Louisiana Home Daycare Records Checklist

A surprise visit from your LDOE specialist shouldn't send you scrambling through a kitchen drawer full of loose papers. Louisiana requires home daycare providers to keep specific records organized and accessible at the care site — and missing even one document can trigger a deficiency on your next inspection.

What Records Must Be On-Site

Registered Family Child Care (FCC) providers under Bulletin 139 must maintain the following categories of records at the home where care is provided:

Per-child enrollment files:

• Signed parent enrollment agreement with emergency contacts, pickup authorizations, and medical consent
• Current immunization records (or approved medical/religious waiver)
• Allergy and dietary restriction documentation
• Attendance logs showing daily arrival and departure times

Provider and household files:

• CCCBC clearance letters for every adult household member aged 18 and older
• Current Pediatric CPR and First Aid certification
• Medication Administration Training certificate (renewed every two years)
• Mandated Reporter Training completion
• Continuing education documentation (12 clock hours per year)

Operational records:

• Fire drill log with date, time, and names of children present, maintained at the interval required by the applicable LDOE/OSFM checklist
• Emergency evacuation plan posted where caregivers can access it during care hours
• Daily menu records if participating in CACFP
• Incident/accident reports with parent notification signatures

How Long to Keep Everything

Louisiana requires home daycare providers to retain comprehensive records — including staff training documentation, child attendance logs, background check determinations, fire drill logs, and health inspection reports — for a minimum of three years on the premises.

That three-year window applies even after a child disenrolls or a household member moves out. LDOE can request these records during any inspection or investigation during that period.

Renewal and Recertification Timelines

CCAP provider certification requires annual renewal through the EdLink portal. The renewal packet includes updated copies of your CPR/First Aid certification, continuing education hours, and current household member list (with CCCBC clearances). The separate Provider Agreement is detached from the standard annual renewal process and must be signed through EdLink.

The Office of State Fire Marshal conducts inspections on a triennial cycle for FCC homes. Keep your most recent OSFM clearance letter filed with your operational records — the inspector will reference it on subsequent visits.

If any household member changes — someone moves in or out — you must report the change to [email protected] before the change occurs. New adults need an immediate CCCBC background check, and failing to report the change can result in certification suspension.

Organizing Your Records System

The simplest approach is a three-ring binder with tabbed dividers for each category: one section per enrolled child, one for provider credentials, one for operational logs. Keep digital backups of everything, but the physical originals must be accessible at the care site during operating hours.

Update your attendance logs daily — not at the end of the week. CCAP reimbursement audits cross-reference your attendance records against submitted KinderConnect data, and discrepancies can trigger repayment demands.

If you want a ready-made system that organizes every document category with built-in tracking for renewal dates and continuing education deadlines, the Louisiana Home Daycare Start-Up Guide includes a records management tracker alongside the full registration walkthrough.

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