Child Care Authorization Form

A child care authorization letter is a legal document whereby parents give their written consent to a family member or non-relative to take temporary care of the child or children. This legal template enables non-parent caregivers to help children with any life situation they have. Fill out this child care authorization letter form on Lawrina, download it in PDF to share with the other parties.

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A child care authorization template is a legal form that outlines the terms of the authorization given by a parent to another person to provide temporary care of a child. Such a form includes fields for the parties' personal information to the authorization, the scope of authorization, dates, signatures, and other essential details.

The babysitter letter sample can be filled out directly on the Lawrina platform, after which it can be downloaded in PDF for printing or sharing with other persons.

What Is a Child Care Authorization Letter?

A child care authorization letter is a legal document by a parent or another lawful guardian authorizing someone else to take temporary care of a child. For example, one of the typical situations of using a take care letter is allowing a nanny to take children from daycare.

Other situations when child care authorization is needed can include permitting another person to take care of a child when a parent is temporarily away due to a business trip, an emergency, medical or other reasons. In addition, a medical release form for babysitters can permit someone to make necessary decisions in the absence of a parent related to various aspects of child care, for example, medical treatment, school, travel, or vacation.

For convenience, such a document can be created from a child care authorization template, which can be useful without a family lawyer. Using a child care authorization template can also help to ensure that it contains all necessary details.

Child care authorization agreements define the limit of the care provider’s authority over the child. They may also specify the duration of the consent to act as the “adult caregiver" –– an adult person whom a parent has authorized to provide temporary care for a child.

Parties of the Child Care Authorization Letter

Parent(s) –– One or both parents, depending on custody arrangements, if any. When one parent cannot sign a child care authorization letter because of distance, legal restrictions, or mental or physical condition, the parent who is responsible for the child or children can be the only one named.
Caregiver –– The entrusted caregiver.
Child(ren) –– All children to be cared for.

Key Terms

Typically, babysitting letters to parents include the following legal provisions:

Parties — The sample of letter of authorization should clearly state the full names of all parties involved, including the children.
Scope — Authorization letter examples should describe what the entrusted caregiver is expected to do. Determine in advance what each party expects from the other to prevent misunderstandings.
Price and payment — Most caregivers in emergency situations or for vacations are relatives who do not charge. However, payment terms should be listed if the parents are paying a caregiver.
Timing — The proof of daycare payment letter should state when the care will begin and end, even if it is simply an estimate in the event of an emergency.

Child Care Authorization vs. Child Support

Sometimes, child care authorization is confused with other terms like child support. The proof of child care letter template is a document provided by the parent or lawful guardian to other persons, allowing them to take temporary care of a child.

Meanwhile, child support is a monetary allowance paid by a parent to support their children who are not in the parent's custody. Child support can be voluntary or ordered by a court. Importantly, the child care letter of authorization does not affect the parent's responsibility to provide child support.

What Is the Difference Between Child Care Authorization, License, and Voucher?

Other terms sometimes mentioned in connection with child care authorization include child care license and child care voucher.

Unlike child care authorization provided by parents to unrelated persons to take temporary care of a child, a child care license is an authorization provided by states to child care providers. The licensing requirements include the criteria to legally provide child care services.

A child care voucher, sometimes mentioned in connection with child care authorization, is a certificate for monetary allowance provided by the state or a local government to parents to help cover child care costs. The voucher is provided to families with children under 13 residing with a parent who is employed or studying where family income is below the limit determined by each state.

Importance of Signing a Child Care Authorization Letter

A child pick up authorization letter can help parents in many circumstances create a document to ensure that the parents can rely on another adult caregiver. The core of a child care application and authorization form is to specify the permissions and obligations of a non-parent care provider when he or she is in charge of the minor children.

The following are typical duties that parents may want to mention in a notarized authorization letter sample:

Consenting to any medical procedures that the child may require; Enrolling the child in school, extracurricular or sports activities, and more;

Receiving and applying for the child’s confidential and legal documents on behalf of the child—healthcare records, school documents, driver’s license, job permission, birth certificate, state identification card, social security card, etc.;

Receiving public assistance on behalf of the child.

What To Include in a Child Care Authorization Letter

Every kid letter template shall include standard information for it to be considered a valid document. When working with a letter of authorization format, you must enter this information into the required fields, after which the document can be signed and downloaded in PDF. Here is an overview of what child care authorization must contain.

Name and address of the parent or guardian.

Name and address of the second parent or guardian if the authorization is provided by both parents/guardians.

Name and address of the caregiver authorized to care for the child. Child's name.

The scope of the caregiver’s authority (taking the child from school, explaining absences, emergency health decisions, etc.).

The date when the letter was made/signed. Date when the child care authorization becomes effective. Date when the authorization expires. Signature of the parent(s) or guardian(s).

