Finding child care in New York means sorting through licensed centers, home-based providers, Head Start classrooms, church-hosted programs and after-school sites. Our database holds 9,574 daycare listings across the state, and the names show how varied the field is: a Head Start site on Hart Street in Rochester, an infant care center on 58th Street in Flushing, a library-based program on Washington Avenue in Albany. This page explains who regulates these providers, how the picture changes between the five boroughs and the rest of the state, and what to do before you enroll a child.

Who Regulates Daycare in New York State

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) is the main child care regulator. It writes the state's child care regulations under the Social Services Law, licenses or registers providers, and sends inspectors to check them. Outside New York City, OCFS regional offices handle most of that work directly.

Inside the city, the job is split. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene permits group child care centers and many school-based and after-school programs under the city Health Code. Home-based providers in the five boroughs are still registered through OCFS. If the paperwork on a program's wall names an agency you did not expect, this split is usually the reason.

The type of program determines the rules it follows. Five categories cover most of what you will find in the listings:

Staff at regulated providers must pass background checks, including a criminal history review and a check of the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment. They must also complete health and safety training, and children must meet immunization requirements before they attend. These are baseline rules, and many programs set stricter ones of their own.

Five Boroughs, Suburbs and Upstate: How Daycare Supply Differs

Where you live changes your options more than anything else. The four most heavily listed counties are all in New York City: Kings County (Brooklyn), New York County (Manhattan), Queens County and Bronx County. Together they hold close to half of the statewide listings.

City programs often sit inside other institutions. Chinatown After School Program at PS 124 on Division Street shares a public school building. St. Andrews Episcopal Church on Castle Hill Avenue in the Bronx hosts a program in a house of worship. In Brooklyn, religious schools such as Bais Esther School in Borough Park and Associated Beth Rivah on Crown Street appear alongside independent centers like Beansprouts of Brooklyn in Park Slope and ACE Preschool in Bushwick. In Queens, Jamaica, Flushing and Long Island City each list infant, toddler and preschool providers close enough to compare in a single afternoon.

Outside the city, the pattern shifts. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany anchor their regions with the largest numbers of programs, including Head Start sites, library partnerships and community agencies such as Accesscny in Syracuse. Smaller cities like Schenectady, Troy, Poughkeepsie and Yonkers have fewer options, so families there often pair a center with a home-based provider to cover a full workday.

Long Island and the Hudson Valley are mostly suburban. Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Dutchess counties each carry hundreds of listings, but providers are spread over wide areas. A car is usually necessary, and drive time becomes part of the decision. In the North Country, the Southern Tier and other rural regions, centers are scarce and family day care homes fill much of the gap. Rural families should ask early about hours, because opening times may not match shift work or a long commute.

How to Check a New York Daycare Before You Enroll

Start with the public tools. OCFS runs an online child care facility search that shows a provider's license or registration status, capacity and inspection history. For group child care in New York City, the health department's Child Care Connect site posts inspection results for permitted programs. Look a provider up there before you call.

Then visit in person. Check that the license or permit is posted, count the adults against the number of children, and ask how many staff hold first aid and CPR certification. For centers regulated by OCFS, state rules call for one caregiver for every four infants under 18 months, with higher ratios for older children. Ask how babies are put to sleep, how pick-up is verified, and what happens when a teacher is absent.

Plan ahead on timing. Infant spots and popular preschool seats fill months in advance, especially in dense neighborhoods such as Flushing and Jamaica. Many programs keep waitlists, so apply to several. Public programs tied to the school year, such as 3-K and Pre-K in New York City, follow the Department of Education's application calendar rather than rolling enrollment.

Bring the paperwork. Most providers ask for the child's birth certificate or other proof of age, immunization records, a recent health exam form signed by a doctor, emergency contacts and a list of adults authorized to pick up the child. For a subsidy application, add proof of income, your work or school schedule, and photo identification. Call ahead using the number in the listing, such as 585-254-0093 for ABC, Inc. Head Start in Rochester, to confirm hours, openings and required documents.

Paying for Daycare in New York: Subsidies, Head Start and Pre-K

Child care is costly, particularly downstate, but several programs reduce the bill. The Child Care Assistance Program is run by local social services districts. Eligibility depends on household income, family size and a qualifying need such as work, job training or school. Families usually pay a share of the cost based on income, and the subsidy goes to an enrolled provider. In New York City, the Administration for Children's Services handles child care vouchers, and the ACCESS NYC screening tool shows which benefits you may qualify for.

