Health and Safety

Child Care Licensing Keeps Children Safe

Kansas is dedicated to the safety of children in care. All providers are required to undergo ample training and background checks to provide parents with a higher level of confidence in the care they are providing. 

To obtain a child care license, all program facilities must undergo annual surveys, licensing compliance checks, and fire safety checks. In addition, all staff – as well as anyone over the age of 16 living onsite- must pass required background checks, health exams, and TB tests. If you suspect a health or safety problem at your child’s care facility, file a complaint now.

State Training Requirements for Providers

The health and safety of you and your children are vitally important. Child care professionals undergo orientation and extensive training required by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) to ensure your child can grow in the best environment. 

Training includes:

• Basic child development 
• Recognizing, reporting, and preventing child abuse or neglect
• Prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions
• Handling of hazardous materials
• Administration of medication to children
• Building and physical premises safety
• Safe sleep practice and reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) 
• Prevention and control of infectious diseases
• Transportation of children
• Emergency preparedness and response planning 
• Pediatric first aid and pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification. An in-person skill test is required, and a copy of the current certification card must be on file.

Kansas Child Care Safety Statistics

These tables have the total cases in a year of serious injury, death, and substantiated child abuse for licensed child care centers, licensed child care homes, and DCF enrolled providers. The tables covers a two-year period. 

Kansas Provider Background Checks

Parents need to be confident that individuals caring for their children do not have prior records of behavior that could endanger children. For the safety of Kansas children, all licensed providers and each individual residing, working, or regularly volunteering in a licensed child care facility must pass a variety of background checks, including in-state checks, applicable interstate, criminal, sex offender, and child abuse and neglect checks.

Background checks are conducted through KDHE. These checks lower the risk of neglect or abuse in child care settings, helping to protect children and giving confidence to parents about the care they receive.

What’s Covered

Common Prohibiting Offenses

Here are a few of the most common offenses a regulator may find on a background check that would make a child care staff member ineligible for employment:

Misdemeanors:

• Battery and/or assault (including domestic offenses)
• Furnishing alcoholic beverages to a minor
• Contributing to the delinquency of a minor
• Unlawfully hosting minors consuming alcohol
• Robbery

Felonies:

• Battery and/or assault (including domestic offenses)
• Drug convictions

Note: This is not an exhaustive list of prohibiting offenses.

Family Resources

These resources can provide you with the information necessary to keep your family safe while at home, outdoors, and on the go.