Group (center-based) child care provides care for three or more children under 6 years old for five or more hours a week. The staff ratios that apply at all times when children are present in daycare facilities and during activities outside the center are designed to protect the safety of the children. To become a child care provider in Central New York, there are certain steps that must be taken to ensure the health and safety of the children. The first step is to attend an orientation session.
This can be done by calling the regional child care licensing office in your county. Additionally, online training is available through an authorized child care center on the provider training webpage. After attending orientation, a summary card of child care performance must be published by the New York City Department of Health. This card outlines the minimum standards that must be met to reduce the risk to children. The next step is to submit a full application to the Child Care Regulations staff.
This application will be reviewed and an inspection will be conducted to ensure that all applicable laws and minimum standards are being met. Background checks must also be completed before a person provides direct care or has direct access to children under guardianship, and then on a recurring basis. Finally, an information package must be obtained from the local Child Care Regulation office. This package will include supplementary forms to complete the application process, as well as contact information for local Child Care Regulations staff. In order to guarantee the health and safety of children in their care, child care providers in Central New York must take several steps. These steps include attending an orientation session, publishing a summary card of child care performance, submitting a full application, completing background checks, and obtaining an information package from the local Child Care Regulation office. By following these steps, child care providers in Central New York can ensure that their facilities meet all applicable laws and minimum standards, and that their staff is properly trained and qualified to provide safe and secure care for children.