What legislation and regulations govern the childcare industry?

Most States do not regulate family child care providers who care for just a few children, typically between ages 2 and 5. Providers who care for more children are required to be licensed and, in a few States, have some minimal training. Once a provider joins the industry, most States require the worker to complete a number of hours of training per year. In nearly all States, licensing regulations require criminal record checks for all child day care staff.





As an example, here's information regarding California day care licensing:


http://www.ccld.ca.gov/PG411.htm