Child Care Council Of Orange County...coordinating resources to benefit our children

Child Care Options
One of the most important things that you, as a parent, need to know when looking for child care is the various types that are available to you and your children. There are 5 different types of regulated child care that we currently give referrals to. Following is a brief description of each.

There are a few regulations that are the same for all modalities of OCFS regulated child care such as:

1)     Any one working with children or living in the household over the age of 18 must be fingerprinted and cleared by the NYS Department of Criminal Justice Services

2)     Any one working with children or living in the household over the age of 18 must be cleared through the NYS Central Registry for Child Abuse and Maltreatment.

3)     The building or home must meet the requirements stated in the specific modalities regulations.

4)     30 hours of training over 9 topic areas is required of all providers or staff members every 2 years.

Education requirements:

1)     Family and Group Child Care Providers must complete a 15 hours NYS Health and Safety Competency Training prior to registration or licensing.

2)     Day Care Center Directors must have formal education such as a bachelor’s degree including 12 credits Early Childhood education or related field.

3)     School Age Child Care Directors must have formal education such as 2 years of college education with 18 credits of child development, early childhood, physical education, recreation, or related field
.


COMPLAINTS REGARDING CHILD CARE OR CCR&R SERVICES

1.     To register a Compliment or Complaint regarding the Child Care Resource and Referral Services:  

        Please contact Elizabeth Kuriplach, Executive Director, of the Child Care Council of Orange County, Inc. at 845- 294-4012 or email liz@childcarecounciloc.org.

2.     If you have a complaint or questions about your child care program:

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services (NYS OCFS) maintains a toll-free                                   complaint line for complaints about child care programs. It is their responsibility to investigate any possible violation to NYS child care regulations. This also includes reporting persons operating a program without the proper registration/license. It is the goal of NYS OCFS to help all programs to come into compliance with NYS regulations.

 To make a complaint call: 1(800) 732-5207

To report suspected child abuse or maltreatment call the

Child Abuse Hotline: 1(800) 342-3720


If you would like the complaint history of a child care program:

• For registered Family Child Care Providers or School-age Child Care Programs call the Child Care Council of Orange County at (845) 294-4012 x230

• For licensed Group Family Child Care Providers or Day Care Centers call the Spring Valley Regional Office of NYS      OCFS at  (845) 708- 2400

If you would like the violation history from the past 2 years of a child care program:

• You may visit the website www.ocfs.state.ny.us ; click on “find child care”

Or

• For registered Family Child Care Providers or School-age Child Care Programs call the Child Care Council of Orange County at (845) 294-4012 x230

• For licensed Group Family Child Care Providers or Day Care Centers call the Spring Valley Regional Office of NYS OCFS at (845) 708- 2400.


Consumer Product Safety Commission:

Find out if your child’s toys and equipment are safe – log onto www.cpsc.gov

The Child Care Council of Orange County, Inc. is an approved Sponsor for CACFP (the Child and Adult Care Food Program).

If your provider joins the CACFP program, your child(ren) will eat healthy and nutritious meals. Your provider will be eligible for reimbursement for certain meals and snacks.

When a parent enrolls their child in CACFP, the parent is subject to audits periodically to verify their child’s attendance and meals received at the provider’s home. For more information, contact Stephanie at 294-4012 x229

Confidentiality Policy

It is the policy of the Child Care Council of Orange County to keep all personal information shared by clients confidential. All information gathered is for statistical purposes of Funders and Council Needs Assessments of the County and no information is shared with outside parties. Personal information is defined as name, address, phone number, or fax number and email address.

Family Child Care Providers- are registered to care for children in a home setting. Depending on the ages of the children they are willing to care for, they can be registered to care for up to 7 or 8 children. The maximum number of children under the age of 2 years old allowed at any time is 2 children. They are registered with The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) through our Registrar Department. An indicator of quality child care would to have a smaller adult to child ratio then required by the state.

Group Child Care Providers- are licensed to care for children in a home setting as well. Depending on the ages of the children, they can be licensed to care for up to 12-14 children. Because of the increased number of children they can have, they are required to have at least one full-time assistant. The maximum number of children under the age of 2 years old allowed at any time is 4 children. They are licensed by OCFS through the Spring Valley Regional Office. An indicator of quality child care would to have a smaller adult to child ratio then required by the state.

Child Care Centers- are licensed to care for children in a facility other than a home. The number of children they are allowed is dependent on the size of the facility. They are required to maintain at least the minimum child: teacher ratio rates for each age group. They are also licensed by OCFS through the Spring Valley Regional Office. An indicator of quality child care would to have a smaller adult to child ratio then required by the state.

