Junction City Commission Approves Reforms to Child Care Ordinances and Enforces Regulations Against Illegal Child Care
Junction City, KS – The Junction City Commission unanimously approved significant changes to local child care ordinances aimed at reducing barriers for in-home child care providers. These reforms come in response to recent state-level updates, which highlighted the need for local ordinances to be aligned with current regulations.
The newly approved changes remove previous restrictions on operational hours, allowing family child care providers to offer services outside of traditional work hours. This adjustment supports families who require care during shift work and nontraditional hours, fostering a more flexible child care environment.
In addition, the commission eliminated local permit requirements and associated fees, significantly decreasing operational costs for providers. Compliance with state licensing regulations and inspections will now be managed exclusively through state offices, streamlining the licensing process for Junction City providers. Providers still need to show state licensing to the City to facilitate code compliance and emergency response.
A notable addition to the ordinance is the designation of illegal child care as a municipal offense, carrying penalties that may include hefty fines and potential jail time. Illegal child care in Kansas is defined as caring for more than two unrelated children for more than 20 hours a week without a state license. While operating an unlicensed child care facility has been illegal for some time, enforcement of these regulations has been insufficient.
Individuals with questions or those who are interested in becoming a licensed provider can email the Geary County Child Care Coalition ([email protected]) for assistance in accessing the appropriate resources.