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County licensing staff were emailed the spring update on family child care licensing in the Provider Hub and Agency Hub March 27.
This communication shared a timeline update:
The Minnesota Legislature is currently in the middle of the 2026 legislative session. Before launching family child care licensing in the Provider Hub and Agency Hub, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) needs to understand what, if any changes will be made to family child care licensing standards. Any changes would likely need to be incorporated into the Provider/Agency Hub.
Therefore, no decision on when to launch family child care licensing in these online tools will be made before the end of the 2026 legislative session.
Please review the March 27 email for further details.
Provider communication
Providers will get this update the week of March 30 at the email address associated with their license. Copies of this communication will also be 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.
We want to provide some clarification regarding the annual training requirement for licensors. Under 9543.0130, Subp. 3 (Rule 13), licensors are required to complete 6 hours of training each calendar year. This training must be relevant to licensing functions or to the programs being licensed. Agencies must also maintain documentation of completed training in each licensor’s personnel file.
A common question we receive is: What counts toward the 6 required hours?
- Statewide FCC Office Hours – No
- 3rd Thursday Licensor Call – No
- ELICI Monthly Workshop – No
- Any training offered through TrainLink – Yes
If you have questions about whether a training opportunity meets the licensor training requirement, please reach out to Triage.
The next Foundations cohort will be held between June 3-25, 2026. If you are interested in participating in the new format, please watch for registration to be released mid-April and block your calendar to ensure full participation.
Foundations training (required for new licensing staff prior to carrying out licensing work) must be completed within 90 days of hire.
Based on extensive assessment and feedback from licensors, the Foundations format has recently been updated. The new structure includes a full day of self-study work, two in-person training days at the DCYF offices, fieldwork, and several content-specific virtual sessions. As a reminder, new licensors must attend all sessions to complete the required training, so please plan accordingly.
DCYF will host a Rule 13 training on April 9, 2026, to walk through the Rule 13 review process in detail. Registration is available through TrainLink. If you have any questions, please reach out to Triage.
Overview of 2026 Rule 13 Review Structure Changes Beginning in 2026, DCYF is updating the structure of Rule 13 reviews.
Full Recertification Reviews:
- Will occur once every four years.
- Will now take place in person.
- DCYF will send advance notice to counties and request some information beforehand.
- The full file review and exit interview will be completed in person at the county being reviewed.
Mid-Term Reviews:
- Will continue to occur every two years.
- Will shift to a modified format with a strong focus on ELICI compliance.
- DCYF will send advance notice and request materials ahead of time.
- A virtual exit interview will be scheduled with county partners to discuss compliance concerns.
If you have any questions, please reach out to triage.
On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, join DCYF FCC as we explore the Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUIDs) curriculum that license holders receive in the required SUID training they receive during their in person training, every other year.
Registration is available through TrainLink. If you have any questions, please reach out to Triage.
The State Fire Marshal Trainings for the Spring are now published on TrainLink.
You will find the offered classes by searching the key word “FCC”. The full title of the class is “FCC – Fire Code Requirements for DCYF Licensors”.
Because there are limited seats available, we ask you pay close attention to the date and location of each class. If possible, please register for the class closest to you in order to keep most seat available locally. As classes fill up, an automatic waitlist will be generated and monitored by DCYF.
Please direct any questions about the training to our triage email dcyf.FCClicensing@state.mn.us. The upcoming classes being offered are:
April 9 Scott County Government Center 9am-3:30pm 200 4th Avenue West Shakopee
May 4 Mankato Public Safety 9am-3:30pm 710 S Front St Mankato
May 18 Polk County Law Enforcement Center 9am-3:30pm 600 Bruce St Crookston
There will be a 40 min break for lunch, however lunch will not be provided. You are encouraged to pack a lunch, or plan to drive a short distance to pick up food.
Be reminded that all FCC licensors must attend the State Fire Marshal training every four years.
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.
- Tuesday, April 07, 2026, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
- Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 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.
- Thursday, April 16, 2026, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Thursday, May 21, 2026, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
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
- Monday, April 27, 2026, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
For calls, office hours and ELICI workshops, you should receive an invite with a link to join. If you are not getting these invites, please contact Triage.
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