Arkansas ChildcareLicensing Requirements
Stay compliant with Arkansas DCCECE Minimum Licensing Requirements for Child Care Facilities regulations. Bloomily helps Arkansas childcare centers manage staff ratios, certifications, and emergency drills — all in one platform.
Staff-to-Child Ratios
Required ratios for Arkansas licensed childcare facilities
| Age Group | Staff : Children | Max Group Size |
|---|---|---|
Infants (0-12 months) Infants 6 weeks to 12 months | 1:6 | 12 children |
Young Toddlers (12-24 months) Toddlers 12-24 months | 1:8 | 16 children |
toddler Two year olds | 1:10 | 20 children |
Preschool (3-5 years) Three year olds | 1:12 | 24 children |
prek Four and five year olds | 1:15 | 30 children |
School Age (5+ years) School-age 6+ years | 1:18 | 36 children |
Bloomily automatically monitors staff-to-child ratios in real-time and alerts you when you're approaching limits.
Required Certifications
Certifications required for Arkansas childcare staff
Annual Training (Arkansas)
Arkansas required minimum 15 clock hours annual professional development
Child Maltreatment Central Registry Check
Arkansas Child Maltreatment Central Registry check required
Criminal Background Check (Arkansas)
Arkansas State Police criminal background check and FBI fingerprint check required
Director Qualifications (Arkansas)
Director qualifications including Child Development Associate (CDA) or higher education
First Aid (Arkansas)
Pediatric first aid certification required
Food Handler Permit (Arkansas)
Food handler certification for staff preparing food
Lead Teacher Qualifications (Arkansas)
Lead teacher qualifications per Arkansas licensing requirements
Mandated Reporter Training
California mandated reporter training for child abuse
Mandatory Reporter Training (Arkansas)
Arkansas mandatory reporter training on recognizing and reporting child abuse
Orientation Training (Arkansas)
Initial orientation training within first week of employment
Pediatric CPR (Arkansas)
Infant and child CPR certification required
Safe Sleep Training (Arkansas)
Safe sleep training required for infant caregivers
Bloomily tracks certification expiration dates and sends automated renewal reminders before they lapse.
Emergency Drill Requirements
Required safety drills for Arkansas childcare facilities
Required Drills
Fire Drill
Monthly fire drills required, documented with date, time, and evacuation time
Ref: AR MLR 1000
Lockdown/Security
Lockdown/shelter-in-place drills twice per year
Ref: AR MLR 1000
Evacuation
Full evacuation to alternate location annually
Ref: AR MLR 1000
Tornado/Severe Weather
Monthly tornado drills required during tornado season
Ref: AR MLR 1000
Bloomily automatically schedules drills and tracks completion to ensure you never miss a requirement.
Pre-Inspection Checklist
50 items based on Arkansas DCCECE Minimum Licensing Requirements for Child Care Facilities requirements
Current DCCECE license posted conspicuously
Ref: AR MLR 200
Certificate of occupancy available
Ref: AR MLR 200
Fire inspection report current
Ref: AR MLR 200
Health inspection certificate posted
Ref: AR MLR 200
Liability insurance documentation current
Ref: AR MLR 200
Parent handbook available and current
Ref: AR MLR 500
Child records complete and accessible
Ref: AR MLR 500
Daily attendance records maintained
Ref: AR MLR 500
Incident/accident reports documented
Ref: AR MLR 500
DCCECE complaint procedures posted
Ref: AR MLR 200
First aid kit stocked and accessible
Ref: AR MLR 700
Emergency phone numbers posted
Ref: AR MLR 1000
Poison control number posted
Ref: AR MLR 1000
Medications stored properly and locked
Ref: AR MLR 700
Medication authorization forms complete
Ref: AR MLR 700
Immunization records current (WebIZ verified)
Ref: AR Code 20-7-109
Hand washing procedures posted
Ref: AR MLR 700
Diapering/toileting area sanitary
Ref: AR MLR 700
Safe sleep practices followed (infants)
Ref: AR MLR 700
Cribs meet CPSC safety standards
Ref: AR MLR 700
Cleaning supplies stored locked away from children
Ref: AR MLR 900
Hazardous materials inaccessible to children
Ref: AR MLR 900
Outlet covers installed throughout facility
Ref: AR MLR 900
Water temperature safe (120°F or below)
Ref: AR MLR 900
Food handling and storage meets standards
Ref: AR MLR 700
Arkansas State Police background checks current
Ref: AR MLR 300
Child Maltreatment Central Registry checks complete
Ref: AR MLR 300
FBI fingerprint checks current
Ref: AR MLR 300
Director qualifications documented (CDA or higher)
Ref: AR MLR 400
Lead teacher qualifications documented
Ref: AR MLR 400
Pediatric CPR certifications current
Ref: AR MLR 400
First aid certifications current
Ref: AR MLR 400
Mandatory reporter training completed
Ref: AR Code 12-18-402
Annual training hours documented (15 hours minimum)
Ref: AR MLR 400
Orientation training completed (new staff)
Ref: AR MLR 400
Safe sleep training documented (infant caregivers)
Ref: AR MLR 700
Staff personnel files complete
Ref: AR MLR 400
Staff-to-child ratios maintained at all times
Ref: AR MLR 600
Fire drill records current (monthly)
Ref: AR MLR 1000
Tornado drill records current (monthly Mar-Oct)
Ref: AR MLR 1000
Lockdown drill records current (semi-annual)
Ref: AR MLR 1000
Full evacuation drill completed (annual)
Ref: AR MLR 1000
Emergency evacuation plan posted
Ref: AR MLR 1000
Fire extinguishers inspected and accessible
Ref: AR MLR 1000
Smoke detectors functional
Ref: AR MLR 1000
Emergency contact information for all children accessible
Ref: AR MLR 500
Indoor space meets 35 sq ft per child requirement
Ref: AR MLR 900
Outdoor play area safe and enclosed
Ref: AR MLR 900
Children supervised at all times
Ref: AR MLR 600
Better Beginnings rating posted (if participating)
Ref: Better Beginnings
Track your Arkansas compliance digitally
Bloomily keeps your checklist updated, tracks staff certifications, and alerts you before items expire.
Nearby State Requirements
Requirements vary by state. Click to view specific licensing requirements.
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