K.K.
If you got a really good feeling from her in the beginning, I say go for it. One day/week, although consistant, is really infrequent in the daycare world and you WILL have a hard time finding 1 day home care elsewhere. Here is some info I found about researching home daycares from a private website I have access to:
How to Check Home Child Care Provider Background
The names of FAMILY PROVIDERS have been obtained from county social service agencies; detailed service and cost information is supplied by each provider. Minnesota Child Care Innovations, Inc. updates provider openings each month and other provider detail quarterly. No claims are being made about the quality of the FAMILY PROVIDERS.
For your protection, before enrolling your child with the FAMILY PROVIDER of your choice, reconfirm the provider's licensing status and ask if any complaints have been filed against the provider by calling the Child Care Licensing Unit in the county where the provider lives. Hennepin county telephone number is listed below.
Hennepin: ###-###-####
License type: The license type identifies the maximum number of children the provider can accept (including their own) and the age restrictions that apply. The following explains the license types in Minnesota.
LICENSE TYPE: A=family MAXIMUM# OF CHILDREN:10 TOTAL# UNDER SCHOOL AGE:6 TOTAL# OF INFANT AND TODDLER COMBINATION: 3-maximum 2 infants
LICENSE TYPE: B1=infant specialized MAXIMUM# OF CHILDREN: 5 TOTAL# UNDER SCHOOL AGE: 3 TOTAL# OF INFANT AND TODDLER COMBINATION: 3 - 3 can be infants
LICENSE TYPE: B2=infant specialized MAXIMUM# OF CHILDREN: 6 TOTAL# UNDER SCHOOL AGE: 4 TOTAL# OF INFANT AND TODDLER COMBINATION: 4 -maximum 2 infants
LICENSE TYPE: C1=group MAXIMUM# OF CHILDREN: 10 TOTAL# UNDER SCHOOL AGE: 8 TOTAL# OF INFANT AND TODDLER COMBINATION: 3 -maximum 2 infants
LICENSE TYPE: C2=group MAXIMUM# OF CHILDREN: 12 TOTAL# UNDER SCHOOL AGE: 10 TOTAL# OF INFANT AND TODDLER COMBINATION: 2 -maximum 1 infant
LICENSE TYPE: C3=group MAXIMUM# OF CHILDREN: 14 (2 adults) TOTAL# UNDER SCHOOL AGE: 10 TOTAL# OF INFANT AND TODDLER COMBINATION: 4 -maximum 3 infants
LICENSE TYPE: D infant MAXIMUM# OF CHILDREN: 9 (2 adults) TOTAL# UNDER SCHOOL AGE: 7 TOTAL# OF INFANT AND TODDLER COMBINATION: 4 -4 can be infants
LICENSE TYPE: P MEANS LICENSE PENDING OR PROVIDER IS LEGALLY CARING FOR CHILDREN FROM A MAXIMUM OF THREE FAMILIES.
LICENSE TYPE: LEAGALLY UNLICENSED PROVIDER CAN LEGALLY CARING FOR CHILDREN FROM ONE FAMILY.
A family 10 6 3-maximum 2 infants
B1 infant 5 3 3 - 3 can be infants
B2 infant 6 4 4-maximum 2 infants
C1 group 10 8 3-maximum 2 infants
C2 group 12 10 2-maximum 1 infant
C3 group 14 (2 adults) 10 4-maximum 3 infants
D infant 9 (2 adults) 7 4 - 4 can be infants
P license pending
LEGALLY UNLICENSED provider can legally care for one family
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Seriously, I would call that number and ask if "Jane Doe" is really getting her license, if it's pending, and ask the other questions you mentioned here. Not in a form of distrust, but because you can get very good answers from that phone number AND verify her honesty. If the person your speaking to is not very helpful (only b/c with Hennepin County you never know!), see if she's been assigned a case worker or someone who is handling her licensure. Get THAT person's phone number and call them. The case workers (at least when I called) seemed so helpful and told me what to look for that I hadn't thought of. One told me to "ask her if she's done her SIDS training cause that is up for renewal this year" and so on. If you can get to the case worker that handles her license, your way better off!
I know this is a lot, but in the back of my mind I was thinking maybe at some point you'll be interested in increasing your daycare from 1 day to more, so I just wanted to be thorough.
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Sorry about adding more, but here is some info I found on MN regulations of child care I thought you might find helpful as an FYI...
MN Rules & Regulations Governing Licenses
The following list is a brief summary of the rules that are of most interest to parents. A complete list is available by contacting the Human Service Division of the county you live in, or through the State of Minnesota, Department of Human Services.
TRAINING: The in-home provider must be certified in first aid and CPR prior to or within one year of the provider's license date. Teachers, assistant teachers and child care aids employed by centers must meet schooling, child care experience and training requirements. SIX HOURS OF TRAINING IN CHILD CARE RELATED COURSES MUST BE COMPLETED EACH YEAR BY ALL PROVIDERS.
SUPERVISION: The provider must always be within sight or hearing of an infant, toddler, or preschooler and must be close enough to assist a school age child.
RELEASE OF CHILD: The parents must give the provider, in writing, the names of all persons authorized to remove the child from the provider's residence.
ILL CHILD: The provider cannot accept children who will jeopardize the health of the other children in care. The provider will notify the parents immediately if their child develops symptoms of illness.
ADMINISTERING MEDICINE: The provider must obtain written permission from the child's parents prior to administering medicine and using diapering products, sunscreen lotions and insect repellents.
TOXIC/HAZARDOUS MATERIAL: All toxic and hazardous materials must be kept out of a child's reach.
ELECTRICAL OUTLETS: All electrical outlets must be tamperproof/shielded for children under 6 years of age.
STAIRWELLS: All stairwells must have gates/barriers for children between 6 and 18 months.
TRANSPORTING CHILDREN: The provider must have the parent's written permission to transport their child and have the required car seats/seat belts.
LICENSED CAPACITY: The provider is limited to the number of children and the age of each child she/he can accept. This number is determined by the county in which the provider/center is located. Before a person/center is licensed/registered for child care, the applicable county conducts a thorough background investigation of that person/center. The person's residence/facility is inspected by a fire marshal to ensure and enforce safety requirements.
