Preparedness for Child Care Providers

• Ramsey County child care licensing information
• 2018 new licensing requirements checklist (PDF) 
• Guidance for licensed child care centers on 2017 legislative changes, pages 17-18 (PDF)
• Child care emergency plan
• Minnesota Administrative Rules - Child Care Center Licensing
  • Emergency Administrative Rules - Subp. 8

• Child care emergency plan template (PDF)
• Keeping Kids Safe: Child Care Provider Emergency Planning Guide (PDF)
• Child Care Emergency Preparedness FAQ (PDF)
• Emergency Preparedness Topics and Training Calendar (Child Care Aware MN)
• Emergency Action Plan for Child Care (PDF)
• Emergency Preparedness and Response - Early Childhood Disaster - Related Resource (US Office of Human Services)
• Child Care Emergency Preparedness Toolbox

• NOAA all hazards radios
• Wireless emergency alerts
• Ramsey County emergency alerts sign up
• Ramsey County siren system and warning info

Will you review my plan?

We are unable to review emergency plans for individual centers and providers. We can, however, answer questions and provide planning advice. Please feel free to email us and emhs@co.ramsey.mn.us or call 651-266-1020.

How should I coordinate with local response and government before, during and after a disaster?

The creation of emergency plans for your child care business is an important step to insure the safety of your children and staff. It will also impact your ability to recover your business and livelihood after a disaster.

• Be sure to conduct emergency drills to practice your plans.
• These drills will test your plans, allow for improvement and create familiarity and competence among your children and staff during an actual event.
• Practice will lead to greater efficiency and safety in your responses.
• Keep accurate addresses and child/staff numbers on file in the Social Services Department. This allows us to identify that we have a child care facility in the disaster area.
• Call 9-1-1 if there is an immediate danger to life in your child care center.
• Notify disaster assistance hotlines/help services if you have been unable to get your children safely evacuated or you have children trapped in some way. Do not assume we know that you are in need of assistance. Understand that help may not be immediately available and you will need to continue to protect your children and staff as necessary.
• After all children and staff are safe, begin evaluating the capability of your business to provide its services in the next days and weeks. Contact your insurance agency right away
• Determine the options for continuing or restarting services as soon as possible and communicate that with parents. 

Is childcare an important part of disaster recover?

Child care is a critical component of a communities disaster recovery. Parents can’t work on rebuilding a home and if they don’t have a safe and dependable place to care for their children. Make sure your plans include an understanding of your disaster related insurance and how you will return to operations as quickly and safely as possible after an event.