State library · checked October 2026
Kansas child care, camp and ratio rules
What camps, after-school programs and child care centers in Kansas need to know about licensing, ratios, background checks, medication and reporting abuse, with links to the official rules.
Child care licensing
Since July 1, 2026, the Kansas Office of Early Childhood licenses every day care facility for children under 16: day care homes, group day care homes, preschools, child care centers (13 or more children, or fewer if licensed as a center), school-age programs, and youth development programs (K.S.A. 75-7707, 75-7708; K.A.R. 28-4-420).
After-school and recreation programs: A program serving only school-age children needs a license if 2 or more children attend 12 or more hours a week for more than 2 consecutive weeks. Single-subject classes or activities (a sports league, dance class, martial arts), programs run by a local government or school district for no more than 4 consecutive hours a day or no more than 2 consecutive weeks, and summer instructional camps run by a nonprofit or school are not licensed (K.A.R. 28-4-578; K.S.A. 75-7707).
Licensing agency: Kansas Office of Early Childhood (KOEC), Child Care Licensing (took over from KDHE on July 1, 2026)
Sources: K.A.R. 28-4-428 Staff requirements (ratio table, LII mirror); K.A.R. 28-4-420 Definitions; K.A.R. 28-4-578 School-age program licensure and exclusions; K.S.A. 75-7707 License required; exemptions; K.S.A. 75-7706 Transfer of rules to the Office of Early Childhood; Kansas Office of Early Childhood: Child care licensing
Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| 4 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| 5 years | 1:16 | 32 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:16 | 32 |
Rule: K.A.R. 28-4-428(a). Kansas uses 1:12 (max 24) for children 2.5 years to school-age and 1:16 (max 32) for school-age. Under K.A.R. 28-4-420, school-age starts at the age of kindergarten eligibility, so most 5-year-olds are school-age, but a child not yet in kindergarten may stay in a preschool unit until the school year starts. Mixed school-age groups use the youngest child's ratio. Younger: infants 1:3 (max 9) or 1:4 (max 8), toddlers 1:6 (12), 2 to 2.5 years 1:7 (14). Separately licensed school-age programs follow K.A.R. 28-4-576 to 28-4-596.
Summer camps
We found no separate Kansas youth camp license, but day camps for school-age children are licensed as school-age programs, with specific rules for outdoor summer camps and mobile summer programs (K.A.R. 28-4-586), when children attend 12 or more hours a week for more than 2 weeks. Summer instructional camps run by a nonprofit, school, or nonpublic school are exempt (K.S.A. 75-7707). How overnight (resident) camps are regulated was not confirmed.
Camp agency: Kansas Office of Early Childhood (licenses day camps as school-age programs)
Sources: K.A.R. 28-4-586 Outdoor summer camps and mobile summer programs; K.A.R. 28-4-578 School-age program licensure and exclusions; K.S.A. 75-7707 License required; exemptions
Background checks
Applicants, licensees, center employees, volunteers counted in the ratio, and anyone with unsupervised access to children need fingerprint-based Kansas Bureau of Investigation and FBI checks covering every state lived in during the past 5 years; others regularly in the facility need name-based KBI and Kansas DCF checks. Checks are submitted with each initial and renewal license application and before anyone starts, and people on child abuse and neglect or sex offender registries are barred (K.A.R. 28-4-125; K.S.A. 75-7719). Licensed school-age programs and summer camps follow the same process (K.A.R. 28-4-584).
Sources: K.A.R. 28-4-125 Background checks; K.A.R. 28-4-584 Background checks (school-age programs); K.S.A. 75-7719 Prohibited persons; fingerprinting
Giving medication
Staff must complete medication administration training before giving any medicine and need written parent permission; medicine must be in its original container (pharmacy label for prescriptions, child's first and last name on over-the-counter medicine), given as the label directs, documented on the state form in the child's file, and kept in locked storage (K.A.R. 28-4-132(i), 28-4-423).
Free medication administration log
Sources: K.A.R. 28-4-132 Child care practices (medication administration); K.A.R. 28-4-423 Physical plant (locked medication storage)
Reporting child abuse
Listed professionals must report promptly when they suspect abuse or neglect, including licensed child care providers and their staff, teachers and other school employees, and medical, mental health, and law enforcement workers (K.S.A. 38-2223). Child care center staff must report to the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) within 24 hours (K.A.R. 28-4-430).
Sources: K.S.A. 38-2223 Persons required to report; K.A.R. 28-4-430 Health practices; illness and abuse; Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect
Checked October 2026 against Kansas's official rules and federal sources. Rules change and have exceptions, so confirm with the agency before you rely on them. This is general information, not legal advice. Kansas has 1,449 youth and community program nonprofits, according to our analysis of IRS data.
FAQ
Kansas questions
What is the staff-to-child ratio for school-age children in Kansas?
In licensed child care centers, 1 staff member for every 16 school-age children, with groups of up to 32 (K.A.R. 28-4-428(a)). Camps and license-exempt programs can follow different rules.
Do summer camps need a license in Kansas?
We found no separate Kansas youth camp license, but day camps for school-age children are licensed as school-age programs, with specific rules for outdoor summer camps and mobile summer programs (K.A.R. 28-4-586), when children attend 12 or more hours a week for more than 2 weeks. Summer instructional camps run by a nonprofit, school, or nonpublic school are exempt (K.S.A. 75-7707). How overnight (resident) camps are regulated was not confirmed.
Do after-school programs need a child care license in Kansas?
A program serving only school-age children needs a license if 2 or more children attend 12 or more hours a week for more than 2 consecutive weeks. Single-subject classes or activities (a sports league, dance class, martial arts), programs run by a local government or school district for no more than 4 consecutive hours a day or no more than 2 consecutive weeks, and summer instructional camps run by a nonprofit or school are not licensed (K.A.R. 28-4-578; K.S.A. 75-7707).
Who has to report suspected child abuse in Kansas?
Listed professionals must report promptly when they suspect abuse or neglect, including licensed child care providers and their staff, teachers and other school employees, and medical, mental health, and law enforcement workers (K.S.A. 38-2223). Child care center staff must report to the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) within 24 hours (K.A.R. 28-4-430).
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