The department certifies, advises, and supports child care providers and issues child care licenses. It also helps find child care spots, advises parents, and administers financial assistance for child care.

Child day care is a care service for children up to age 3. It is primarily provided by self-employed child day care providers and takes place in small groups of up to 5 children. Child day care can take place in the child day care provider’s home, in rented spaces, or in the parents’ home.