Tennessee Daycare Record Keeping Requirements: What Files You Must Maintain

Records That Must Be Ready for Any Inspection

Tennessee licensing consultants conduct at least four monitoring visits per year, including at least two unannounced visits. During each visit, they can ask to review any of your on-site records. Missing or incomplete files are written up as deficiencies — accumulate enough and your license is at risk.

Here's everything you need to keep current and physically accessible at your home daycare location.

Child Enrollment Files

Every enrolled child needs a complete portfolio on-site containing:

Immunization records on a current state form. Tennessee requires children to be up-to-date on state-mandated vaccinations. You need the original or a certified copy — a parent's verbal confirmation doesn't count. Update these when children receive new vaccinations.

Emergency medical care authorization signed by the parent or guardian, specifying who can authorize medical treatment if the parent cannot be reached.

Pre-enrollment visit documentation — written verification that the parent visited your home in person and reviewed your program before enrollment. This confirms the parent inspected the facility and discussed your engagement approach.

Authorized release files listing exactly who is authorized to pick up each child, with signatures. No child can be released to someone not on this list.

Life-threatening allergy plans — for any child with documented severe allergies, you need a written plan of action endorsed by a licensed physician, kept immediately accessible.

Daily Operations Records

Sign-in and sign-out sheets are your most important daily document. Each sheet must include:

• The printed full name of every child
• The date
• Exact arrival and departure times
• The signature of the parent or authorized representative at both sign-in and sign-out

These records are part of your attendance documentation for CCAP subsidy billing if you're enrolled as a certificate program provider; CCAP also requires approved electronic attendance verification.

Daily health screening logs — inspect every child immediately upon arrival for signs of illness or physical injury. Any visible marks, bruises, or cuts must be documented on an intake log along with the parent's comments about what caused them. This protects both the child and you.

Safe sleep logs — for infants under 12 months, you must conduct and document physical checks every 15 minutes to verify breathing and body temperature. Each check requires your signature with the time recorded.

Medication Records

If you administer any medication to a child — prescription or over-the-counter — you need written parental authorization on file before the first dose. Document every administration with:

• The child's name
• The medication name and dosage
• The date and exact time given
• Your signature

Store all medications in a locked location completely inaccessible to children. This applies to staff medications too — personal items like purses, backpacks, and medications belonging to anyone in the household must be stored in a designated, locked area.

Transportation Records

If you transport children (field trips, school pickups), you need:

Written transportation agreements with each family detailing daily pick-up and drop-off protocols.

Written parent consent for each off-site activity or field trip — general blanket consent isn't sufficient. Each trip needs its own signed form.

Insurance documentation — proof of general, auto, and medical payment liability insurance if you transport children in any vehicle.

During field trips, you must maintain increased adult-to-child ratios (one additional adult beyond your standard ratio) and verify attendance at departure, arrival, during activities, and upon return.

Staff and Business Records

Background check documentation for yourself, employees, volunteers with unsupervised access to children, substitutes working more than 36 hours in a calendar year and counted in the adult:child ratio, and all household residents aged 15 and older. These must be renewed every five years.

Drug testing policy — a written policy must be maintained on file, though Tennessee doesn't mandate specific testing schedules for home providers.

Written emergency procedures posted near the primary exit, covering fire evacuation, severe weather, medical emergencies, missing child protocol, and power outage plans.

Keeping Records Inspection-Ready

The simplest system: one binder per child (enrollment documents, health screenings, attendance) and one operations binder (daily logs, staff records, policies). Keep them in the same location every day. When a licensing consultant arrives unannounced, you should be able to hand them any file within two minutes.

The Tennessee Home Daycare Licensing Guide includes printable templates for daily sign-in sheets, safe sleep logs, health screening intake forms, and medication administration records — all formatted to satisfy TDHS inspection requirements.

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