Pinellas County licenses and regulates over 400 children's centers. Children two months of age through school age children attend centers providing early care and education and school age activities. Children may be in attendance each day for up to 12 hours. Although overnight care is not permitted in Pinellas County children's centers, a Family Child Care Home can provide that service. Unique to Pinellas County, children's centers are regulated by category which includes:

• a day nursery or a day nursery that may be licensed as:
  • a drop in care center
  • an indoor recreational facility
  • a teenage parenting program
  • specialized children's centers for mildly ill children
• nursery school
• school age center
• religiously exempt from licensure
• non-public pre-kindergarten program

Requirements for children's centers can be found in:

• The Licensing Regulations Governing Pinellas County
  Children's Centers
• Licensing Regulations and Resources for Pinellas County Children's Centers (Forms)
  
  

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Procedure to Open a Children's Center

To open a children's center, contact a licensing specialist who will guide you through the process. Technical assistance and consultation are provided in the form of individual conferences, on site inspections, written material and group training.

Child Care Resource and Referral of Pinellas

PCLB works in collaboration with Child Care Resource and Referral of Pinellas, the agency that can help parents and guardians locate child care. Parents and guardians may contact a licensing specialist with questions or concerns.

The public can review a children's center licensing history (file review) by appointment at the PCLB office or by accessing Inspection Reports for Centers and Homes.

Training Available for Early Childhood Professionals

The Training Times for Children’s Centers and Family Child Care Homes Current Issue (Jul-Sep 2007) is a quarterly publication that contains listings of training for early childhood professionals. Training sessions meet the training requirements for children’s center personnel and child care providers.

Access the 40-Hour Introductory Child Care Training for schedule and registration information.

You can now go on-line to print your training certificates (5206 form) and view your transcript.