The future of accessible, affordable child care in Minnesota is in your hands.

Article 7 of SF 4612 (“Family Child Care Licensing Modernization”) would place significant new regulatory burdens on licensed family child care providers at a time when Minnesota is already facing a severe child care shortage.

Over the past 15 years, Minnesota has lost more than half of its licensed family child care providers, declining from approximately 12,000 providers to 5,400 today.

Even small regulatory increases have contributed to the loss of thousands of providers across Minnesota, and this language would accelerate that trend. Policymakers should be focused on stabilizing and retaining providers, not advancing changes that will push more programs to close.

When providers close, families lose access to care.

Every closure means fewer options for families, higher costs, longer waitlists, and reduced flexibility. Rural communities are especially vulnerable, where family child care is often the primary—and sometimes only—form of care available.

Family child care is not an institution. It is not a system. It is someone’s home.

It is where children are loved, nurtured, and taught in home-like settings. 

WHAT IS AT STAKE?

While this is presented as “modernization,” the language:

• Expands regulation far beyond health and safety
• Adds vague, subjective standards that invite inconsistent enforcement
• Increases paperwork, costs, and liability
•  Imposes requirements that aren’t feasible in family child care

These are not minor changes. They are the kinds of requirements that many providers say make it increasingly difficult to remain in the profession.

Providers want safe, high-quality care for children. They also want policies that are realistic, sustainable, and developed in partnership with those doing the work every day. This language fails to accomplish those goals.

The Minnesota Association of Child Care Professionals (MACCP) has spent significant time reviewing the language, identifying concerns, and offering recommendations intended to protect children while preserving access to care.

WHAT ARE WE ASKING LEGISLATORS TO DO?

We respectfully ask conference committee members to:

• Remove Article 7 from SF 4612
• Allow for collaboration between legislators, DCYF, and licensed family child care providers before next session
• Work toward licensing changes that improve safety and quality without driving providers out of the profession

Minnesota cannot afford to lose more family child care providers.

If you believe families deserve accessible, sustainable, home-based child care options, please sign this petition and ask legislators to remove Article 7 from SF 4612.

Together, we can ensure that all voices are heard and that any legislative changes truly reflect the needs of Minnesota's children, families, licensed family child care providers, and economy.