Washington

Staff-child ratios (centers)

Requirements

Annual training

Early learning providers must complete 10 hours of annual in-service training after 12 months of cumulative employment (WAC 110-300-0107). First aid/CPR certification and required health and safety trainings must be completed within three months of hire (WAC 110-300-0106).

Lead teacher

A center lead teacher must have a high school diploma or equivalent, complete preservice requirements, and hold an ECE initial certificate or equivalent by August 1, 2030, or within five years of being hired or promoted into the position, whichever is later (WAC 110-300-0100).

Director

A center director must hold an ECE state certificate or equivalent as approved and verified in the state workforce registry, plus two years of experience teaching children in an early learning program and at least six months of administration or management experience (WAC 110-300-0100).

Worth knowing

WAC 110-300-0356 also allows alternate configurations: infants 1:3 with max group 9; toddlers 1:5 with max group 15. Mixed-age groups follow the youngest child's requirements.

Compliance

Background checks

All 'subject individuals' must obtain DCYF background clearance before unsupervised access to children: a background application to DCYF's background check unit, fingerprinting, and interstate checks for every state lived in during the preceding five years, with disclosure of convictions, pending charges, and negative actions (WAC 110-06-0040). The application process must be repeated at least once every three years, and disqualified individuals may not be present during care.

Mandated reporting

Licensed or certified child care providers and their employees are mandatory reporters under RCW 26.44.030 and must report suspected abuse or neglect to law enforcement or DCYF at the first opportunity, and in no case longer than 48 hours after reasonable cause arises; mandated reporter training is a required part of provider training (WAC 110-300-0106).

First aid & CPR

Family home licensees, center directors, assistant directors, program supervisors, and lead teachers must hold current adult and pediatric first aid and CPR (including infant CPR when applicable), and at least one ratio-counted provider for each group of children must have current certification; training must include a live, hands-on component (WAC 110-300-0106).

Health & safety training

Within three months of hire and before working unsupervised with children, providers must complete the state Child Care Basics preservice training plus recognizing/reporting child abuse training, emergency preparedness, and (for infant care) safe sleep — renewed annually — and shaken baby/abusive head trauma prevention, along with bloodborne pathogen training and a food worker card where applicable (WAC 110-300-0106).

Operations

Supervision rule

Providers must give 'active supervision': continuously scanning for verbal and nonverbal cues, positioning themselves to see all areas accessible to children, maintaining visual or auditory contact at all times, and remaining able to promptly assist or redirect — with heightened attention during water and sand play, animal contact, kitchen activities, transportation, and field trips (WAC 110-300-0345). Infants may never be left unattended during diaper changes, bottle feeding, or tummy time, and electronic monitors cannot replace direct supervision.

Record-keeping

Providers must keep current individualized enrollment and health records for every child — immunization status, health history, medical/dental providers, emergency contacts, parental authorizations (field trips, transportation, water activities, photo/video), medication logs, and incident/injury reports — kept confidential yet accessible to staff (WAC 110-300-0460). Daily attendance must capture arrival/departure times with parent signatures and be retained at least five years; most other program records are kept at least three years, with the past 12 months on-site (WAC 110-300-0455, -0465).

Inspections

DCYF must monitor every licensed early learning and school-age program at least once each fiscal year, and all monitoring visits are conducted unannounced and on-site, using a checklist focused on the highest-risk WACs and federal requirements; visits may occur during evening, overnight, or weekend hours and more frequently as needed (DCYF policy POL 10.1.8).

Worth knowing: Washington's background check chapter is WAC 110-06 (three-year renewal — shorter than the five-year cycle common elsewhere); WAC 110-300 applies to both centers and family homes with role-specific differences, and school-age programs follow WAC 110-301.

Family & home child care

WAC Chapter 110-300 — Foundational Quality Standards for Early Learning Programs (family home child care and centers)

Family Home Child Care (licensed family home early learning program)

One license type: DCYF licenses family homes for up to 12 children from birth to age 13 (a license may authorize fewer based on space, experience, and staffing). All children on the premises count toward capacity, including the provider's own children, staff children, and children being transported or on field trips. Working alone: with less than 1 year of licensed experience, max 6 children (birth-12); with more experience, up to 8-10 children depending on ages (or 12 school-age only); serving up to 12 across the full age range requires a qualified assistant (WAC 110-300-0355).Working alone with limited experience: no more than 3 children under age 2. A second staff person is required when more than 6 children are present and any is under 2 (or more than 8 with any under 3); with a qualified assistant, up to 12 children with a maximum of 6 under age 2 (WAC 110-300-0355).

Provider training

Every early learning provider, including family home licensees, must complete 10 hours of annual in-service training after 12 months of cumulative employment; family home licensees also complete ongoing child development and leadership training cycles every 36 months (WAC 110-300-0107).

Worth knowing

Washington has a single family home license (no separate small/large home categories); capacity within the 12-child maximum scales with the provider's experience, education, and staffing. DCYF also operates a family home capacity waiver process for exceeding 12 (reported by DCYF materials but not verified in detail here).