The questions providers ask most

How do I hear about licensing rule changes as soon as they happen?

You do not have to wait for someone to forward it to you. CDSS runs a free email list for Community Care Licensing, and once you are on it, every notice reaches you the day it is issued.

It takes about a minute: open the subscribe page below, enter your email, choose the child care list, and confirm. The step-by-step version, with a screenshot of the form, is in the post.

→ Read the full post: How to Get Licensing Updates the Moment They Are Issued

Sources: CDSS Community Care Licensing — subscribe to updates · Checked 2026-09-17

What fire equipment does a small family child care home have to have?

Three things: a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector that meet the State Fire Marshal’s standards, and one or more carbon monoxide detectors that meet the Chapter 8 standards.

The carbon monoxide detector is the one that gets missed. It was added by SB 234 and only took effect on 1 January 2020, so any checklist or handout printed before then does not mention it at all.

Sources: HSC 1597.455 — small family daycare home · Checked 2026-09-17

How many hours of first aid and CPR do I need, and how often do I renew?

The law asks for at least 15 hours of health and safety training, plus one more hour of childhood nutrition if your licence was issued on or after 1 January 2016 — so 16 hours for almost everyone licensed today. It covers pediatric first aid, pediatric CPR, and a preventive health practices course.

The part people miss is the renewal rule. Pediatric first aid and pediatric CPR must be current at all times and renewed every two years. Preventive health practices is a one-time requirement — you do not repeat it.

Your card has to come from the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or a programme approved by the Emergency Medical Services Authority. A home-study course does not count. An approved online course is allowed for first aid or preventive health practices, but not for CPR.

Sources: HSC 1596.866 — health and safety training · EMSA — Child Care Provider training · Checked 2026-09-17

Two things are changing in first aid and CPR training — 2026 and 2027

From 1 January 2026, first aid and CPR training has to include the prevention and treatment of anaphylaxis, including the emergency use of an epinephrine auto-injector. If you were certified on or before 31 December 2025, the law treats you as compliant for your next renewal period.

From 1 January 2027, the same group of people has to complete a minimum of 12 hours of continuing education a year. That is new, and it is not small.

Both come from the same amendment (AB 150, effective 29 June 2026). Ask your trainer whether their course already covers the anaphylaxis part rather than assuming it does.

Sources: HSC 1596.866 — health and safety training · Checked 2026-09-17

A family asks whether they qualify for help paying — which agency should they call?

Three organisations help San Francisco families check eligibility and apply:

• Children’s Council — 415-343-3300
• Wu Yee Children’s Services — 844-644-4300
• Compass Family Services — 415-644-0504 ext 2303, for families experiencing homelessness

Wu Yee administers the ELFA Tuition Credit, and the guidelines state that families and programs interested in the Tuition Credit must contact Wu Yee.

Be careful which credit you mean, because the amounts are very different. The FY2026-27 rate sheet lists a Full Tuition Credit for 111–150% AMI at the same monthly amount as a fully funded enrollment, and a Half Tuition Credit for 151–200% AMI at half that. But the FY2025-26 Access & Enrollment guidelines describe the Tuition Credit as 111–150% AMI at “50% of the ELFA Fully Funded rates”, which does not match the rate sheet.

On the FY2026-27 sheet an infant’s Full Tuition Credit is $3,027 a month and the Half Tuition Credit is $1,514 — so which band a family lands in roughly halves what they get. Quote the rate sheet rather than the guidelines, and have the family confirm their band with Wu Yee before you tell them what to expect.

Sources: San Francisco — Early Learning for All · ELFA Access and Enrollment Operating Guidelines FY2025-26 · Early Learning For All Rates FY2026-27 (eff. 1 July 2026) · Checked 2026-09-20

When can I apply to join the ELFA network, and what happens after I apply?

DEC’s next open application period is Summer 2027. The current round has closed: DEC completed its preliminary review and published a ranked list in July 2026, and applicants can look up their rank using their application ID.

After you submit, DEC reviews eligibility and replies by email within 1–2 weeks. Add [email protected] to your contacts and check your junk folder.

Meeting the requirements does not guarantee a place. DEC ranks applications by priority and works down the list only as far as staff capacity allows — in its own words, “Lower ranked programs may not hear from us.” Any program not invited to an orientation by February 2027 will be asked to apply again in the FY2027-28 application process.

To be eligible you need a current, active CCLD licence in good standing — “pending” does not count — your ECE units finished with transcripts ready to upload, and enrolled children aged 0–5 making up at least 25% of your licensed capacity. For a Small Family Child Care Home that means at least two children; for a Large Family Child Care Home, at least three.

Sources: Join ELFA 26-27 FAQ · DEC Partner Hub — Join ELFA · Checked 2026-09-20