Family Day Care and Group Family Day Care
Have you considered a home-based child care business as a way of making a living and providing quality care to the children and families in your community?
If you plan on caring for more than two children in your home who are not related to you, you will need to become registered or licensed. Registered family child care providers can care for up to eight children. Licensed group family day care providers, with at least one assistant, can care for up to sixteen children. Care can be provided for children from six weeks of age through 12 years of age.
If interested in becoming a childcare provider, please take the online orientation offered by the New York State Office a Children and Family Service. The online orientation is available via the Child Care Council of Dutchess and Putnam, Inc. website and offers guidance with the application process as well as information on operating a day care out of the home. For any further questions, please contact our offices at (845) 473-4141, ext. 226.
In addition, registered or licensed family and group family day care providers may be eligible to participate in the Child and Adult Food Care Program (CACFP) which provides partial reimbursement for nutritious meals served to the children in care. For more information about CACFP, contact our offices at (845) 473-4141 ext. 220.
School Age Child Care
School Age child care refers to a program or facility which is not a residence in which child day care is provided to an enrolled group of more than six school age children. This can be offered in a school building, community center, commercial building, etc. Care can be provided for school-age children of any age. For more information, or to obtain an application, please contact our offices at (845) 473-4141, ext. 216.
Day Care Centers
Day care centers are programs or facilities which are not in a residence in which child day care is provided on a regular basis to more than six children for more than three hours per day. Care can be provided for children from six weeks of age through 12 years of age. For more information, or to obtain an application, please contact our offices at (845) 473-4141, ext 223.
Other Information
All child care providers must take training in order to obtain and renew their license or registration.
Child care in New York State is regulated by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). To access the regulations for the above types of care, go to the OCFS website (http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/childcare/becomeaprovider.asp) homepage for child care.
