New hub to streamline Minnesota child care licensing

A new, user-friendly web platform is making it easier for child care providers to complete licensing forms online, as Minnesota continues to implement improvements that support the child care industry.

The new Provider Hub from the Minnesota Department of Human Services enables certified and licensed child care providers to apply for or maintain a license or certification, submit required reporting and register with the state’s Child Care Assistance Program.

The hub opened to Minnesota’s 1,815 licensed child care centers on Nov. 1, after launching earlier with certified child care centers. Next April, the platform will expand to family child care providers.

“Child care is essential to our economy, our communities and our families and children,” said Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead. “It’s important to have an easy-to-use licensing system so our hard-working providers can get everything they need, all in one place, online. This will allow providers to spend more time with the children and less time on the paperwork.”

In the Provider Hub, licensed and certified child care programs will be able to keep their information up to date and submit reports electronically, substantially reducing their administrative burdens. The online platform will also streamline their annual inspection process, because providers won’t need to re-enter information that hasn’t changed since their last inspection.

“I really like using the Hub,” said a leader of a certified child care center in an anonymous feedback survey. “It’s nice to have all information in one place and makes it easy to submit info to our licensor when it’s needed.”

The Provider Hub works on mobile devices, tablets and computers, and is translated into Spanish, Somali and Hmong.

Giving child care providers 24/7 access to their licensing information will improve transparency between providers and licensing agencies. The Provider Hub will also make it easier for the state and counties to share information and data.

Beginning on April 1, 2024, all types of child care providers – including legally non-licensed providers – will be able to register for the Child Care Assistance Program through the Provider Hub. The change will make it easier for providers to participate in the program, which improves access to child care.

Also in April, DHS will debut a new public website for child care licensing information, to replace the existing licensing information lookup for child care.

As the Provider Hub expands, DHS will continue to improve the platform based on engagement and feedback from providers.