Here is an update on where we are in the Vermont Child Care Licensing Regulations revision process. Because the Licensing Regulations are in statute (law), changes to them require that the Child Development Division (CDD) propose new administrative rules for legislative approval.
Here’s what’s already happened:
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Last year, sixty afterschool, center-based, and family child care providers participated in work groups and provided valuable recommendations for changes to Vermont's Child Care Licensing Regulations.
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CDD staff applied that feedback and identified potential changes to the current administrative rules.
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Next, the Department for Children and Families’ legal team conducted a thorough review of the proposed changes for clarity and alignment with current state and federal laws.
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Now, the National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance is reviewing the proposed changes to ensure compliance with all federally required health and safety standards.
What’s next:
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The CDD Licensing Team is beginning the process of incorporating all feedback into the new set of regulations.
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The CDD Licensing Team is also preparing the rules for presentation to Vermont’s Interagency Committee on Administrative Rules (ICAR), which will begin the promulgation (rulemaking) process.
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Upon approval from ICAR, the rules will go out for public comment. We will promote this opportunity widely to the early childhood education and afterschool field. CDD will then publish a response to each comment.
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The last step in the promulgation process is approval from the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules (LCAR).
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The CDD Licensing team will prepare guidance manuals to accompany each set of regulations.
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Current regulations continue to be posted on https://dcf.vermont.gov/cdd/laws-rules/licensing.
When will the new regulations go into effect?
While I do not have a final timeline, we anticipate the new regulation will be in effect in 2024. I look forward to providing updates throughout the next steps. We will also include information on the CDD website and we will be in touch again when that page is ready.
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions: elizabeth.maurer@vermont.gov.
Thank you for all you do.
Beth Maurer
Director of Child Care Licensing