Understanding what different words in child care mean will help parents choose care for their children.

Babysitter - a person who takes care of children while the parent goes out for a short time; usually does not have any training in child care, but some have Red Cross babysitter training.

Child Day Care Center - a NYS regulated program where children are cared for in a site other than a personal residence for more than 3 hours and less than 24 hours each day

Drop-In Care - a program that provides care for a maximum of 3 hours per day on a drop-in basis

Family Day Care - an arrangement in which your child is cared for in a NYS registered child care provider’s home; usually the child is with 1 or more other children

Group Family Day Care - an arrangement in which your child is cared for in a NYS licensed child care provider’s home; usually the child is with a larger group of children and an assistant must be present.

Informal Care - care in a home where a provider may care for no more than 2 children plus their own at any given time. It is legal to care for 2 children and the provider’s own without being registered with New York State.

Nursery School - a pre-school program that usually operates 2 to 3 hours per day for 2 to 5 days each week. Programs which offer daily care of less than 3 hours per child are not required to be licensed by New York State.

School-Age Care - a program which provides care usually for school age children before and after school; some programs provide care on school holidays, snow days, and summers