I am in the process of starting a small childcare center for my chuch?

Am I required to have a teacher with a degree? I have experience running a business (I am a full time executive for a manufacturing company) and the ladies who will be running the business day to day have years of experience in child care but they are not teachers. They have gone through the required orientations as well as CPR/First Aid classes. I also understand that they will need a criminal background check. We are a small church and we can not afford a teacher. Any advice?

I highly doubt it. I have worked at several day care centers & I have no degree. Most of the people I worked with didn't either. A preschool may be different. In my state (NC) a part time preschool does not have to be liscened and therefore the rules are different. I would start calling around but I think your ok.

I believe you only need a teacher when you are going to teach a child...letters etc.

no you only need a teachers degree when your teaching like in a public school!