Colorado

Staff-child ratios (centers)

Requirements

Annual training

All staff working with children: at least 15 clock hours of ongoing professional development per year, including at least 3 hours in social-emotional development; a person certified in first aid and CPR for all ages must be with the children at all times; 1 hour of child development training within 90 days of hire.

Lead teacher

An early childhood teacher (ECT) must be at least 18 and qualify via one of several routes: a bachelor's/master's/doctorate in a listed field (e.g., ECE, child development); a degree in another field plus two 3-credit ECE courses; or an associate degree (60 credits) in ECE/child development including two specified courses, among other Department-recognized pathways.

Director

A large-center director needs a Department-issued director qualifications letter: either a bachelor's or higher in a listed early childhood field (no additional experience required), or completion of ten specified 3-credit courses (including ECE administration) plus verified experience; an associate-degree holder needs 455 hours (3 months) of verified experience.

Worth knowing

Full ratio/group table (rule 2.217): 6 weeks-18 months 1:5/10; 12-36 months 1:5/10; 24-36 months 1:7/14; 2½-3 years 1:8/16; 3-4 years 1:10/20; 4-5 years 1:12/24; 5+ years 1:15/30; mixed 2½-6 years 1:10/20. Rules current per the Feb 2025 filing of 8 CCR 1402-1.

Compliance

Background checks

Applicants, owners, and staff must complete CBI and FBI fingerprint-based criminal history checks through a CBI-approved vendor plus a Trails child abuse/neglect records check, with CBI providing ongoing arrest notification; pending results, individuals may work only under constant supervision by someone fully cleared, and household members turning 18 (in homes) must be fingerprinted.

Mandated reporting

Under §19-3-304, C.R.S., any caregiver or staff member in a child care facility who has reasonable cause to know or suspect abuse or neglect must immediately report to the county department of human/social services, local law enforcement, or the state child abuse hotline (§26-5-111, C.R.S.); facilities must give parents information at admission on how to report suspected abuse.

First aid & CPR

For every 30 or fewer children in attendance there must be at least one staff member on duty holding a current Department-approved First Aid and Safety certificate including CPR for all ages, present with children at all times and at each separate location; all other employees caring for children must complete the Department's Introduction to First Aid and CPR module within 30 days of employment, renewed every 2 years (rule 2.213 E–F).

Health & safety training

Before working with children, all center staff must complete pre-service Building and Physical Premises Safety training, Department-approved Standard Precautions training (renewed annually), and Child Abuse Prevention training (renewed annually); Safe Sleep training is required before working with infants under 12 months (annual renewal) and Shaken Baby/Abusive Head Trauma training before working with children under 3 (renewed every 2 years) (rule 2.213).

Operations

Supervision rule

Children must be actively supervised at all times; on field trips the ratio must be maintained, every group must be actively supervised by a qualified early childhood teacher, an accurate itinerary must remain at the center, and staff must carry each child's emergency information; nap-room lighting is dimmed but must still allow supervision, and cleared-staff supervision rules apply to anyone awaiting background results.

Record-keeping

Centers must keep records of enrollment, daily attendance for each child, and daily activity records; children's records (rule 2.530) include an immunization record on the CDPHE Certificate of Immunization (or approved alternate) and health history, staff records must document training and clearances, confidentiality must be maintained, records must be available to the Department on request, and critical incidents must be reported to CDEC within 24 hours.

Inspections

CDEC inspects facilities and investigates complaints under the Child Care Licensing Act; refusing to allow a Department investigation or inspection is grounds for adverse licensing action, serious violations are documented in a report of inspection with a citation-appeal process, and fire, health, and zoning inspections are part of licensing.

Worth knowing: Verified against the official 8 CCR 1402-1 compilation (current version effective Feb. 14, 2026) published by the Colorado Secretary of State; CDEC's own website blocks automated retrieval (403). A fixed routine-inspection frequency is not stated in the retrieved rule text. These rules replaced the former CDHS 12 CCR 2509-8 / §7.702 numbering.

Family & home child care

8 CCR 1402-1 — Child Care Licensing Rules, Rules Regulating Family Child Care Homes (§§ 2.306–2.310) and general training rule § 2.213

Family Child Care Home (regular license)

Up to 6 children from birth to 18 years, with no more than 2 children under 18 months, plus no more than 2 additional school-age children (kindergarten–grade 12). Residents of the home under 10 years of age who are on the premises count against capacity (the provider's own children under 10 count). A separate 'three-under-18-months' license allows 6 children with up to 3 under 18 months, no more than 2 of them under 12 months.Regular license: no more than 2 children under 18 months. Three-under-18-months license: up to 3 under 18 months (max 2 under 12 months). A dedicated Infant/Toddler Home license also exists: 1 provider — max 4 children with no more than 2 under 12 months; 2 providers — max 8 children from birth to 3 years with no more than 4 under 1 year.

Large Family Child Care Home

Up to 12 children from birth to 18 years; capacity includes the provider's own children under 10. Care may be provided to no more than 2 children under 18 months. When more than 8 children are present, a second staff member (qualified as an applicant 2, equally qualified provider, qualified substitute, staff member, or staff aide — aides must be at least 16 and directly supervised) is required.No more than 2 children under 18 months of age.

Provider training

Under the general training rule (8 CCR 1402-1-2.213), all staff who work with children must complete a minimum of 15 clock hours of ongoing professional development each year, at least 3 of them focused on social-emotional development (plus standing requirements such as CPR/first aid, safe sleep, and medication administration where applicable).

Worth knowing

Colorado has several home license types beyond the two shown: the Infant/Toddler Home (see infants field) and the Experienced Family Child Care Provider license, which allows up to 9 children (five age-mix options; e.g., 7 children birth–18 with max 2 under 18 months plus 2 school-age) for providers licensed at least 5 consecutive years. The 15-hour annual training rule sits in the general rules for child care facilities; CDEC applies it to licensed family child care homes, but confirm applicability details with CDEC.