Group Family Child Care

Group family child care providers may care for more children when an additional caregiver is present. Group providers are licensed by NYS OCFS.

Click here to see the state regulations for group family child care.

Group Providers may care for:

• Children from 6 weeks to 12 years of age
• One approved caregiver for every 2 children under the age of two.
• A full-time assistant must be present when seven or more children are in care or more than two children under 2 years of age
• The provider's own children under kindergarten age are included in the maximum number of children.
• A provider is only approved to care for the larger group of children, their license certificate will indicate “12 children, ages 6 weeks to 12 years AND 4 additional school-aged children (there must be one caregiver for every 2 children under two years in attendance)”. 

Number of Children In Care: A new law affected on June 16, 2010 allows regulated home-based care to have more children in care.  However, a provider  MUST BE in compliance with his/her current maximum capacity, which could be:

• Either:  Up to 12 children, if all are over the age of two OR Up to 10 children, if any child is under the age of two; And up to 2 additional school age children, if approved. With 2 adults for every 2 children under the age of two.
• OR (If approved for new regulations as of June 2010):  Up to 12 children and up to 4 additional school age children, if approved. One approved caregiver per every 2 children under the age of two.

Click Here to see chart of child/adult ratio.