The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to State, Territory, and Tribal grantees. CCDF supports North Dakota’s efforts to provide child care services for low-income families and enhance the quality of child care for all children.
CCDF dollars help:
- Protect the health and safety of children in child care,
- Promote continuity of access to subsidy for income-eligible families,
- Inform parents and the general public about child care choices available to them,
- Improve the overall quality of early learning and afterschool programs.
Nationally, CCDF dollars benefit more than 1.4 million children receiving child care subsidies, as well as children cared for alongside them who receive no direct assistance from CCDF but benefit from safer child care settings with better skilled teachers and staff. Parents who receive subsidies to make child care affordable receive more stable assistance as they work toward economic security.
Additionally, states use CCDF to invest in quality to benefit millions more children by:
- Building the skills and qualifications of the teacher workforce
- Supporting child care programs to achieve higher standards
- Providing consumer education to help parents select child care that meets their families’ needs
All licensed and self-declared providers in North Dakota are eligible to receive CCDF funding and must follow health and safety standards that align with CCDF guidelines.
Information on how to access resources regarding provider health and safety information, help in finding available early childhood programs and more.
- Child Care Development Fund Fact Sheet (Revised September 2021)
The CCDF State Plan serves as the application for funds, details the State’s response to federal requirements, and describes early childhood programs and services available to eligible families.
Amended 2022-2024 ND Child Care and Development Fund State Plan (Posted February 2023)
- Amendment Approval Letter 2 (Posted February 2023)
Amended 2022-2024 ND Child Care and Development Fund State Plan (Posted September 2022)
- Amendment Approval Letter 1 (Posted September 2022)
Conditionally Approved 2022-2024 ND Child Care and Development Fund State Plan
- Conditional Approval Letter (December 2021)
2022-2024 CCDF State Plan Public Comments and Responses (Posted July 2021)
Aggregate Data: Serious Injuries, Deaths, and Substantiated Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect
Child care providers are required to report to their Early Childhood Licensing Specialist when a child is seriously injured or dies in care, even if it wasn’t the result of a rule violation. They are also required to report when a child is abused or neglected. Parents or other individuals can report concerns by contacting their local Early Childhood Licensing Specialist.
Families need information in order to make informed choices about who will care for their children while parents and guardians are working or in education or training. This information helps parents choose a child care provider that best meets their family’s needs.
Included in the report is the annual number of serious injuries and deaths that occurred in CCDF eligible licensed and licensed-exempt programs over a 3-year period. A serious injury is defined as any accident or injury which occurs in the early childhood setting or as a result of care provided in the early childhood setting and results in medical treatment. Medical treatment is considered any treatment beyond basic First Aid.
The annual total instances of substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect that occurred in CCDF eligible licensed and license-exempt programs over a 3-year period is also reported.
Licensed Child Care Providers
- Licensed Family Child Care: Family providers may care for up to 7 children, of which no more than 3 children are under the age of 24 months, plus two additional school-age children.
- Licensed Group Child Care: Group child care programs may be licensed in a home or a facility. Groups may be licensed for up to 30 children, with the actual license capacity determined by available space, staff to child ratios, and sometimes local ordinances.
- Licensed Child Care Center: Child care centers are licensed for at least 19 children in a facility, with the actual license capacity determined by available space, staff to child ratios, and sometimes local ordinances.
- Licensed Preschool Programs: Preschools provide educational and socialization experiences for children age 2 years to kindergarten and may operate sessions for no more than 3 hours per day.
- Licensed School-Age Programs: School-age programs are licensed for at least 19 children in a facility, with the actual license capacity determined by available space, staff to child ratios, and sometimes local ordinances. School-age programs offer services before and after school, and sometimes on school holidays and through the summer months
- Multiple License Facility: This type of program has more than one type of license, such as a center and preschool.
License-Exempt Child Care Providers
- Self-Declared Providers: Care is provided in a private residence for 5 or fewer children, of which no more than 3 children are under the age of 24 months. These providers must meet some minimal standards, including a background check and basic health and safety training, are inspected prior to annual approval, and receive one additional monitoring visit per year. Self-declared providers are eligible to participate in the Child Care Assistance Program and the USDA Food program.
|
Licensed and |
Estimated # of Children in Care |
Serious Injuries |
Deaths |
Substantiated Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect |
|
Family Child Care |
1,423 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
|
Group Child Care |
12,099 |
16 |
0 |
0 |
|
Child Care Centers |
12,437 |
35 |
0 |
1 |
|
Preschool Programs |
649 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
School Age Programs |
2,732 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
|
Multi-Licensed Facilities |
7,036 |
28 |
0 |
0 |
|
Self-Declared Providers |
150 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Licensed and |
Estimated # of Children in Care |
Serious Injuries |
Deaths |
Substantiated Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect |
|
Family Child Care |
1,791 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
|
Group Child Care |
12,061 |
18 |
0 |
|
|
Child Care Centers |
12,862 |
33 |
0 |
|
|
Preschool Programs |
1,165 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
School Age Programs |
3,782 |
6 |
0 |
|
|
Multi-Licensed Facilities |
7,088 |
24 |
0 |
|
|
Self-Declared Providers |
210 |
0 |
0 |
|
Licensed and |
Estimated # of Children in Care |
Serious Injuries |
Deaths |
Substantiated Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect |
|
Family Child Care |
37,530 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Group Child Care |
25 |
0 |
||
|
Child Care Centers |
55 |
0 |
||
|
Preschool Programs |
1 |
0 |
||
|
School Age Programs |
7 |
0 |
||
|
Multi-Licensed Facilities |
34 |
0 |
||
|
Self-Declared Providers |
0 |
0 |
Questions? Contact Us
Early Childhood
600 E. Boulevard Avenue, Dept. 325
Bismarck, ND 58505-0250
Phone: (701) 328-2115, 711 (TTY)
Toll-Free: (800) 997-8516
Email: dhsec@nd.gov