Early Childhood Services In North Dakota
The Early Childhood Service program of the North Dakota Department of Human Services establishes standards and provides training to providers of early care and education for children. This site contains information for both parents and child care providers.
Information on Early Learning Guidelines
- Early Learning Guidelines for Ages 3-5 Years (June 2008) (1.65Mb pdf)
- These voluntary guidelines are intended as a resource for parents, child care providers, pre-kindergarten and Head Start teachers, and others. They outline the skills, knowledge, and dispositions young children need prior to entering first grade.
- Development differs for every child; each child will demonstrate varying levels of competence in the domains, the sub-domains, and among the indicators/guidelines.
- Each indicator/guideline needs to be understood as a developmental continuum statement.
- It is expected that adults will create natural/play situations:
- In which three-year-olds who are ready can demonstrate emergence of the skill, knowledge, or disposition of indicators.
- In which six-year-olds that are ready can demonstrate competence in the skill, knowledge, or disposition of indicators.
- Slides: An Overview of North Dakota Early Learning Guidelines for Ages Three through Five (83kb pdf)
Information For Parents
- Answers To Questions That Parents Ask
- CareCheck Registry: Registry of providers who have voluntarily participated in a background check process
- Early Childhood Services Fact Sheet (October 2007) (47kb pdf)
Information For Prospective And Current Child Care Providers
- Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
- CareCheck Registry
- Contact County Social Services: handle applications and licensing
- Licensing Information and Regulations
- Links
- Quality Initiatives
- Staff Directory
- Starting, Remodeling, and/or Building a Child Care Center
Related Services
- Child Care Assistance Program: Financial help for qualifying low-income families with child care needs
- Child Care Resource and Referral: Resource for parents seeking child care and for providers seeking professional development resources
Children and Family Services Division
North Dakota Department of Human Services
Early Childhood Services Administrator
600 East Boulevard Avenue Department 325
Bismarck ND 58505-0250
Phone: (701) 328-2316
Toll Free: (800) 245-3736
Fax: (701) 328-3538
dhscfs@nd.gov
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