I can see why a government would try to ensure that all children being cared for by those-for-hire are safe.

In the US, there are laws regulating how many children per careminder in any given hour are legal. The number depends also on age and child's mobility- i.e. infants, requiring more care, must have a smaller ratio of childcare givers. Up to five preschool children per household is the usual standard, but if that number includes an infant, the number drops.

All of this I can see.

But regulations regarding reciprocal caring of a friend's children I don't see at all. True, if my friend had 8 children, including an infant and a toddler, I'd be most hesitant!