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Child Care in Great Falls

Find a little TLC for your little one at one of Great Falls’ top-notch child care options

We get it. You’re ready to jump into work, but only want the highest-quality child care for your little one. Whether you’re looking for a top-quality preschool to prepare your youngster for Kindergarten or simply want a loving and safe environment for your baby while you’re away, child care options in Great Falls are as expansive as our beautiful terrain.

If you’d like help looking for the right child care option for your family, Family Connections offers referrals to licensed and registered child care facilities for families of all income levels, just fill out this free form.

Child Care Centers

You’ll find five types of licensed or registered child care options in Montana: Center, Family, Group, FFN (Family/Friend/Neighbor), and Relative Care Exempt. Each option is suited to address the specific needs of the families they serve – but rest assured, whichever option you choose will be a great one.

Child care centers are out-of-home environments in which day care and early learning is provided for 16 or more children. Some centers include formal preschool programs; however all facilities provide early learning experiences. Licensed child care centers provide positive, safe, and healthy learning environments for children.

Explore a few of our Child Care Centers in Great Falls:

Play N Learn Academy 
St. Thomas Child and Family Center
TLC Center

Play and learn

Group Care

Group care provides a more informal experience and can be based out of a private residence or other location. Care is provided by two caring adults for 9 to 15 children on a regular basis.

A young girl wearing a pink hat swings on a swingset

Family Care

Looking for a more family-like environment? Then Family Care is for you! Family programs are based out of a private residence in which care is provided for 3 to 8 children on a regular basis. The small number of children to adults lends to a more home like experience.

A family travels across a bridge in Great Falls, MT

FFN (Family/Friend/Neighbor)

Do you have a family member, friend, or neighbor caring for your child? A FFN is a registered provider which may provide care in a child’s home or in the provider’s residence for a sibling group of any size or no more than 4 unrelated children

Relative Care Exempt

A provider that may care for either a sibling group of any size or no more than 2 children from separate households. “Relative care” means the child is the brother, sister, first cousin, nephew, niece, grandchild, or great grandchild of the person providing childcare and includes a child in a step, foster, or adoptive relationship. This provider type is considered ‘License Exempt’ and is for Best Beginnings Childcare Scholarship payment purposes only.

Child Care Licensing

The role of the Child Care Licensing (CCL) program is to monitor, inspect, and support licensed and registered childcare facilities, as well as those working to become licensed or registered. Additionally, CCL establishes regulations for the health, safety, and well-being of the children in these facilities.

Child Care licensing information

Onward!

You’ve got child care figured out, now just to land your dream job in Montana. Luckily, hundreds of jobs await the right candidate… you!

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