Child Care Providers

Young children need safe and supportive places to play, learn, and grow. Early learning child care provides these spaces, helping children build relationships, develop new skills, and prepare for school and life. To keep child care programs safe and high quality, DCYF licenses or certifies them to meet important health and safety standards, ensuring children get the care they need to thrive.

Meeting Staff Qualifications

As a child care provider, you need to meet the staff qualification requirements for your job role. These requirements are outlined in WAC 110-300, which sets the Foundational Quality Standards for Early Learning Programs.

Refer to the dropdown sections below to learn about role-specific qualifications. You can also review the General Staff Qualifications chart for a quick summary of staff qualifications for child care providers.

Child Care Centers

Center Director, Assistant Director, Program Supervisor

  • Background Check
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Test
  • Licensing Orientation (if applicable)
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Hiring Education Requirement (Only one person in one of these roles must meet the requirement upon hire.)
    • 10 ECE credits (12 or less children)
    • 25 ECE credits (13-24 children)
    • 45 ECE credits (25+ children)
  • Child Care Basics
  • Basic/Standard First Aid
  • CPR
  • Blood Borne Pathogens
  • Food Handler Permit (if applicable)
  • Safe Sleep (if applicable)
  • Electronic Attendance Training (if applicable)
  • Subsidy Billing (if applicable)
  • 10-Hour Annual In-Service Training
  • Enhancing Quality of Early Learning (EQEL year 1 and 2)
  • Leadership Practices
  • Full Education: WA ECE State Certificate (47 credits) or equivalent
  • Timeline from Date of Hire or Promotion: 5 years.

Center Lead Teacher

  • Background Check
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Test
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Hiring Education Requirement:
    • High School Diploma or equivalent
  • Child Care Basics
  • Basic/Standard First Aid
  • CPR
  • Blood Borne Pathogens
  • Food Handler Permit (if applicable)
  • Safe Sleep (if applicable)
  • 10-Hour Annual In-Service Training
  • Enhancing Quality of Early Learning (EQEL year 1 and 2)
  • Full Education:
    • WA ECE Initial Certificate (12 credits)
    • WA Short Certificate (20 credits)
    • Or equivalent
  • Timeline from Date of Hire or Promotion
    • Initial Certificate - 5 years.
    • Short Certificate - 2 years from completing Initial Certificate.

Center Assistant Teacher

  • Background Check
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Test
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Hiring Education Requirement:
    • High School Diploma or equivalent
  • Child Care Basics
  • Basic/Standard First Aid
  • CPR
  • Blood Borne Pathogens
  • Food Handler Permit (if applicable)
  • Safe Sleep (if applicable)
  • 10-Hour Annual In-Service Training
  • Enhancing Quality of Early Learning (EQEL year 1 and 2)
  • Full Education:
    • WA State ECE Initial Certificate (12 credits) or equivalent
  • Timeline from Date of Hire or Promotion: 5 years.

Center Aide

  • Background Check
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Test
  • Minimum Age: 14
  • Hiring Education Requirement:
    • High School Diploma
    • Enrolled
    • Or equivalent
  • Child Care Basics
  • Basic/Standard First Aid
  • CPR
  • Blood Borne Pathogens
  • Food Handler Permit (if applicable)
  • Safe Sleep (if applicable)
  • 10-Hour Annual In-Service Training
  • Not required

Center Volunteer (Ongoing)

For information about ongoing vs occasional volunteer, see the Volunteering in an Early Learning Facility guide.

  • Background Check
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Test
  • Minimum Age: 14
  • Hiring Education Requirement:
    • Not required
  • Blood Borne Pathogens
  • Food Handler Permit (if applicable)
  • Safe Sleep (if applicable)
  • Federal Health and Safety Trainings
    • Abusive Head Trauma
    • Disaster and Emergency Preparedness
    • Families Experiencing Homelessness
    • Mandated Reporter-Recognizing and Report Child Abuse
  • Not required
  • Not required

Center Other Staff

“Other staff” includes roles that do not provide direct care to children or count in ratio.

  • Background Check (if applicable)
  • Food Handler Permit (if applicable)
  • Not required

Family Homes

Family Home Licensee

  • Background Check
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Test
  • Licensing Orientation
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Hiring Education Requirement:
    • High School Diploma or equivalent
  • Child Care Basics
  • Basic/Standard First Aid
  • CPR
  • Blood Borne Pathogens
  • Food Handler Permit (if applicable)
  • Safe Sleep (if applicable)
  • Subsidy Billing Training (if applicable)
  • Electronics Attendance Training (if applicable)
  • 10-Hour Annual In-Service Training
  • Enhancing Quality of Early Learning (EQEL year 1 and 2)
  • Leadership Practices
  • Full Education:
    • WA State ECE Initial Certificate (12 credits)
    • WA ECE Short Certificate (20 credits)
    • Or equivalent
  • Timeline from Date of Hire or Promotion:
    • Initial Certificate – 5 years.
    • Short Certificate – 2 years from completing Initial Certificate.

Family Home Lead Teacher

  • Background Check
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Test
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Hiring Education Requirement:
    • High School Diploma or equivalent
  • Child Care Basics
  • Basic/Standard First Aid
  • CPR
  • Blood Borne Pathogens
  • Food Handler Permit (if applicable)
  • Safe Sleep (if applicable)
  • 10-Hour Annual In-Service Training
  • Enhancing Quality of Early Learning (EQEL year 1 and 2)
  • Full Education:
    • WA State ECE Initial Certificate (12 credits) or equivalent
  • Timeline from Date of Hire or Promotion - 5 years.

Family Home Assistant Teacher

  • Background Check
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Test
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Hiring Education Requirement:
    • High School Diploma or equivalent
  • Child Care Basics
  • Basic/Standard First Aid
  • CPR
  • Blood Borne Pathogens
  • Food Handler Permit (if applicable)
  • Safe Sleep (if applicable)
  • 10-Hour Annual In-Service Training
  • Enhancing Quality of Early Learning (EQEL year 1 and 2)
  • Full Education: WA State Initial Certificate (12 credits) or equivalent
  • Timeline from Date of Hire or Promotion: 5 years.

Family Home Aide

  • Background Check
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Test
  • Minimum Age: 14
  • Hiring Education Requirement:
    • High School Diploma
    • Enrolled
    • Or equivalent
  • Child Care Basics
  • Basic/Standard First Aid
  • CPR
  • Blood Borne Pathogens
  • Food Handler Permit (if applicable)
  • Safe Sleep (if applicable)
  • Not required
  • Not required

Family Home Volunteer

  • Background Check
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Test
  • Minimum Age: 14
  • Hiring Education Requirement:
    • Not required
  • Blood Borne Pathogens
  • Food Handler Permit (if applicable)
  • Safe Sleep (if applicable)
  • Federal Health and Safety Trainings
    • Abusive Head Trauma
    • Disaster and Emergency Preparedness
    • Families Experiencing Homelessness
    • Mandated Reporter-Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse 
  • Not required
  • Not required

Family Home Other Staff or Household Members 14 and older

  • Background Check
  • Tuberculosis (TB) test (if applicable)
  • Food Handler Permit (if applicable)
  • Not required

Looking to become a licensed or certified child care & early learning provider? Visit the licensing webpages.