Age of Children

Staff to Child ratio

Maximum Group Size

Under 6 weeks

1:3

6

6 Weeks to 18 Months

1:4

8

18 Months to 36 Months

1:5

12

3 Years

1:7

18

4 Years

1:8

21

5 Years

1:9

24

Through 9 years

1:10

20

10-12 years

1:15

30










School-Age Child Care Programs (SACC)- are registered to care for children in a facility other than a home, typically a school. They are designed to care for children age 5-12 years (school-age) before and/or after the school day, and they normally run on the same calendar as the school. They are registered with OCFS through our Registrar Department. An indicator of quality child care would to have a smaller adult to child ratio then required by the state.

Camps/Summer Programs- are regulated by the Department of Health and are not required to be registered or licensed with OCFS. They are normally geared towards school-age children, offering a variety of activities. Camps and Summer Programs can be associated with a center, or can be an independent facility.

Assistance in paying for child care:

 Child Care Subsidy Information:

Call (845) 568-5252 for an application

There are income guidelines for eligibility to receive child care subsidies through the Department of Social Services.

(Based on the year June1, 2007-May 31, 2008)

Family Size

Monthly Income

Annual Income

1

$1,702

$20,420

2

$2,282

$27,380

3

$2,862

$34,340

4

$3,442

$41,300

5

$4,022

$48,260

6

$4,602

$55,220

7

$5,182

$62,180

8

$5,762

$69,140











Fair Market Rates 2008

Other types of Financial Assistance: 

Providers/programs may offer Multi-Child Discounts, sliding fee scales based on family income or
offer scholarships.

Employers may offer Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Assistance Accounts

There is a Earned Income Tax Credit  is a federal income tax credit available to low income
families determined by the number of eligible children and family income.

School Districts may offer Universal Pre-Kindergarten which is a free program to children 4 years
old. You would need to contact your individual school district for more information.

Head Start Child Care is a program for three and four year old children from low income families
that help shape the attitudes and health habits of preschoolers.

The Agri-Business Development Centers are for children of Migrant workers the fees are income
based.

Choosing Quality Child Care

When it comes to looking for child care, you want the best for your child. Research shows that high quality child care can have a positive impact on a child’s overall development. Finding high quality child care is very important for your child's well-being.

Here are some things to consider when looking for child care:

Caregiver education — Training in child development is very important. The caregiver should understand how children develop, their stages of growth and their behavior at various ages. Although specialized training is a key indicator of quality, it's best to look for a provider who has both training and experience.

Accreditation — Some child care programs have met national standards of quality that are more rigorous than licensing/registration rules. They are then considered to be accredited. These programs/providers take extra training and pass tests to receive national recognition.

Group size — Children benefit from the individual attention possible in smaller groups. State licensing rules set standards for how many children of various ages may be cared for by one adult.  If a program chooses to have a smaller group size than what is required by the regulations this is an indicator of quality care.

Ratios Children do better with individual attention which is possible when there is a smaller ratio of adults to children. State licensing rules set the ratio of the number of adults to children in each group. When a program has a smaller ratio of adults to children in any group than what the state rules, it is an indicator of quality care.

Family involvement — A high quality program is responsive to each child. A system is in place for the caregiver to share information about the child's day. The caregiver meets with parents at least once a year to share child's physical, social, intellectual, and emotional growth.

Consistent care — Consistent care from a sensitive, responsive caregiver is the foundation for healthy development, building the child's security, confidence and a sense of well-being. The presence of a regular caregiver and minimal turnover in staff are essential elements of high quality child care.

Health and safety — Children's healthy development depends on safe and positive experiences during the first few years of life. Working during the first few years of a child life can be a tough choice to make, however choosing quality child care that focuses on health and safety can help ease that anxiety. Indicators of quality care: How often do adults and children wash their hands, Are diaper changing surfaces cleaned and disinfected after each use, Are first aid kits readily available, Is the outdoor play area a safe place for children to play, Is there a plan for responding to emergencies or disasters, Has a satisfactory criminal history background check been completed on each adult present also has a check of the State Central registry for child abuse and maltreatment been successively completed.

We will automatically send you information on these topics, when you call for referrals, so you will have it when you meet with potential providers. We will be happy to send you any additional information upon request. Along with supplying written information, we also offer onsite seminars at schools, libraries, churches, work facilities and other places where parents are. Please contact us to get more information.

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