Early Care & Education
Overview
Our Experts
Ninety percent of brain development occurs between the ages of zero to five, so quality early care and education is instrumental for child development, growth, and lifelong success. Public Counsel’s Early Care and Education law unit is the leading provider of free legal services for child care providers in L.A. County and fills a critical void—as early care and education is a highly regulated industry with multiple barriers to entry.
Our services contribute to the financial security of the business owner and enable working families in low-income communities and communities of color to secure quality child care services so that they can both contribute to the economy and earn a living wage for their families. The program’s goal is to maintain and increase the supply of quality early care and education in Los Angeles County by helping providers overcome barriers to opening and operating their child care programs. Without such support, many of these providers would be unable to start their business or sustain providing quality services to low-income children.
We assist in-home day care providers and nonprofit child care centers with issues such as:
- Understanding and complying with employment laws
- Landlord discrimination against in-home day care providers
- Land use/zoning barriers imposed by local jurisdictions
- Compliance with state licensing regulations
- Navigating business issues related to liability and risk management
- Drafting contracts and other transactional documents that will protect the provider and their business.
See Get Help below to apply for support.
Publications
Public Counsel publications offer legal guidance and practical tools to support child care providers, advocates, and community-based organizations. Our resources help expand access to affordable child care, strengthen early care infrastructure, and promote equity for caregivers and the communities they serve.
The Latest
The latest stories on our efforts to support in-home day care providers and nonprofit child care centers
Need legal help or interested in a training for your child care business? We offer one-on-one assistance and group workshops to help providers understand their rights and navigate complex regulations. We assist with landlord discrimination, zoning and permitting issues, licensing compliance, contracts, employment law, and other legal needs that help child care providers protect and grow their businesses.
Call (213) 385-2977 x 300 or apply online here.
