Ellington

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — State officials call inaccurate a recent federal report that criticizes Mississippi for not regulating hundreds of home-based child care operations.

A recent report from inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services says Mississippi is violating federal rules by failing to enforce health and safety standards for home-based centers receiving federal subsidies.

But Jill Dent, director of the Division of Early Childhood Care and Development at the state Department of Human Services, says Mississippi does require some training, limited background checks, and self-certification. She says the state wants to provide more training in the coming year.

Homes caring for six or fewer children are specifically exempted from regulation by Mississippi law, but critics say some poor quality centers pose a risk to a child's health and intellectual development.