A large number of young children in Georgia are cared for outside their homes each day. It is important that these settings be safe, healthy, and nurturing, as well as offer quality early learning experiences to support and promote the healthy growth and development of young children.

In Georgia there are approximately 3000 child care learning centers, 250 group day care homes, 3100 family day care homes and approximately 2000 informal care providers. The Child Care Services division of Bright from the Start monitors and licenses these child care programs. Responsibilities include:

• Supporting licensed child care learning centers and group and family day care homes through monitoring, technical assistance and training to assure safe and healthy environments and to improve the quality of services to children.
• Providing information to parents about Georgia child care programs through our Provider Search feature.
• Providing consumer education by making child development and early childhood education information available to parents and providers.
• Providing information and assistance to those opening child care programs.
• Investigating complaints of child care programs.
• Investigating reports of unlicensed child care operations.

On the Child Care Services page you will find information on how to open a child care facility, resources for child care programs and parents, licensing reports for child care programs, and other helpful information on subjects such as developmentally appropriate practices for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, best inclusion practices and much more. We hope this information will be useful to you. If you need information not found on this website please contact us at 404-657-5562.