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.
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. They are registered with The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) through our Registrar Department.
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. They are licensed by OCFS through the Yonkers Regional Office.
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 Yonkers Regional Office.
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 6-12 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.
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.
Referral Services
This is normally offered as a benefit and would be at no cost to you the employee. Please check with your employer to find out if this is a benefit available to you. The referrals we give are referrals only, not recommendations. The Child Care Council does not recommend, nor endorse any particular individual or program.Parent Intake Form.
Be an Educated Consumer
If you are like most parents, you may know the basics about child care, but still want to learn more. The Child Care Council has materials available that give the extra information you will need to make an educated decision. These are some of the topics and resources that may be useful to you:
- How to Choose Child Care
- What To Look For In a Provider
- What To Expect From a Provider
- What a Provider Should Expect From You
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Information on Informal Providers
We will automatically send you information on some of 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.
Assistance in paying for child care:
The Department of Social Services determines eligibility for subsidy for low income working parent. Call 568-5252
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 Yonkers Regional Office of NYS OCFS at
(914) 376-8810
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 Yonkers Regional Office of NYS OCFS at
(914) 376-8810
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
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