Regulatory Oversight Unit
The Regulatory Oversight Unit ensures that licensed child care centers and homes and registered homes provide a quality, safe, and healthy environment for children. In collaboration with other ECECD offices, the Child Care Services Bureau plans and coordinates quality child care services (including training, technical assistance, health and safety, and monitoring) and works to build child care capacity statewide.
Basic Licensing
The Child Care Regulatory Program monitors child care centers and licensed homes to ensure that they are meeting the quality, health, and safety standards detailed within the child care licensing requirements. Licensing program staff also provide training and technical assistance to child care providers in an effort to help them understand how to meet and maintain compliance with the licensing requirements.
Despite the best childproofing and safety efforts, childhood accidents sometimes happen. Child care providers are required to notify parents or guardians in writing of any incident, including notifiable illnesses that have threatened the health or safety of children in their care. They also must report to the Licensing Authority any fatality or serious injury that require medical attention.
An aggregate data report about reported serious injuries, substantiated child abuse and deaths in child care is available for your view (PDF uploaded November 29, 2023). The aggregated report is updated annually.
Registered Homes
Registered home child care providers care for no more than four non-resident children in their own home and must participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) (more information on CACFP is included under the Family Nutrition Bureau section). CCSB reimburses these providers for caring for children receiving child care assistance. Child Care Specialists monitor and provide training and technical assistance to registered home providers.
Quick Links
Employers Resources
Employer’s Guide to Supporting Employee Child Care
Updated Jan. 2023
As a business owner, you are faced with unique challenges when looking to recruit, hire, and retain employees. One of many significant challenges comes from parents needing assurance that they have a safe environment for their children while at work. The Employer’s Guide to Supporting Employee Child Care outlines options, steps to implementation, and how ECECD – Child Care Services Bureau can support you.
Child Care Provider Tools
Updated Nov. 2023 │ English and Español
ECECD funds several tools to provide FREE administrative support services to childcare providers!
Comprehensive Background Check Process
All child care providers in licensed child care centers, licensed child care homes and registered child care homes must have a background check completed every five years.
Become a Child Care Provider
Download the centers, licensed home or Registered Home Childcare Provider packet from the Child Care Regulatory Oversight Unit Materials Library below.
Document Library
FOCUS Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System
Early Childhood Services encourages child care programs to meet higher levels of quality through the FOCUS Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System. This system contains five levels – the higher the Star level, the higher the level of quality. The level of quality is indicated on each program’s license with one, two, three, four, or five stars; one star indicates that the program meets basic licensing requirements and five stars indicate that the program has received national accreditation. Licensing surveyors work closely with Early Childhood Training and Technical Assistance Programs who rate the quality of licensed child care programs.
For more information on FOCUS click here.
Contact Information
For information on Child Care Licensing, contact your regional Child Care Licensing office, or call Early Childhood Services at 1-800-832-1321 or by email at ececd-ecs-customersevice@ececd.nmm.gov
How to report concerns about care in a child care facility and suspected child abuse:
If you have a concern regarding the care that is being provided within a child care facility or home, please report your concerns to the ECECD Intake Hotline at 1-888-351-0037 or email us at: