Ratio and Group Size Standards for Licensed Child Care

Staff-to-child ratios, group sizes, and age distributions for child care centers and family child care settings are critical standards that ensure a minimum level of safety, supervision, and quality in child care. The standards vary based on setting, the age of children in care, and the concentration of children from each age group. These standards are set forth by Minnesota law. Minnesota Rules, chapter 9503 (?Rule 3?) defines the standards for child care centers, and Minnesota Rules, chapter 9502 (?Rule 2?) governs family child care and group family child care.