There are several different types of care that are available in New Hampshire. No type of care is good or bad in itself. There is high quality and poor quality in every type of care.

A family’s choice for care is based on many different factors that may include the following:

• cost
• location
• an available space
• the person or teachers giving care
• environment
• curriculum or philosophy of education
• parent involvement
• the child’s own needs or temperament.

The following are licensed types of care in New Hampshire:

Family Child Care Home
An occupied residence in which the provider may care for up to 6 preschool children and often, 3 school age children. The provider must be over 18. The provider’s resident children up to age 10 are counted when they are present. No more than 4 children may be under 36 months, and no more than 2 of these children may be under 24 months of age.

Family Group Child Care Home
An occupied residence in which the provider works with an aide or co-worker. The provider must be at least 18, and the aide must be at least 16. Together they may care for up to 12 preschool children, and often 5 school-age children. No more than 4 children may be under 36 months of age.

Group Child Care Agency (also known as Center-based care)
A center-based agency may provide care for children from 6 weeks through school age, depending on their license. Services may be known as child care centers, day nurseries, nursery schools, child development centers, day cares, etc.

Preschool Program
An agency that provides care and a structured program for children 3 years and older for no more than 5 hours per day. Any child care center calling itself a nursery school, kindergarten, learning center, child development program, etc. must meet curriculum requirements for preschool programs.

Day Care Nursery
Any center-based agency that cares for 5 or more children ages 6 weeks to 36 months.

Night Care
Any agency that cares for children between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Children may be in care for no more than 12 hours in any given 24 hour period. Night care agencies must provide privacy and separation by gender for bathing, toileting and sleeping for all children.

School-Age Program
A center-based agency in which child care is provided for more than 5 children ages 4.8 years and older for up to 5 hours per day. Care may be provided before and after school and all day when school is closed.

The Bureau of Child Care Licensing does not regulate the following types of care.

• Care provided in the child’s own home. (i.e. babysitters, nannies, family members, etc.).
• Family Child Care for up to three children who are not the provider’s own children (also known as License-Exempt providers).
• Programs run by approved private or public elementary schools that are regulated by the NH Department of Education.
• Children’s programs run by other government programs which also do their own regulating (Army, etc.).
• Some camp and summer programs for school age children.
• Municipal recreation programs.

A note about License-Exempt providers:

A License-Exempt provider may care for up to three children (other than their own) in the provider’s own home. Providers accepting the state scholarship funds for child care have cleared a state criminal background check. Otherwise, there are no regulations on them providing care.

Each agency has contact with license-exempt providers. They have determined what criteria providers must meet to receive referrals through their agency. Please ask your CCR&R specialist about their policy for referring these providers to families.