Child Care Centers
A child care center offers care for more than four children for compensation. All centers must be licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS), except those: on military bases, on reservations, centers where children may come and go on their own, or where parents are continuously on the premises.
DHS monitors licensed centers to be sure they meet licensing requirements. Child care centers may contract with DES to care for children whose families receive DES assistance with child care costs.
Adult to child ratio is an important aspect to consider when choosing child care. Children need a lot of individual attention, which can only be achieved with low adult to child ratios. The adult to child ratios for licensed child care centers in Arizona are:
| Age Group | Staff:Child Ratio |
| Infants | 1:5 or 2:11 |
| 1 year olds | 1:6 or 2:13 |
| 2 year olds | 1:8 |
| 3 year olds | 1:13 |
| 4 year olds | 1:15 |
| 5 year olds and School Age | 1:20 |
To view the licensing history of child care centers please see http://www.azcarecheck.com.
