Mississippi ChildcareLicensing Requirements
Stay compliant with Mississippi MSDH Child Care Facilities Licensure Regulations regulations. Bloomily helps Mississippi childcare centers manage staff ratios, certifications, and emergency drills — all in one platform.
Staff-to-Child Ratios
Required ratios for Mississippi licensed childcare facilities
| Age Group | Staff : Children | Max Group Size |
|---|---|---|
Infants (0-12 months) Infants 6 weeks to 12 months | 1:5 | 10 children |
Young Toddlers (12-24 months) Toddlers 12-24 months | 1:6 | 12 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 | 1:16 | 32 children |
School Age (5+ years) School-age 6+ years | 1:20 | 40 children |
Bloomily automatically monitors staff-to-child ratios in real-time and alerts you when you're approaching limits.
Required Certifications
Certifications required for Mississippi childcare staff
Annual Training (Mississippi)
Mississippi required minimum 15 clock hours annual professional development
Child Abuse Registry Check (Mississippi)
Mississippi Child Abuse and Neglect Registry check required
Criminal Background Check (Mississippi)
Mississippi Department of Public Safety criminal background check and fingerprinting required
Director Qualifications (Mississippi)
Director qualifications per MSDH regulations including education and experience requirements
First Aid (Mississippi)
Pediatric first aid certification required
Food Handler Certification (Mississippi)
Food handler certification for staff preparing food
Lead Teacher Qualifications (Mississippi)
Lead teacher qualifications per MSDH regulations
Mandated Reporter Training
California mandated reporter training for child abuse
Mandatory Reporter Training (Mississippi)
Mississippi mandatory reporter training on recognizing and reporting child abuse
Orientation Training (Mississippi)
Initial orientation training within first week of employment
Pediatric CPR (Mississippi)
Infant and child CPR certification required for all staff
Safe Sleep Training (Mississippi)
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 Mississippi childcare facilities
Required Drills
Fire Drill
Monthly fire drills required, documented with date, time, and evacuation time
Ref: MSDH CCR
Lockdown/Security
Lockdown/shelter-in-place drills twice per year
Ref: MSDH CCR
Evacuation
Full evacuation to alternate location annually
Ref: MSDH CCR
Tornado/Severe Weather
Monthly tornado drills required during severe weather season
Ref: MSDH CCR
Bloomily automatically schedules drills and tracks completion to ensure you never miss a requirement.
Pre-Inspection Checklist
50 items based on Mississippi MSDH Child Care Facilities Licensure Regulations requirements
Current MSDH license posted conspicuously
Ref: MSDH CCR
Certificate of occupancy available
Ref: MSDH CCR
Fire inspection report current
Ref: MSDH CCR
Health inspection certificate posted
Ref: MSDH CCR
Liability insurance documentation current
Ref: MSDH CCR
Parent handbook available and current
Ref: MSDH CCR
Child records complete and accessible
Ref: MSDH CCR
Daily attendance records maintained
Ref: MSDH CCR
Incident/accident reports documented
Ref: MSDH CCR
MSDH complaint procedures posted
Ref: MSDH CCR
First aid kit stocked and accessible
Ref: MSDH CCR
Emergency phone numbers posted
Ref: MSDH CCR
Poison control number posted
Ref: MSDH CCR
Medications stored properly and locked
Ref: MSDH CCR
Medication authorization forms complete
Ref: MSDH CCR
Immunization records current (Form 121/MIIS)
Ref: MS Code 41-23-37
Hand washing procedures posted
Ref: MSDH CCR
Diapering/toileting area sanitary
Ref: MSDH CCR
Safe sleep practices followed (infants)
Ref: MSDH CCR
Cribs meet CPSC safety standards
Ref: MSDH CCR
Cleaning supplies stored locked away from children
Ref: MSDH CCR
Hazardous materials inaccessible to children
Ref: MSDH CCR
Outlet covers installed throughout facility
Ref: MSDH CCR
Water temperature safe (120°F or below)
Ref: MSDH CCR
Food handling and storage meets standards
Ref: MSDH CCR
DPS criminal background checks current
Ref: MSDH CCR
Child Abuse Registry checks complete
Ref: MSDH CCR
FBI fingerprint checks current
Ref: MSDH CCR
Director qualifications documented
Ref: MSDH CCR
Lead teacher qualifications documented
Ref: MSDH CCR
Pediatric CPR certifications current
Ref: MSDH CCR
First aid certifications current
Ref: MSDH CCR
Mandatory reporter training completed
Ref: MS Code 43-21-353
Annual training hours documented (15 hours minimum)
Ref: MSDH CCR
Orientation training completed (new staff)
Ref: MSDH CCR
Safe sleep training documented (infant caregivers)
Ref: MSDH CCR
Staff personnel files complete
Ref: MSDH CCR
Staff-to-child ratios maintained at all times
Ref: MSDH CCR
Fire drill records current (monthly)
Ref: MSDH CCR
Tornado drill records current (monthly Mar-Sep)
Ref: MSDH CCR
Lockdown drill records current (semi-annual)
Ref: MSDH CCR
Full evacuation drill completed (annual)
Ref: MSDH CCR
Emergency evacuation plan posted
Ref: MSDH CCR
Fire extinguishers inspected and accessible
Ref: MSDH CCR
Smoke detectors functional
Ref: MSDH CCR
Emergency contact information for all children accessible
Ref: MSDH CCR
Indoor space meets 35 sq ft per child requirement
Ref: MSDH CCR
Outdoor play area safe and enclosed
Ref: MSDH CCR
Children supervised at all times
Ref: MSDH CCR
Quality Stars rating posted (if participating)
Ref: Quality Stars
Track your Mississippi 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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