The New Rules For Family Child Care and Large Family Child Care Homes

The Office of Child Care Licensing has adopted new Delacare: Rules for Family Child Care (FCC) Homes and Delacare; Rules for Large Family Child Care (LFCC) Homes. The new effective date is January 1, 2009. The New FCC and LFCC Rules represent a movement toward improving standards designed to ensure the health and safety of children in care and to enhance the quality of children’s experiences in FCC and LFCC Homes so they will be better prepared to succeed in school and in life.

To view or download the newly adopted rules, please click on one of the links below:

• Delacare: Rules for Family Child Care Homes (2009) - PDF Format | MS Word Format
  
  
• Delacare: Rules for Large Family Child Care Homes (2009) - PDF Format | MS Word Format

Printed copies are available by contacting OCCL’s Wilmington Office at (302)892-5802 or Dover Office (302) 739-5487 and also will be distributed at the New FCC and LFCC Rules trainings – see training schedule below.

To view or download the Registry of Regulations (RR) version of the newly adopted rules as announced in the RR December 2008 issue with all edits marked and numbered according to the administrative code procedures, please click on this link: Registry of Regulations (RR) version of FCC and LFCC

Six Month Grace/Implementation Period for Previously Licensed FCC and LFCC Homes

To help transition into the New Rules, Licensees (Providers) of FCC and LFCC Homes licensed before the new effective date will be allowed a six month grace or implementation period in addition to any applicable “grandfathering” or “grandmothering” of a particular rule.

During the implementation period, non-compliance will not be noted in the licensing record in respect to a new rule or a rule that has been significantly changed except when the health, safety, or well-being of a child (or children) is in serious or imminent danger. For those licensed before the new effective date, a “grandfathered” rule will indicate the rule is not applicable to them and a “grandmothered” rule will indicate the time period allowed to come into compliance (meet) with the rule. 

Free Informational Sessions for Previously Licensed FCC and LFCC Homes

OCCL will offer the FREE New FCC and LFCC Rules trainings throughout the State in the evening and on Saturdays starting in January.  Licensees (Providers) of FCC and LFCC (including LFCC staff members) Homes licensed prior to the new effective date are encouraged to attend the training. 

Training Schedule

Pre-registration is required as space may be limited at a particular location. Please contact the Wilmington OCCL Office (302)892-5802 to register for training located in New Castle County and the Dover OCCL Office (302)739-5487 for training located in Kent or Sussex Counties. For inclement weather, please call OCCL before 4:30PM Monday through Friday. After hours, please call (302)892-4574 and a message will be available if the training has been cancelled. 

Training schedule can be viewed in PDF Format or MS Word Format.

Receive Clock Hours toward Annual Training

Clock hours will be given for those attending the training and may be applied toward the annual training requirement. Each New FCC and LFCC Rules training will include an explanation of all the major changes.  At the training, there will also be an opportunity to ask questions and receive clarification on any new or changed rule or issue of concern. In the meantime, please feel free to contact your Licensing Specialist if you have a particular question or need clarification on any aspect of the New Rules.