Interested in starting a child care program?

Our Agency Can Guide You Through the Process

Determining what kind of program you want- Any child care program that serves three or more children for more than three hours a day on a regular basis must obtain a license or registration. Each type of care has a different set of requirements for the number of children and caregivers, building and safety requirements and early childhood programming. See this page for more info on types of childcare.

Orientation -The first step in applying for a child care program license or registration is Child Day Care Orientation. This orientation will walk you through the information you need to know to determine if you are interested and able to start a child care program in New York State. Orientation will also introduce you to the important rules and regulations you need to know in order to run your business.

Each video in the orientation series is 5-10 minutes long. You can stop at any point and resume where you left off if you log in using the same computer. Total time to complete all the videos is about 1.5 hours.

No internet access? No problem! Contact the Child Development Council to use our computer during work hours.

Visit the Child Day Care Orientation to find out more. (Click Here)

After you have watched all the required orientation videos you will be asked if you wish to request an application. If you wish to proceed with licensing or registration, The Office of Children and Family Services will mail your requested application to your home.

If you’ve had a license or registration in the past, you may not be required to take orientation. Call 607-273-0259 and speak with a registrar for more information.

Support – Work with us to begin the application process. We can supply you with application materials, advise you about the process of starting a program, and understand legal requirements. We offer support and educational materials to help build good business practices and quality programming for children.

Visit our Toolkit for resources on business planning, marketing, career development, record keeping, taxes, curriculum planning, contracts, and more!

For individuals who want to work towards a Family Day Care (FDC) or School Age Child Care (SACC) Registration, you will be assigned a Child Care Specialist from our agency to guide you throughout the process. For those who are working towards licensing a Day Care Center (DCC) or Group Family Day Care (GFDC) home, we will direct you to the Syracuse Regional Office (NYS OCFS). We will still be here if you need us. Just give us a call.

For detailed regulation information you can go to the OCFS Web site at ocfs.state.ny.us/main/childcare.