Child Care in a Child Care Center
A Child Care Center is 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.
Child Care Centers in Cortland County are licensed by the Syracuse Regional Office of the Office of Children and Family Services. To request an application to start a Child Care Center, contact the Syracuse Regional Office at: (315) 423-1202, or go to the Office of Children and Family Services website.
If you would like to work in a Child Care Center consider the following:
- You must be 16 years of age to work in a Child Care Center. If you are less than 18 years old you may not be left alone with children.
- The following degrees and credentials will be helpful in obtaining employment in a Child Care Center: New York State Children’s Program Administrator Credential, Child Development Associate Credential (CDA), Infant Toddler Child Care Credential, or a degree in Child Development, Early Childhood, Recreation, or a related field.
- Employers look for experience working with children. One way of obtaining that experience is by volunteering in a program working with children.
Once you are working in a Child Care Center you will need to get ongoing training. You will need to take 30 hours of training every two years. You will probably get some of your training from your director. You can also take training on-line, take college classes, or take training from community resources. The Cortland Area Child Care Council offers training on many topics.
What factors are used to determine and maintain group size
and staff to child ratios in a Child Care Center?
Minimum Staff to Child Ratios Based on Group Size
for Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers
| Age of Children | Staff to Child Ratio* | Group Size** |
| Under 6 wks*** | 1:3 | 6 |
| 6 wks-18 mos. | 1:4 | 8 |
| 18 mos.-36 mos. | 1:5 | 12 |
| 3 yrs. | 1:7 | 18 |
| 4 yrs. | 1:8 | 21 |
| 5 yrs. | 1:9 | 24 |
Minimum Staff to Child Ratios Based on Group Size for School-aged Children
| Age of Children | Staff to Child Ratio* | Group Size** |
| Through 9 yrs. | 1:10 | 20 |
| 10-12 yrs. | 1:15 | 30 |
* Staff to Child Ratio refers to the maximum number of children per staff person.
** Maximum Group Size refers to the number of children cared for together as a unit.
