From Dawn Rosenberg McKay,
Your Guide to Long Island, NY.
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As you know, living on Long Island is expensive. To live here and enjoy what the Island has to offer, many households require two incomes. For those with young children, this usually poses the question of who will take care of the children while mom and dad are at work.

Some parents choose to hire nannies who care for children in the families' homes or babysitters who care for children in either the families' homes or in the babysitters' homes. Neither nannies or babysitters are licensed or regulated, though many people have wonderful success with both these options. Many parents prefer their children be cared for by a licensed provider. They also prefer their children be in an environment in which they can socialize with other children. Several options exist for families that want to go this way.

Child Care Centers

A child care center, also known as a daycare center, provides a structured environment. Children are grouped by age and by developmental needs. Some centers accept infants, in addition to children ranging in ages from two through five. Sometimes school-age children may attend these centers during school holidays.

Family Child Care Homes

Some child care providers operate out of their own homes. Family child care homes must be registered with New York State. They can accept a maximum of six children (maximum of five children if any are under two years old). A family child care home can accept only a maximum of two children under age two. Group family child care homes can care for a maximum of 12 children, ages two through 12, or a maximum of 10 children if any are ages six months through two years. The provider must be licensed and must have one assistant working with him or her. Group family child care homes are licensed by New York State.

Who's Watching the Providers?

In a perfect world, all child care providers would be perfect as well. You could select any provider, and be rest assured that your child would be happy, healthy, and safe. Since we don't live in a perfect world, child care providers don't always do what they are supposed to do. Sometimes they want to keep their staffs small to cut down on costs. Sometimes they don't want to take the time to keep their facilities clean. Because these things are important to the well-being of the children in their care, someone must make sure the providers adhere to certain regulations. In New York State, this task falls to the Office of Children and Family Services. The OCFS licenses and regulates child care providers. It sets up teacher/child ratios to insure that children are closely supervised and inspects centers to make sure they are sanitary.

What to Look for in a Child Care Provider

Whether you decide to go with a daycare center or a family child care home, you want to make sure you look for the best place possible. You can ask friends for recommendations, but before you choose a facility, make sure it is licensed by New York State. Some providers are also accredited. One accrediting organization is the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

If you are looking for a child care provider in Nassau County, you can contact the Child Care Council of Nassau for a referral. You can contact the Suffolk Child Care Council if you are looking for a provider in Suffolk County. They will give you information on each provider, but you need to check them out on your own as well.

Visit the facility in person. First make an appointment to visit. Ask to observe one or two classrooms. See how the teachers interact with the children and how the children interact with each other. Ask for references. Also, drop in when you aren't expected. Look at bathrooms and food preparation areas. Are they kept neat and clean? This is a very important decision, so don't forget to ask a lot of questions. The peace of mind you'll have knowing your child is safe and sound while you're at work will make the time you put into this decision worthwhile.