The issuance of a license to operate a child care program is evidence of compliance with rules contained in the North Dakota Administrative Code (NDAC) and North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) chapter 50-11.1.
The ND Early Childhood Licensing Team is authorized to require programs who have received a corrective action such as a Correction Order, Provisional License, or Intent to Revoke to correct identified non-compliances as they pertain to their license. The Early Childhood Licensing Team offers technical support to providers in several ways one being Compliance Plans.
The goal of a Compliance Plan Referral Process is for licensed providers to access consultation and support services to make the required improvements.
Compliance Plan Consultation and Support Services
The specific services provided under a compliance plan will vary based on the needs of the licensed child care program and the corrective actions that need to be addressed.
- Support from Child Care Aware® of ND could include required training, recommended resources, or more formal on-site consultations.
- Technical assistance provided by the Early Childhood Licensing Team could include additional on-site visits to discuss rules and policies.
Compliance Plan Referral Process
All compliance plans begin with the Compliance Plan Referral Process.
- Once a need for a Child Care Compliance Plan is established by the Licensing Specialist, the Consultation Services Referral Form must be completed by the Specialist within 20 days of the correction order or corrective action being issued.
- The Consultation Services Referral Form will:
- Initiate conversation about a joint effort between licensing staff and Child Care Aware® of ND to guide the program in making necessary changes
- Include descriptive details about the program’s needs and underlying issues to be addressed
Roles and Responsibilities
The Compliance Plan Referral Process was established to assist the Early Childhood Licensing Team and Child Care Aware® of ND to:
- Establish a clear understanding of the nature of the program’s non-compliances
- Determine the resources available to address the non-compliances
- Determine the best course of action
- Work together using a team approach to set due dates for action items and assist the licensed child care program to achieve compliance
- Licensing Specialist - complete the Consultation Services Referral Form and review it with the Licensing Supervisor
- Licensing Supervisor - send the Consultation Services Referral Form and all documentation to the Child Care Aware® of ND Lead
- Inform the child care program they need to initiate a Compliance Plan case within Growing Futures
- Collaboratively develop a work plan to include goals, action steps, timeline, and follow up
- Support and communicate with the child care program and Child Care Aware® to assure deadlines are created and goals are met
- Organize and lead all meetings
- Update Child Care Aware® on the status of the child care program throughout the Compliance Plan including any additional correction orders or corrective actions
- Review the referral form to best identify what resources, training, and staff resources they will provide
- Follow up with the licensed child care program to ensure the Compliance Plan case is set up in Growing Futures
- On agreed upon due date, send work plan to the Licensing Specialist, licensing supervisor, and licensed child care program
- Provide documentation of each visit to the licensed child care program, this documentation should be sent within 3 days after the visit
- Ongoing communication must be sent to the child care program, Licensing Specialist, Licensing Supervisor, and Child Care Aware® of ND Lead.
- Document communication in the program’s Growing Futures Organization Account
- Documentation and approval will be done within 5 business days
- Contact the Licensing Specialist at the completion of the Compliance Plan to schedule a meeting between the Licensing Specialist, child care program, and Child Care Aware® of ND staff to communicate to all parties what has been successfully completed
Questions? Contact Us
Early Childhood
600 E. Boulevard Avenue, Dept. 325
Bismarck, ND 58505-0250
Phone: (701) 328-2115, 711 (TTY)
Toll-Free: (800) 997-8516
Email: dhsec@nd.gov