Family Child Care Planning Guide

Helping you get started with your own family child care business

Questions? Contact Anne Gresco, Child Care Development Coordinator 518 426-7181 Ext. 308, or [email protected]

Welcome We are delighted you are interested in opening up a family child care home. Families in the Capital Region need high quality child care! You have the opportunity to help families in your community by becoming a family child care provider. There are many things to think about before beginning the process. This guide is intended to help you determine if family child care is right for you and get you started on the path to opening a quality child care program right in your own home. Sections:

1. Getting started 2. Is family child care right for me? 3. Resources and support

About the Capital District Child Care Council

The Capital District Child Care Coordinating Council is a non-profit organization serving parents, employers and child care providers in Albany, Fulton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady counties in New York State. It is a resource and referral agency, providing resources to the community by improving the availability and quality of child care, and a referral service counseling parents seeking child care.

Contact Us

Phone 518 426-7181 Ext. 308 for Anne Gresco, Child Care Development Coordinator Toll Free 1-800-521-KIDS (1-800-521-5437) Fax 518 426-9649 Email [email protected] Address 91 Broadway, Menands, NY 12204 Hours 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday On-line www.cdcccc.org

Questions? Contact Anne Gresco, Child Care Development Coordinator 518 426-7181 Ext. 308, or [email protected]

Getting started Picture of Child Care in the Capital Region (Community Needs Assessment)

Every year, the Council publishes a comprehensive analysis of the supply and demand for child care in the Capital Region. Data is collected directly from child care providers who voluntarily complete a thorough questionnaire regarding child care issues and information. The report details information such as average child care provider wages and benefits, the average cost of child care, and the shortage or surplus of child care in each county. Download a copy of the “Picture of Child Care” at www.cdcccc.org/community_communityreports.cfm

What is family child care?

A family child care home provides child care services, including early learning opportunities, for unrelated children, for a fee, in a residential setting, in your own home. You are responsible for running your business. Family child care programs must be registered through the New York State Office of Children and Family Services if care is provided for three or more children on a regular basis. If you choose to be a family child care provider, you will need the support of your entire family.

Family Child Care 99 Is registered with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (NYS OCFS) 99 Serves children 6 weeks through 12 years of age (or older with documentd special needs) 99 Takes place in a personal residence 99 Has a maximum allowable limit on the number of children ‚‚ Six children between the ages of 6 weeks and 12 years ‚‚ Plus two additional school-age children (Kindergarten or higher) ‚‚ One approved adult for every two children under the age of two ‚‚ Your own children count until they become school-age (during the summer prior to attending Kindergarten)



Group Family Child Care 99 Is registered with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (NYS OCFS) 99 Serves children 6 weeks through 12 years of age (or older with documentd special needs) 99 Takes place in a personal residence 99 Has a maximum allowable limit on the number of children ‚‚ Twelve children between the ages of 6 weeks and 12 years ‚‚ Plus four additional school-age children (Kindergarten or higher) ‚‚ One approved adult for every two children under the age of two ‚‚ Your own children count until they become school-age (during the summer prior to attending Kindergarten) 99 An assistant must be present when a third infant is in care or anytime child care numbers exceed the family child care allowable limit (listed above) Questions? Contact Anne Gresco, Child Care Development Coordinator 518 426-7181 Ext. 308, or [email protected]

Is family child care right for me? First, do you have what it takes beyond loving children? Seasoned child care professionals would agree that providing child care can sometimes be a tough job. Your personality, organizational skills, patience, education, and ability to work well with diverse groups will all be tested. Even your home will come under the evaluation of New York State. However, don’t let this stop you if you are determined to become a child care provider. It is a very rewarding profession with support and expertise from the Child Care Council available to you every step of the way. Can you answer YES to each of the following questions? If you can, congratulations! Family child care may be the right career for you. If you answered no, take a second look at the question. Is it something you can learn, change, or re-organize? If not, then maybe opening a family child care business isn’t the right choice for you at this point.

99YES!

…… Are you willing to create a safe, child-oriented environment? …… Are you willing to set aside plenty of space for children to play in your home? …… Do you have or can you obtain a sufficient amount of toys and educational materials for all ages? …… Do you have a working telephone? …… Are there two exits from any floor in your home where care will be provided?

