Qualifications: Teacher: Must have a current Rhode Island certificate in early childhood education or a bachelor's or master's degree in early childhood education from an accredited or approved school and a minimum of three months supervised teaching experience in a licensed or approved early childhood program (which may be a student teaching experience) or a bachelor's degree from an accredited or approved school and required course work and experience defined in Rhode Island Early Childhood Certification standards.
Provider/Child Ratio:
Age Range Ratios for Center Based Care in Rhode Island State
Infants (1:4)
Toddlers (1:6)
3 years (1:9)
4 years (1:10)
5 years (1:12)
Schoolage (1:13)
Mixed age group depends on number/age of youngest child in group
Age Range Ratios for Family Child Care in Rhode Island State
If care is provided to child under 18 months of age, care for no more than 4 children under 6 years, no more than 2 of which can be under the age of 18 months; providers may have up to 8 children if there is an approved assistant; no more than 4 may be under 18 months old.
Important Contact Information:
Child Care Licensing Agency
Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families
Day Care Licensing Unit
101 Friendship Street
Providence, RI 02903-3716
Phone: (401) 528-3623
Fax: (401) 528-3650
Child Care Subsidy Agency
Rhode Island Department of Human Services
Office of Child Care
Louis Pasteur Building #57
600 New London Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920
Phone: (401) 452-6875
Fax: (401) 462-6878
Head Start - State Collaboration Office
Department of Human Services
Louis Pasteur Building
600 New London Avenue
Cranston, RI, 02920
Phone: (401) 462-3071
Fax: (401) 462-6878
Child Care Food Program Agency
Comprehensive School Health & Nutrition
Rhode Island Department of Education
Office of School Improvement and Support Services
255 Westminster Street, Shephard Bldg.
Providence, Rhode Island 02903-3400
Phone: (401) 222-4600 ext. 2364
Fax: (401) 222-4979
State Child Care Resource & Referral Contact
Options for Working Parents
1441 Park Avenue, Suite B
Cranston, RI 02920
Phone: (401) 946-2300
Toll Free: (800) 244-8700
Fax: (401) 946-2301
Office of Child Support Enforcement
Office of Child Support Services
Department of Human Services
77 Dorrance Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02903
Phone: (401) 222-4368
Fax: (401) 222-2887