Wyoming State Requirements

Qualifications: Group day care providers: Must be at least 19 years old and have a high school diploma or GED certificate or 6 months documented prior work experience in day care or 5 clock hours of day care training or a professional credential from a nationally-recognized organization.

Provider/Child Ratio:

Age Range Ratios for Daycare Centers in Wyoming State
Birth to 12 months (1:4; 2:8; 3:10) 10 Max
12 - 24 months (1:5; 2:10; 3:12) 12 Max
24 - 36 months (1:8; 2:16; 3:18) 18 Max
3 year olds (1:10; 2:20; 3:24) 24 Max
4 and 5 year olds (1:12; 2:24; 3:30) 30 Max
6 years and older (1:18; 2:32; 3:40) 40 Max
Age Range Ratios for Family Daycare Centers in Wyoming State
Birth to 12 months (1:4; 2:8; 3:10) 10 Max
12 - 24 months (1:5; 2:10; 3:12) 12 Max
24 - 36 months (1:8; 2:15; 3:15) 15 Max
3 year olds (1:10; 2:15) 15 Max
4 and 5 year olds (1:10; 2:15) 15 Max
6 years and older (1:15) 15 Max
Age Range Ratios for Family Daycare Homes in Wyoming State
Birth to 12 months (1:4; 2:8) 8 Max
12 - 24 months (1:5; 2:10) 10 Max
24 - 36 months (1:8; 2:10) 10 Max
3 year olds (1:10) 10 Max
4 and 5 year olds (1:10) 10 Max
6 years and older (1:10) 10 Max

License Requirement:
There are three types of programs licensed by the state.
Family Child Care Home - This is a smaller program offered in the provider's residence where there are 10 or fewer children in care.
Family Child Care Center - This type of program provides care for 15 or fewer children and may be located in either the provider's home or a commercial type building. Whenever there are more than 10 children present, there must be 2 caregivers.
Child Care Center - This is a larger program where care is provided for more than 15 children in a commercial type facility. The number of children that can be care for is based on the size of the facility.

Licensing Programming Exemptions:
Yes. Listed below are those instances where a program does not have to be licensed by the state:

A legal parent or legal relative's care of a child
Occasional care of a neighbor's or friend's child if the person providing the care does not regularly engage in this activity
Parents exchanging care on a cooperative basis
Child care provided by a person that you have employed to come into your home to provide care
Child care by a person who is caring for less than 3 children
Any child care facility which is supervised by the state, local government or school district
Child care provided for the care only of the children in one immediate family unit

Child Care Regulations:
All licensed child care programs are required to meet the requirements in the Child Care Licensing Rules. These rules are designed to assure the safety of your child while he/she is in care. The physical premises must meet health and safety requirements and the appropriate staff:child ratios must be met. In addition, the provider and all staff are required to meet continuing education requirements. There are other requirements in addition to those listed above. If you are interested in viewing more details about licensing requirements, the complete text of the Child Care Licensing Rules is available.

Important Contact Information:
Child Care Licensing Agency
Wyoming Department of Family Services
Division of Early Childhood
2300 Capitol Avenue
Hathaway Building, 3rd Floor
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0490
Phone: (307) 777-5491
Fax: (307) 777-3659

Child Care Subsidy Agency
Wyoming Department of Family Services
Hathaway Building, Room 344
2300 Capitol Avenue
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0490
Phone: (307) 777-5491
Fax: (307) 777-3659

Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners
125 South Webster Street
P.O. Box 7841
Department 4298
Madison, WI 53707-7841
Phone: (608) 267-9625
TOLL FREE (800) 441-4563

Child Care Food Program Administrator
Wyoming Department of Education
Hathaway Building, 2nd Floor
2300 Capitol Ave.
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0050
Phone: (307) 777-7690
Fax: (307) 777-6234

Child Care Resource & Referral Contact
Children and Nutrition Services, Inc.
800 Werner Ct. Suite 210
Casper, WY 82601
Phone: (307) 266-1236
Toll Free: (800) 578-4017
Fax: (307) 266-4410

Office of Child Support Enforcement
Department of Family Services
Child Support Enforcement
122 W. 25th Herschler Building, 1301 1st Floor East
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002
Phone: (307) 777-6948
Fax: (307) 777-5588