requirements. Public
 
child
 
care
 
programs
 
must
 
also
 
meet
 
the
 
same
 
standards
 
as
 
licensed
 
child
 
care
 
programs. Age-group
 
definitions
 

 
Infant: child
 
between
 
6
 
weeks
 
and
 
15
 
months
 


 
Toddler: child
 
between
 
16
 
and
 
30
 
months
 


 
Preschooler: