Child Care Wayfinder – Nadine Groven, DCYF Wayfinder Specialist; Matt Carlson, Child Care Capacity Building Manager
Child Care Wayfinder Update: November 20, 2025, Licensor Call
Child Care Wayfinder joined the November Licensor Call to share updates on statewide efforts to expand access to licensed child care and to strengthen collaboration with county licensors. Below is a recap of the key information presented.
Wayfinder’s Mission and Scope
Child Care Wayfinder exists to increase access to child care across Minnesota by:
- Supporting aspiring providers in starting licensed programs
- Helping current providers sustain or expand their programs
- Contributing to racial equity through targeted outreach to BIPOC providers
Wayfinder was funded by the Legislature in 2021, launched statewide in July 2022, and received ongoing funding in 2023. The initiative is implemented by Child Care Aware of Minnesota.
Statewide Goals
Minnesota has approximately 259,000 families with children under age five. One in four families still lacks adequate access to child care. Wayfinder’s goal is to increase access by 20% through efforts to:
- Open or retain 705 new family child care programs
- Open 120 new child care centers
- Create or retain 17,700 licensed spaces statewide
These targets support Minnesota’s long-term strategy to reduce child care shortages, particularly in underserved communities.
Navigator Support Across Minnesota
Wayfinder employs at least one full-time Child Care Startup and Retention Navigator in each region with the goal to provide consistent, statewide support. Navigators:
- Guide applicants through starting a licensed program
- Help with forms and readiness for the application process
- Connect providers to grants, business resources, coaching, and professional development
- Support existing programs in expanding or strengthening their operations
Licensing–Wayfinder Partnership
Wayfinder emphasized the importance of a strong, coordinated partnership with FCC licensors. While roles are distinct, they complement one another:
Wayfinder Navigator Role
- Coach applicants through preparing for licensure
- Assist with organizing paperwork and completing forms
- Help applicants formulate questions for their assigned licensor and understand licensor guidance
Together, licensors and navigators work toward a shared goal: ensuring children are healthy and safe, and ensuring families have access to high-quality licensed child care.
Reflecting on Roles and Collaboration
Wayfinder invited licensors to consider:
- How their role extends beyond regulation to education, guidance, and resource connection
- Where licensing work overlaps with navigation support
- How coordinated communication can reduce applicant confusion
- Opportunities to strengthen collaborative relationships
Next Steps and Contacts
Licensors are encouraged to connect directly with their regional navigator and share any ideas for improving collaboration.
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Wayfinder contact directory: tinyurl.com/wayfindercontact
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Questions or suggestions: Matt Carlson – mattc@childcareawaremn.org
When creating a county response to a request for reconsideration, please ensure there is sufficient detail so the legal team can understand the basis for your action. Details and documentation matter and strengthens your response. This might include:
- Case notes
- Emails
- Consultation information/notes
- pictures
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) needs your help in sharing a brief, confidential survey with mandated reporters of child maltreatment across Minnesota.
The department, in partnership with Management Analysis and Development (MAD), is gathering input from mandated reporters to better understand what’s working and where they are feeling stuck in offering community supports.
The goal
To improve training, guidance and support for mandated reporters of child maltreatment by hearing directly from those doing this work every day.
Who should take the survey
Mandated reporters of child maltreatment in Minnesota across all sectors: education, health care, child care, law enforcement, social services, youth programs, clergy and more.
How you can help
Please share this survey with the mandated reporters of child maltreatment in your network. You can use the sample communications linked below, including an email and social media posts, to help spread the word.
Survey details
- The survey will remain open until we’ve heard from a broad cross-section of mandated reporters statewide.
- The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete.
- All responses are confidential and will be analyzed by Management Analysis and Development.
- Findings will help shape next steps in policy, practice and supports.
Link to survey: Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management
If you have any questions or would like a short blurb for your newsletter, social media postings or website, contact Erin Klumper at erin.klumper@state.mn.us.
Thank you for your partnership in supporting families and improving practice in Minnesota.
Federal requirements call for every licensed family child care (FCC) provider to have an unannounced, annual visit each year. Annual visits are a key part of ensuring ongoing health and safety in family child care programs and maintaining compliance with federal and state monitoring standards. These visits are ideal when the program is open, operating, and children are present.
If you arrive for a visit and find that a typically operating provider is closed for the day—perhaps due to illness, vacation, or a planned day off—the best approach is to return when children are in care.
In some cases, a provider may have an active license but is not currently operating for an extended period (for example, pending reopening). If the annual visit still needs to be completed to meet federal requirements before the end of the year, it can be conducted without children present in those situations.
If your county/agency has not yet submitted the following third-quarter reports (July 1–September 30, 2025) please do so as soon as possible:
Serious Injury Report (SIR) Link to Serious Injury Data form
Quarterly Progress Report (QPR) Most information needed for this report can be found in your Complaint Log. If you have questions about requirements, please contact Triage for support. Link to Quarterly Progress Report form
Please remember: Use the designated 2025 form links for each report—do not submit report information via email.
Think of these sessions as live triage, hosted by the Family Child Care Licensing team. The purpose of these sessions is to answer questions, listen to comments, and problem-solve together regarding the unique situations that we encounter. These office hours are open-house style, meaning attendees can come and go as needed. DCYF will not be preparing content for each session so please come with questions and comments regarding FCC licensing. If you have not received an invite to join, please reach out to DCYF FCC Triage.
December
- Tuesday, December 2, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
- Tuesday, December 16, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
DCYF FCC Licensing will provide information and updates during this call and be available for questions. If you have not received an invite to join, please reach out to DCYF FCC Triage.
December
- Thursday, December 18, 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Guest speaker: Regulation Modernization Project update – Katherine DiBenedetto
The ELICI tool’s purpose is to ensure consistent compliance monitoring throughout the state. DCYF has planned monthly workshops to support counties with their ongoing compliance with the requirement to use the ELICI tool to do licensing work in Minnesota. We value our partnership with counties and encourage feedback and suggestions to inform these workshop sessions. Here is the link to the ELICI manual: https://mn.gov/dhs/assets/ELICI-user-guide_tcm1053-376631.pdf
December
- Monday, December 15, 2025, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Foundations training (required for new licensing staff prior to carrying out licensing work) must be completed within 90 days of hire. The training is also open to experienced licensors and supervisors. We have made a change to the format this round, and ELICI onboarding will be integrated into various sessions rather than be separate sessions. As a reminder, new licensors must attend all sessions to complete the required Foundations training. Please plan accordingly.
The next scheduled dates are:
- Foundations Training Part 1/10: Monday, December 1, 2025, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
- Foundations Training Part 2/10: Tuesday, December 2, 2025, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
- Foundations Training Part 3/10: Wednesday, December 3, 2025, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
- Foundations Training Part 4/10: Thursday, December 4, 2025, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
- Foundations Training Part 5/10: Friday, December 5, 2025, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
- Foundations Training Part 6/10: Monday, December 8, 2025, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
- Foundations Training Part 7/10: Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
- Foundations Training Part 8/10: Wednesday, December 10, 2025, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
- Foundations Training Part 9/10: Thursday, December 11, 2025, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
- Foundations Training Part 10/10: Friday, December 12, 2025, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Register for trainings via TrainLink. If you need help with the process, please contact Triage.
For calls, office hours and ELICI workshops, you should receive an invite with a link to join. If you are not receiving these invites, please contact Triage.
Users must log-in to Develop at least every 30 days or an email will be sent from Develop. It is advised to log-in right then, when reminded. If it gets to 60 days, the account access will be deactivated. If your account is deactivated, please contact lisa.mills@state.mn.us for help with reactivation. If there are general issues with your Develop account (password reset, how to access, etc.), contact the Develop help desk at support@develophelp.zendesk.com.
For information about background studies, please visit Minnesota child care provider background studies.
- Use this email for CANR related items and for questions about a specific BGS for child care: backgroundcc@state.mn.us
- Use this email for anything else BGS related: netstudy2@state.mn.us
- The BGS contact center number: 651-431-6620, is available from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
County licensing staff were emailed the fall 2025 update on family child care (FCC) licensing in the Agency Hub and Provider Hub Nov. 6.
This update announced the regional order by which FCC licensing will launch in the online tool. Also included was this key resource to assist you in sharing up-to-date, accurate information during conversations with FCC providers: Provider Hub FCC Licensing | Fall 2025 Update (PDF).
Please review the Nov. 6 email for further details.
Providers were emailed a similar update Nov. 10, followed by Spanish, Somali and Hmong versions Nov. 17. Copies of these communications are also available on the Provider Hub webpage.
Questions about licensing in the Agency Hub?
FCC county licensing staff are welcome to send comments and questions about licensing in the Agency Hub to agencyhub@state.mn.us. This email is a dedicated inbox for state and county licensing staff who currently use or will use the Agency Hub.
Providers and partners can connect with the Provider Hub team at providerhub@state.mn.us.
Early Childhood Connector Newsletter
Sign up to receive communications from the Early Childhood Connector Newsletter. By signing up, you can expect to receive a newsletter highlighting resources, supports and updates on child care and early education from the Minnesota Children’s Cabinet and Departments of Education, Health, Human Services, and Children, Youth, and Families. Content will be tailored to licensed and nonlicensed child care, Head Start and prekindergarten programs. In addition to the Early Childhood Connector Newsletter, occasional updates will be sent.
Newsletter Sign Up
Read the Latest Articles
Early Childhood Connector Calls
On a quarterly basis, the state is hosting Connector Calls with child care providers and early educators to answer questions related to legislation, licensing, programs, grants and more. The purpose of the call is to answer clarifying questions that providers may have. Calls are hosted online on WebEx, and providers attending the call will not be able to ask questions live. Calls are recorded and available on this webpage.
Learn more about Connector Calls and submit your questions here. Questions must be submitted two weeks before the provider call to be answered. State staff will try to answer all questions but may not have time to get to all of them.
Submit a Question
Upcoming Connector Call information
Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 7-8 p.m. Central Time
Meeting Link: https://minnesota.webex.com/minnesota/j.php?MTID=m9adb9c9c50a0c520e7210418a83a7aac
Stay safe this winter: fire and carbon monoxide safety
As temperatures drop, it’s important to stay mindful of fire and carbon monoxide safety in our programs and homes. The DCYF Licensing Division works closely with the State Fire Marshal team to share important safety information with providers and families.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office has launched a new awareness campaign reminding Minnesotans to protect themselves from carbon monoxide poisoning as heating systems are turned on for the season. For additional safety reminders and helpful resources—including fire prevention and preparedness tips—visit the State Fire Marshal webpage.
Want to stay up to date on news and updates from the Department of Children, Youth, and Families? Visit the new website and sign up for the DCYF newsletter.
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families is now on Facebook and LinkedIn! Follow DCYF on Facebook and LinkedIn to stay in-the-know of important updates. Help grow our reach by sharing with others!
DCYF Office of Inspector General, Licensing Division 651-539-8300
DCYF website: Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families
Office of Inspector General, Background Study Division 651-431-6620
DCYF FCC Triage (for county use only), DCYF.FCClicensing@state.mn.us
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