Existing Child Care Providers
Otter Tail County completes the family child care licensing process under delegation from the MN Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) State Rules and Statutes governing family child care and group family child care providers. Otter Tail County makes recommendations to the MN Department of Children, Youth, and Families regarding renewal of licenses and any necessary licensing actions.
Grants, Loans and Scholarships
Child Care Aware Grants
Whether you are looking to increase your level of education or improve the quality of your program, Child Care Aware has grants and scholarships available to help.
First Children’s Finance Grants and Loans
Access to Technology Grants are available to help licensed child care businesses access technology for business management and technology training. First Children’s Finance can also finance small business loans to child care entrepreneurs.
Training Resources and Videos
Training Requirements
Training requirements are critical in promoting a minimum level of health, safety, and supervision in family child care. There are two types of training requirements – initial training requirements and ongoing training requirements.
SUID Videos
The MN Department of Children, Youth, and Families has approved the following series of videos to meet the Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) component when individuals are not receiving face-to-face, classroom, or online SUID training. All videos must be viewed to meet the SUID training requirement.
- Safe Sleep (produced by Hennepin County)
- Safe Sleep Practices (produced by Eastern Virginia Medical School)
- Sleep on It – Preventing Unsafe Sleep Practices (produced by Dakota County)
Print and sign this training verification form DHS-3803 (PDF) for documentation that you have watched each of the videos to fulfill your training requirement.
Abusive Head Trauma Videos
The MN Department of Children, Youth, and Families has approved the following series of videos to meet the Abusive head trauma (AHT) component when license holders are not receiving face-to-face, classroom, or online AHT training. All videos must be viewed to meet the AHT training requirement.
- Never Shake – Preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome (produced by the Missouri Children’s Trust Fund)
- Shaken Baby Syndrome (produced by TheDoctorsTV)
- Forever Shaken (produced by the Brain Injury Association of Nebraska)
Print and sign this training verification form DHS-3803 (PDF) for documentation that you have watched each of the videos to fulfill your training requirement.
Program Assistance and Support
Local Coaching and Mentorship
Otter Tail County was awarded funding from West Central Initiative to contract with two Child Care Project Managers. Both Project Managers can help navigate resources, funding, and connections to advance projects supporting existing and new child care providers.
Employers, city partners, and individuals interested in learning how the Project Managers can support your child care projects and ideas can contact:
Tammy Anderson
Focus areas: Child care centers, identifying child care opportunity sites, employer engagement in child care solutions
Katie Ganoe
Focus areas: Family child care, technical assistance and resource connections for existing providers, and provider recruitment
Get Connected to Other Providers
Family providers, center staff, early childhood educators, and non-licensed caregivers can connect with each other through and organized association or network.
Early Childhood Network
The Early Childhood Network meets in Fergus Falls and is a group for local Early Care & Education professionals (home, center and classroom-based) around Otter Tail County to access training, updated policies, and networking opportunities.
East Otter Tail Professional Child Care Association
The East Otter Tail Professional Child Care Association is a group of family child care providers that have formed an association to better fit the needs of the providers and families in the community. They bring local trainings, free activities for children in the community, donations to many organizations, and networking opportunities to providers in Eastern Otter Tail County.
Get Connected to Partners
There are several partner agencies that specialize in offering coaching and support for child care providers.
Child Care Wayfinder
Child Care Wayfinder is a one-stop navigation network for starting and growing child care programs in Minnesota. They offer personalized support and resources to help you succeed and get connected to the right resources.
First Children’s Finance
In addition to their loan and grant programs, First Children’s Finance provides training and business development opportunities for providers including business cohorts, financial analysis, and consulting.
MN Department of Children, Youth, and Families
DCYF has a collection of resources for providers at every stage in their business.
Office of the Ombuds for Family Child Care Providers
The Office for the Ombuds for Family Child Care Providers:
- Registers complaints
- Educates and consults
- Refers and supports
- Investigates and resolves
- Recommends change
Visit the Office of the Ombuds website for more information about the role of the office; contact information for the ombudsperson is listed on the website.
Lending Library for Supplies and Materials
M State’s Early Childhood Program on the Fergus Falls campus has a library of books, toys, and kits for early childhood professionals to check out.
- Browse what is available in the lending library. Complete the request form and you will be contacted about item availability.
- Arrange delivery of items or visit the lending library at M State’s Fergus Falls campus to check out items.
- Early Childhood Program Office – 1414 College Way, Fergus Falls | Room L-152
- Return items to the library and repeat!
Shared Services for Telehealth & Substitute Program
Lakes and Prairies Community Action Partnership (CAPLP) administers the Shared Services Alliance to support family child care providers in sustaining quality care and preventing professional burnout by providing a substitute program and telehealth services.
Forms and Updates for Providers
Child Care Locator App
The Child Care Locator App is an interactive map of family child care providers in Otter Tail County. Family child care providers are included on the app to help parents and families find child care. The app does not include licensed child care centers, school-based preschools, or community-based preschools.
Please contact The Otter Tail County Human Services Department if you have questions about the app.
Data Privacy and Social Media
View social media guidelines for child care providers as required by state rule.
Forms and Documents
- Admissions and Arrangements
- Allergy Information Form
- Attendance Record – Daily
- Attendance Record – Weekly
- Capacity Variance Request: Family Child Care
- Child Care Emergency Plan
- Child Maltreatment Report Form
- Cradleboard Request and Monthly Cradleboard Check Form
- Cradleboard Variance Request Form
- Diseases Reportable to MN Department of Health
- Enrollment Form
- Family Child Care Age Group Definitions
- Family Child Care Rule Summary
- Family Systems Licensing Application
- Fire and Storm Drill Log
- Floor and Escape Plan
- Furnace Inspection
- Helmet Approval for Sleeping Infant
- Household Membership Change
- Immunization Form
- Infant Rolling Consent Form
- Liability Notice to Parents and Guardians
- Licensing Requirement Dispute Form
- Mandated Reporter Policy
- MN Workers’ Compensation Law Form
- Monthly Crib Inspection
- Parent Consent for Swaddling
- Permission to Administer Medication
- Physician Sleep Directive
- Physicians Report
- Safe Sleep for Your Baby
- Serious Injury Reporting Form
- Substitute Tracking Hours
- Training Log
- Travel and Activity Authorization
- Variance Policy: Family Child Care (03-2024)
- Well Water Testing
Accepting Child Care Assistance
The Child Care Assistance Program provides financial assistance to help families with low incomes pay for child care so that parents may pursue employment or education leading to employment, and that children are well cared for and prepared to enter school. Providers can receive reimbursements when they are registered for the program.