History

The creation of the Office of the Ombuds for Family Child Care Providers (OFCCP) was in response to recommendations made by the 2021 Final Legislative Report of the Minnesota Family Child Care Task Force (PDF). The task force was convened to identify challenges in the family child care licensing system and provide recommendations to address those challenges. The task force members included legislators, providers, parents, child care association members and licensors. The recommendation urged the Legislature to establish an ombuds office that “would be charged with being an independent resource for information.” The resulting legislation became law with MN Statute 245.975 in 2021. 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s administration appointed Lisa Thompson as the first Ombuds for Family Child Care Providers. In the March 30, 2022 press release from the Office of Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan, Gov. Walz says, “Lisa has firsthand experience as a child care provider and advocate. She is well prepared to take on this role as a liaison between providers and the state. I look forward to seeing Lisa apply her expertise to her work as Ombudsperson.” Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan goes on to say, “Helping our child care providers navigate the system is essential to ensuring accessible and high-quality child care for all Minnesota families. I know Lisa is committed to the Ombudsperson’s mission and will serve Minnesotans with dedication.”

Ms. Thompson was chosen to lead this new office following an open and robustly competitive application process with three rounds of panel interviews. The interviewing panelists included stakeholders across Minnesota and representation from the licensed family child care community. In July 2022, the ombuds office was launched as the first ombuds office for family child care providers in the country.