Head Start and Early Head Start are federally funded and free for eligible families under federal income and eligibility rules. Early Head Start serves infants and toddlers. Sites like ABC, Inc. Head Start on Hart Street in Rochester are examples of this model in our listings.

For four-year-olds, school districts across the state operate Universal Prekindergarten, and New York City's Pre-K for All is free. The city's 3-K program for three-year-olds is also free, though seat availability varies by district. Finally, ask a tax preparer about the federal and New York State child and dependent care credits, and check whether your employer offers a dependent care flexible spending account.

Licensed daycare and childcare programs in New York are regulated by the state's child care licensing division, which establishes standards for health, safety, staff qualifications, and caregiver-to-child ratios to protect enrolled children.

Daycare locations are available in 896 cities across New York. They are spread across 61 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include New York, Bronx, Brooklyn, reflecting population centers where working families have the greatest demand for licensed childcare options.

Families in New York searching for licensed childcare should verify that any facility is currently licensed by the state, check inspection history, and inquire about available subsidy programs that may reduce out-of-pocket childcare costs.

Daycare by Counties

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
W
Y

Daycare by Cities

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y

Families in New York can verify the licensing status of any childcare provider through the state's child care licensing agency online database. Income-eligible families may qualify for childcare subsidies through the Child Care and Development Fund program administered at the state level.

Browse Daycare by county across New York to find the nearest location.

Reading the County Pattern Behind New York's Daycare Listings

County totals say a lot about how child care is organized. Brooklyn's Kings County has more listings than any other county, reflecting its population and its mix of small centers, home-based providers and school-affiliated programs. Upstate, Erie County around Buffalo and Monroe County around Rochester are the largest markets. Albany, Dutchess and Onondaga counties represent mid-sized Capital Region, Hudson Valley and Central New York markets.

Listings are a starting point, not a final answer. A name such as Amherst Baby and Childcare Center on Millersport Highway in Buffalo (716-688-2068) or Bright Days on Vassar Road in Poughkeepsie (845-463-7860) tells you where a program is. A phone call or visit tells you current openings, ages served and fees, which change from season to season. Because the directory includes centers, after-school programs and school-affiliated sites, some entries serve only school-age children or a specific community. Confirm ages and hours before you travel.

Daycare in New York: Frequently Asked Questions

The Office of Children and Family Services regulates child care across the state, licensing or registering centers, family day care homes, group family day care homes and school-age programs. New York City is the main exception. There, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issues permits to group child care centers and many school-based programs under the city Health Code, while OCFS still registers home-based providers. Every regulated provider should display a license, registration or permit. If you cannot find one, ask the provider directly, then verify it through the state or city online search before you enroll your child.

Use the OCFS online child care facility search, which lists a provider's status, capacity and inspection results. For group child care centers inside New York City, the health department's Child Care Connect site posts permit status and inspection findings. Search by the provider's name or street address, and compare what you find with what the director tells you on a tour. Look for patterns of repeated violations rather than a single minor item. Inspections can be unannounced, so a clean record reflects day-to-day practice, not just a prepared visit. Ask the provider what changed after any past violation.

Both are run from a provider's home, and the difference is size. A family day care home is limited to six children, with a small number of additional school-age children permitted. A group family day care home may care for seven to twelve children and must have an assistant on site. Group homes generally face more requirements because more children are present. Families who want a smaller, home-like setting often choose these options, particularly for infants and toddlers. Check the registration or license for the exact capacity, and ask which hours the assistant is present.

Yes, if your household qualifies. The Child Care Assistance Program is administered by your local department of social services, and in New York City by the Administration for Children's Services. Eligibility depends on income, household size and a qualifying need such as employment, school or training. Most families pay a share of the cost based on income. Head Start and Early Head Start are free for eligible families, and Pre-K for All is free for four-year-olds in New York City. Before applying, ask the provider whether it accepts subsidy payments, since not every program does.

Start as early as you can, ideally during pregnancy or at least several months before you need care. Infant seats are the hardest to find because state ratios require more caregivers per baby, which limits how many infants a program can enroll. Demand is highest in dense parts of Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, where waitlists are common. Apply to several programs and ask each about waitlist procedures and any fees. In rural counties there are fewer centers to choose from, so call early and also ask about registered family day care homes, which often take infants.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. To report suspected abuse or maltreatment, contact the Statewide Central Register hotline at 1-800-342-3720. For licensing or safety problems, such as unsafe conditions, too many children or missing staff, contact the OCFS regional office that covers the provider. For a group child care center in New York City, you can call 311 and ask to file a complaint with the health department. Write down dates, names and what you saw, since specific details help inspectors act quickly.