License Exempt (LE) Providers
In the state of New Hampshire, an individual can provide care in their home for up to three (3) children, other than their own and be a License-Exempt Provider. As a License-Exempt Provider, you also have the opportunity to be an enrolled provider with the Bureau of Child Development and Head Start Collaboration and accept families receiving NH Child Care Scholarship. The NH Child Care Scholarship is a program that eligible families can apply for to obtain financial assistance and support in helping cover the cost of child care.
What is a LE Family, Friend or Neighbor Provider?
- A provider caring for children in a private home in which any number of the provider’s own children, whether related biologically or through adoption and up to 3 additional children are cared for regularly for any part of the day, but less than 24 hours.
- LE Providers are enrolled to accept NH Child Care Scholarship.
- LE Providers are over the age of 18 and have a high school diploma or GED.
- All household members age 18 and older must successfully complete a Criminal Record Check. Household members age 12 to 17 must successfully pass the DEHS Central Registry, State and national Sex Offender Registry Checks, conducted by DEHS prior to enrollment.
- LE Providers are certified in pediatric CPR and First Aid.
- LE Providers must take 10 health and safety courses upon enrollment to the program.
- LE Providers must complete four hours of annual ongoing training per year. Two must be in the health and safety topics, and two must be in other DHHS specified topics.
- LE Providers will partake in an annual announced monitoring visit by the NH Child Care Licensing Unit.
What is a LE Facility Provider?
- A LE Facility Provider is a Program consisting of the following criteria:
- Programs run by an approved private or public elementary schools and are regulated by the NH Department of Education
- Programs run and regulated by other government programs (Army, etc.)
- Camps, summer or recreational program for school age children
- LE Facility Providers are made up of staff that are 18 years of age or older that have successfully completed a Criminal Record Check prior to enrollment.
- Staff under 18 years of age must successfully pass the DEHS Central Registry and state and national Sex Offender Registry Checks. These individuals must be supervised by staff who have received a qualifying result of a background check within the past 5 years.
- Staff must be certified in Pediatric CPR and First Aid prior to enrollment.
- Staff must complete training in 10 required health and safety topics prior to enrollment.
- Staff must complete four hours of annual ongoing training per year. Two must be in the health and safety topics, and two must be in other DHHS specified topics.
- LE Facility Providers will partake in an annual announced monitoring visit by the NH Child Care Licensing Unit.
NH Child Care Scholarship for LE Providers
As a DHHS enrolled child care provider, you can receive payment for serving eligible children and families. DHHS must ensure that DHHS enrolled child care providers receiving NH Child Care Scholarship funds meet certain federal requirements.
LE Providers must complete Steps 1-3 before submitting the Enrollment Packet. You also need to meet the requirements for Step 4 and for maintaining enrollment in the program after you are enrolled. If you would like to obtain an Enrollment Packet, please contact (603) 271-4242 or 1 (800) 852-3345 ext. 4242.
If you have questions on applying, please call the Enrollment Specialist at (603) 271-4228.
Enrolling in the NH Child Care Scholarship Program
Step 1:
Complete Required Forms
It is critical that you complete all paperwork correctly and answer all questions.
Enrollment packets will be returned if a mandatory form is missing and/or if a form is not fully completed, correctly signed, or notarized.
Step 2:
Create an Account in the NHCIS Professional Registry
You can create an account in the NHCIS Professional Registry. All License-Exempt school age facility employees must create an account as well.
- NHCIS Professional Registry Information
- NHCIS Professional Registry FAQ Document
- NHCIS Professional Registry How to Video
For further assistance, contact Child Care Aware of NH at-1-855-393-1731 or ACROSS NH at 1-603-206-6800 if you are a school age facility.
Step 3:
Complete Health and Safety Trainings
To support LE providers in meeting health and safety requirements, a FREE web-based NH Health & Safety Training program is available on ProSolutions at: www.prosolutionstraining.com/nh.
These trainings do not include Pediatric First Aid & Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
Step 4:
Receive a Monitoring Visit from the NH Child Care Licensing Unit
DHHS is required by federal law (He-C 6916 & He-C 6917) to ensure License-Exempt providers enrolled in the NH Child Care Scholarship Program are caring for children in a healthy and safe environment.
All LE providers are required to receive an annual monitoring visit from the NH Child Care Licensing Unit (CCLU). A CCLU Coordinator will contact the LE provider to set up the monitoring visit once all requirements have been completed and sent to DHHS.
- During the first visit, the LE provider will work together with the CCLU Coordinator to review the Monitoring Visit Checklist to be sure all items are addressed.
- The CCLU Coordinator will clearly explain what must be corrected and what needs to be in place by the next visit, as applicable.
Additional Resources
The following resources are available to assist you in receiving a monitoring visit from Child Care Licensing Unit.