Information for Parents

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Choosing child care is an important decision. Safe, positive child care sets the stage for healthy growth and development, so selecting child care takes time, patience and knowledge of available resources. You know your child’s needs. However, you may need assistance matching those needs to available resources, which is why OCFS is proud to share information to help you make this important decision.

Guides for Child Care

There are a variety of child care options in New York State, many of which are regulated by OCFS to assure your child receives quality care in a safe setting. No one type of program is necessarily better than another—all children have different needs, so one option might support your child’s learning and development better than another. Several factors and resources can help you choose a quality program that’s right for your child and your family:

Help Paying for Child Care

Finding Quality Child Care

Licensed and Registered Child Care

Health and Safety

Inspection Checklists
These inspection checklists may not reflect every regulatory citation, but reflect substantial and commonly-observed requirements of the OCFS regulations. Additional regulatory citations that are not included in these inspection checklists can be added by a regulator during inspections, as needed.

Emergency Planning

Social-Emotional Development

Other Resources