How To Write a Child Care Authorization Letter

Each letter section is vital and must be carefully considered before signing. Parents can use an example of letter authorization to travel for a minor in any situation for anyone taking care of their children in their absence. When preparing this letter, remember the following:

Clearly state who is authorizing the caregiver to take care of the child. All information shared in a child care authorization letter should remain strictly confidential. The person caring for the child must have a valid government identification card. Child care authorization letters do not require notarization.

The parents or legal guardians of the child must sign the letter giving permission to care for a child.

In case of emergency, parents and providers should keep copies of the authorization letter sample to claim on hand.

Parties’ Authorization Consent

By writing an authorization letter, the parent(s) or guardians express their consent to authorizing a caregiver or childcare provider to take temporary care of the child during a limited period.

The parties' consent can also include the purpose of child care authorization, like delegating parental responsibility in the parent's absence.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Here, the parties should describe the key responsibilities that the childcare provider should fulfill while the parents are temporarily unavailable. The following examples can be used in an authorization letter to get a birth certificate:

To take the child to his or her medical appointment, to consent to medical care as deemed necessary by the physicians and medical providers at the time of the appointment, and to purchase any required prescriptions;
To enroll the child in a day-care program, public or private preschool, primary school, or secondary school;
To take the child to his or her day-care program, public or private preschool, primary school, or secondary school;
To authorize the child to participate in age-appropriate extracurricular, civic, social, or recreational activities, including athletic activities;
To authorize the child to obtain a learner’s permit, driver’s license, or state-issued identification card;
To authorize the employment of the child; and
To apply for and receive public benefits on behalf of the child.

Duration of the Child Care Authorization Form

Parents can establish a specific child care authorization period when they need a non-parental care provider. The duration should include start and end dates and if the child care authorization is a one-time event or recurring.

Warnings and Disclosures

This is an important part of guardianship letter samples, as it explains what will happen in the event of problems. A family lawyer may be able to help determine the most appropriate statements for this section. The following may be included:

Consequences for the childcare provider for failure to take care of the child within the established period and scope of the agreement;
Conditions that divide the parental and non-parental responsibilities regarding the child and the scope of expenses;
Termination option for parents to change the duration of the nanny offer letter template.

When to Use a Child Care Authorization Letter

With a child care authorization letter, entrusted caregivers can seek essential medical treatment for the minor children, pick them up from school, or support them in other important ways when their parents are away.

Non-parent caregivers should provide a child care authorization template for parents to sign when taking on a new client. To get essential medical treatment for a child, the caregiver must provide doctors and hospital staff with a child care authorization letter signed by at least one of the child’s parents.

Common Use Cases

You will need to legalize your child care authorization before you temporarily delegate your responsibilities to a caregiver. See the checklist below and prepare a child care authorization letter of temporary guardianship while on vacation if these bullet points apply to your case:

If you will be away on a business trip or vacation;
If your child needs medical treatment while in the care of a trusted adult;
When you are at work and need someone to keep your child safe;
If your child needs to be picked up from school or taken to a school play or a church bake sale;
If a caregiver is taking your child along on vacation;
When your child needs to stay at someone else’s house for a few days;
When your child’s caregiver must complete official paperwork on your child’s behalf, such as school enrollment forms, medical consent forms, background checks, etc.; or
When presenting the child’s interests at court or other legal proceedings on behalf of the child.

Child care authorization is crucial when an adult caregiver must make medical decisions for the child if parents cannot do this. The cases can be the following:

Medical treatment is necessary and the parent cannot make medical decisions. The parent is in the hospital and another person must make medical decisions for the child. The parent needs someone to follow up with the child’s medical treatment after outpatient surgery.

The provider must seek emergency medical treatment and manage healthcare records on behalf of the child.

In most jurisdictions, there is a list of persons entitled to consent to medical, dental, and psychological treatment of a child when the non-related person with the officially given child care authorization cannot be contacted, for instance: a grandparent, an adult brother or sister, an educational institution in which the child is enrolled, etc.

When Not To Use a Child Care Authorization Letter

The child care authorization letter does not grant full legal custody of a child while their parents are away or unavailable. In general, the person with legal custody must take care of your child if no one else is available. Parents cannot leave their children with anyone without their permission, so the child care authorization letter is a must-have legal document for parents.

In an emergency, someone should always be authorized to take care of your child. However, child care authorization is not necessary if parents are just going out for a short time.

The documented child care authorization does not confer any authority on the person taking care of the child and cannot:

Be used to establish custody;
Exclude child support from the parent’s responsibility.

In general, the person with legal custody of your child must take care of your child if no one else is available to do so. It's also important to know how to make an authorization letter. You cannot leave your child with anyone without that person’s permission.

Laws & Regulations

There is no legal requirement for child care authorization letters in any state. Still, they are highly recommended when parents consider hiring someone to look after their children. These letters can be especially beneficial if the entrusted caregiver will make decisions on the parent’s behalf in their absence, such as when traveling.

A parent or both parents of a child may enter into an authorization agreement with an adult caregiver to authorize the adult caregiver to perform certain acts with regard to the child. In certain states, for instance, in Texas, there is a notarization requirement of such kinds of agreement.