Day Care Resources

Choosing a Child Care Provider

If you are a parent choosing a child care provider, here are some helpful tips to remember.

  • Ask the provider for references
  • Carefully interview with a provider
  • Contact the county licenser to find out if any complaints have been filed

The provider you choose should fit your child's needs and your beliefs. It is important to discuss all of their policies so you fully understand them, although it may not be possible to agree with all of the provider's policies. 

Looking for Child Care

Visit the Parent Aware website for resources to help find quality child care and early education programs or by calling 1-888-291-9811.

The MN Department of Human Services offers a listing of licensed family child care providers and/or Child Care Centers in Crow Wing County: Licensing look up

Child Care Assistance payments to a Child Care Provider

Families receiving Child Care Assistance have a right to choose their child care provider. Before payments can be authorized to any provider, that provider must be registered with Crow Wing County. There are four different types of providers:

  • Licensed family child care providers
  • Licensed centers
  • Certified license exempt centers
  • Legal non-licensed providers

Requirements for legal non-licensed (LNL) providers are as follows:

  1. The provider must complete registration forms. 
  2. The provider and all household members age 13 and over must complete background studies through the NetStudy 2.0 system, including fingerprinting. 
  3. The provider must be currently certified in pediatric CPR and First Aid. They may also need to complete training for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Abusive Head Trauma or 8 hours of "Supervising for Safety" training, depending on the child's age and relationship to the child, and must complete an additional 8 hours of training within the next 2 years if approved.
  4. The provider must have a documented Emergency Plan and may be subject to annual inspections by the child care licensor.

Please note: The provider will not be paid more than the maximum rate. LNL providers may not care for more than one non-related family without being licensed. 

Please call the Crow Wing County Child Care Assistance program workers at 218-824-1250 for more information about registration forms and requirements.