Grandma reading with children.Informal in-home child care is care provided in the child’s or caregiver’s home by a person who is a relative, friend, neighbor, babysitter, or nanny. This type of care may also be known as family, friend, and neighbor care and is not usually regulated by states or territories. Informal in-home child care can range from a few hours at night for a parent’s night out to full-time care arrangements.

Is Informal In-Home Care Licensed?

Many informal in-home child care providers are not required to have a child care license to legally provide care. For instance, most states and territories do not require an in-home child care provider to be licensed if they provide care on an occasional basis, provide care in your home, or are related to the children in their care. However, it is important to understand that when an in-home child care provider is not licensed or regulated by your state or territory, they are not monitored to ensure that they are meeting basic health and safety requirements (including passing criminal background checks) or meeting key child care training standards (such as being first aid and CPR certified).

Your state or territory may regulate some informal in-home child care providers, depending on the child care licensing rules in your state or territory.

For instance, some states require an individual who is caring for a certain number of children in their own home to be licensed to ensure the children’s safety. If you are considering an informal child care arrangement in which your child will be cared for in another person’s home, it is important to understand the child care licensing rules in your state or territory to ensure that the informal in-home child care provider you are considering isn’t operating illegally.

To learn more about what child care licensing is and why it is important, see the “How is Child Care Regulated to Ensure Children's Health and Safety?” page.

Why Choose an Informal In-Home Child Care Setting?

Families may choose informal in-home child care for a variety of reasons, including the following:

  • Some families are most comfortable with a relative or caregiver they know and trust. 
  • Some families believe their children will feel more secure in their own homes.
  • Some families may need the flexibility informal in-home care can offer. This is especially true if they work nontraditional hours, such as second and third shifts, when most other types of care settings are closed.
  • Because the provider can come to the family’s home, informal in-home care removes the burden of transporting children to and from care.
  • Informal in-home care is often less expensive, especially if there are several children in the family.
  • Informal in-home care can be a good fit for families that don’t need child care on a full-time or regular basis.

Key ResourcesAdult holding child's hand.

Here are some resources to help you learn more about your child care options:

  • If you’d like to learn more about your state or territory’s child care licensing requirements, be sure to use a trusted source of child care information, such as your state or territory’s child care consumer education website. To find your state or territory’s child care consumer education website and information about child care licensing, select your state or territory and review the “Understanding and Finding Child Care Resources” page.
  • Many states also have child care resource and referral agencies that can answer your questions about who should be licensed by phone, in person, online, or via email. Staff may also be able to provide you with more information about informal care options. To contact your local child care resource and referral agency, select your state or territory and review the “Understanding and Finding Child Care Resources” page.
  • To learn more about how to find and choose quality child care, visit the “How Do I Find and Choose Quality Child Care?” page.