Licensed Child Care Provider Referrals There are a number of options for locating licensed child care providers. The amount of information available and the cost vary with the route you choose.
Think Small provides individualized referrals reflecting a family’s preferences—location by schools, openings by age , hours and days of care, program information, special services,etc. A referral counselor from RCC works with parents to help them decide what they are looking for in a child care program. Lists of providers are tailored to those preferences. The RCC database has information on licensed homes and centers, and is updated at least monthly. To inquire about an individualized referral, call RCC at 651-641-0305.
The Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network has an online database of licensed homes and centers. The database can be searched based on zip code or city and preferences including hours and days of care, ages of children, type of program, language spoken in home. Contact information is provided for the programs meeting the selected criteria, along with information about program schedules, caregivers’ training and experience, special needs served, and environment features like pets. Access to the Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network database is free. For more information about the searchable database, go to
http://www.mnchildcare.org/imm_map.php Scroll down to the map of Minnesota and select the county you are looking for child care in. You will be asked to create a password to use this site.
The Department of Human Services licensing Information lookup
The Licensing information lookup is a new, simple online search tool created by the Minnesota Department of Human Services. The information available through this Web site will include the most frequently requested public information maintained by the Licensing Division. You can search for information about a licensed provider by name, license number, program type, county, ZIP code or city.
No matter how you find your child care, you can check the records for licensed providers and programs to see if there have been complaints or actions on the license. For licensed child care homes in Dakota County, contact the
area worker or 952-891-7400. For licensed child care centers in Minnesota, call 651-296-3971.