Becoming a Child Care Provider

The Child Care Council of the Finger Lakes, Inc. offers providers training, technical assistance, supplies and one-on-one training assistance to increase the quality of care for those in their care.

Beginning Steps

If you are interested in becoming a Child Care Provider, please contact us at either our Auburn or Seneca Falls office.  We will arrange a time to meet with you to discuss what you will need to do to become a day care provider and to help you decide if this is the right professional choice for you.  If you do decide to become a licensed registered day care provider, we will assist you find answers to your questions through one-on-one technical assistance and help you with any information or resources you may need to begin your day care business and to maintain good standing.

What you should know and expect

Family Day Care Licensing is handled through the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) Regional offices.  The OCFS Regional office for Cayuga County is located in Syracuse, New York and the OCFS Regional office for Seneca County is located in Rochester, New York.  Both Regional offices will mail you an application and after the application is completed, will assign you your individual OCFS licensor. 

Your application will include a State Central Registry Check and a Criminal Background Check for anyone in your household who is 18 years old or older.  These must be completed and returned with your application to the appropriate office.  You must also be fingerprinted as part of the Background Check. We can do finger printing at either of our offices free of charge.  Please call us Monday – Friday between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm for an appointment. If you have any questions about the Criminal Background Check, please contact our offices. 

As part of your application, all members of your family must have had a recent physical check-up, so make appointments if you need them for yourself and for family members. You will need a TB (tuberculosis) test completed as part of your application process.  Family members are exempt from this test.

You will also need to attend 30 hours of OCFS/child care related training and have completed a 15 hour Health and Safety training course.  You must have the Health and Safety training before you can be licensed (see section on Health and Safety for more information) and if you intend to give medications to children in your care, you will also need to complete Medical Administrative Training (MAT).  We provide, at no cost, technical assistance to help you understand all that you need to know about your child care operation.  Any other additional training at the Child Care Council will cost you a very minimal fee between $8.00 and $12.00. The Health and Safety training is $225 with an administration fee of $25. If you cannot cover the cost of the training, please contact us.  There is financial help available.  

Before your application can be sent to the Office of Children and Family Services, your licensor will need to conduct an inspection of your home to ensure that you meet the required standards set by the Office of Children and Family Services.

Finally, please make sure that you have completed all areas of the application that need to be completed by you.  Please remember to complete your application in ink and that you have signed your name.  Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Please remember to have the Certification of Child Support Obligations notarized and finally please remember to keep a copy of your completed application and put any related forms in a safe place.

If you are having problems completing the application, please contact us.
The Child Care Council is there to help you with all the steps you need to take to complete your application.

In Cayuga County: (315) 255-6994 fax: (315) 258-9249 202 Grant Avenue Auburn, NY 13021 email: auburninfo@ccc-fl.org	In Seneca County: (315) 568-0945 fax (315) 568-0978 86 Fall Street Seneca Falls, NY 13148 email: senecainfo@ccc-fl.org

Or contact the Office of Children and Family Services directly at:

Office of Children and Family Services Syracuse Regional Office The Atrium Building, 3rd Floor 2 Clinton Street Syracuse, N.Y. 13202 315-423-1202	Office of Children and Family Services Rochester Regional Office 259 Monroe Avenue, 3rd Floor Rochester, N. Y.  14607 585-238-8531