How to become a registered/licensed Family Child Care provider

What Is a Family Child Care (FCC)/Group Family Child Care (GFCC) Provider?

A family child care (FCC)/group family child care (GFCC) provider is an independent child care business operator who is registered to provide child care services for children, aged 6 weeks to 12 years, in his/her home. A FCC/GFCC provider is also someone who understands the importance of providing quality early childhood education to all children, especially during the first three years of life.

Qualification

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Live in a home or an apartment that is safe for children
• Have two exits in the home
• Be in good character and in good physical and mental health
• Have no child abuse complaints against you or anyone that lives with you or intends to work with your program
• Demonstrate basic competency in health and safety procedures
• Have some experience working with children or some education in early childhood development

Getting the Application
To get a family child care application, call the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Child Care and request an initial family/group family child care application booklet. An application booklet will be mailed to you with an identifying number that will be used to track all of the information you submit. You may also request an application by calling our office at 212-941-1828 (English) or 212-792-4597 (Chinese).

Site Inspection
A representative from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) will schedule a home inspection visit with you after receiving your completed family child care registration application.

Fingerprinting
You and all the members of your household who are 18 years of age or older, and all the adults associated with the family/group family child care home must be fingerprinted. A fingerprint card must be completed regardless of conviction record. For more information on where to get fingerprinted free of charge, please contact our office.

In addition to fingerprinting, you and everyone residing at the child care site who is 18 years of age or older must complete and submit a State Central Register (SCR) Clearance Form. This form is included in the initial family child care application booklet. Your family/group family child care registration will not be completed until all fingerprinting and SCR forms have been submitted for processing.

Health and Safety Training
Prospective Providers are required to complete a 15-hour Health & Safety training before they can be issued a family child care registration or license.

The health and safety training is a competency based training that all prospective providers are required to successfully complete before they can be issued a family/group family child care registration.

There may be a fee associated with taking the health and safety training. The cost for the training will vary depending on where you take it, so shop around. However, once you receive your family child care registration, you can submit a “rebate form” to get reimbursed for the fee you paid to take the health and safety training.