…… Do you enjoy working with children? …… Are you willing to develop knowledge of child development? …… Are you willing to learn how to plan an enriching environment with developmentally appropriate activities? …… Do you have enough capital to maintain the child care business until all of the child care slots are filled? …… Are you willing to learn about business tax responsibilities? …… Are you able to maintain accurate records? …… Are you willing to provide child care to meet the needs of families (hours, days, etc)? …… Are you willing to develop realistic policies and a contract for your business plan? …… Are you willing to report suspected child abuse? …… Are you willing to operate the child care business within the regulations of New York State? …… Are you in good health and do you have the stamina to care for children? …… Do you have the support of your family in this business venture? …… Are you willing to work long hours? …… Can you handle emergencies? …… Are you willing to stay in business to provide continuity of care for a child? …… Are you willing to attend 30 hours of training every two years? Questions? Contact Anne Gresco, Child Care Development Coordinator 518 426-7181 Ext. 308, or [email protected]

Checklist:

Steps to Become a Family Child Care Provider. Follow these steps in order to stay organized and on track throughout the process.

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Read the checklist, “Is Family Child Care Right for Me?” If you answered yes to each statement, a family child care business may be for you.

View the free, on-line Child Care Orientation video required by the Office of Children and Family’s Services. Visit www.cdcccc.org, click on Become a Provider and follow the links to the Child Care Orientation (2-hour video). You will be asked to create an account in order to view the video.

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Request a Family Child Care Application. The link to request the Family Child Care Application becomes available after viewing the video. Once requested, the application will arrive in around two weeks.

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Submit your Family Child Care Application. Partially completed applications are accepted. Questions you may have regarding your application can be addressed by your licensor.

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Have your property inspected by a NYS Fire Safety Inspector. Your licensor or registrar will contact the Fire Safety Inspector for you. The Inspector will then contact you to make an appointment for your inspection.

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Register for the required New York State Office of Children and Family Services (NYS OCFS) approved Health and Safety training. For Health and Safety Training registration, call Anne Gresco at 426-7181 Ext. 308.

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Become CPR and First Aid certified. Visit cdcccc.org or call your local Red Cross for class schedules. Have your fingerprints taken. Fingerprints must also be taken for each person living in your residence who is age 18 or older. Recieve home inspections by New York State Office of Children and Family Services (NYS OCFS).

Once your application is successfully processed and your home inspections show that you are in compliance with all New York State Office of Children and Family Services (NYS OCFS) regulations,

you will receive your NYS Family Child Care Registration!

Questions? Contact Anne Gresco, Child Care Development Coordinator 518 426-7181 Ext. 308, or [email protected]

Resources and support The Capital District Child Care Council is here to support you through every step in becoming a family child care provider. Please feel free to call us with any questions you may have along the way. Child Care Development Coordinator Anne Gresco 518 426-7181 x308 [email protected] Please join us online by signing up for our e--Newsletter at www.cdcccc.org Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CDCCCC and follow us on Twitter @CDCCCC

A few more tips for a new Family Child Care Provider! Call the Capital District Child Care Council at 518 426-7181 to: …… Promote your child care business by adding your name to the Council’s Referral Database. …… Get reimbursed for serving healthy meals and snacks by joining the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). …… Discover the workshops available on www.cdcccc.org. …… Become a member of the Child Care Council to take advantage of reduced class fees. …… Visit our website at www.cdcccc.org to join our mailing list! More information is available by visiting: Capital District Child Care Council is a resource and referral agency, providing resources to the community by improving the availability and quality of child care and a referral service counseling parents seeking child care. www.cdcccc.org The New York State Office of Children and Family Services also provides support for people and organizations that are interested in starting day care programs in their communities. www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/ childcare/becomeaprovider.asp The National Association for Family Child Care is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting quality child care by strengthening the profession of family child care. www.nafcc.org

Child Care Aware of America offers a comprehensive website of materials for people thinking about opening a child care business. http://childcareaware.org/child-care-providers The Family Child Care Association of New York State is a non-profit, professional statewide organization dedicated to supporting family child care providers and associations. http://www.fccanys.org/ VOICE CSEA a union made up of and working for family childcare providers from across New York State http://www.voicecsea.org

Questions? Contact Anne Gresco, Child Care Development Coordinator 518 426-7181 Ext. 308, or [email protected]