Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert

Child care centers can reopen as of July 13.

Centers must follow strict safety guidelines including:

  • No more than 15 children per room, social distancing
  • Face coverings for staff and children
  • Daily health screenings
  • Frequent cleanings and disinfection
  • Limited sharing of items, including toys

The Department of Health will inspect programs to verify compliance.

Contact your child care provider for more information about reopening.

Get health and safety guidelines for child care centers.

Need something else?

You can get information about permitted, licensed, and registered child care programs. Some of these programs are partially paid for by the City. Others are private and will require you to pay for the full cost of the program.

Child care programs include:

  • Group child care during the day or at night for children 3 to 5 years of age
  • Infant-toddler care for children 0 to 2 years of age
  • Home-based or after school child care services

Online

NYC Child Care Connect is an online portal that includes a group child care center directory and a free messaging service that parents and caregivers can sign up for to receive notifications about specific child care centers. 

To compare child care centers, you can review: 

  • Recent inspection reports
  • Violations issued 
  • Staff turnover

Access NYC Child Care Connect and sign up for the messaging service.

Get tips for choosing a day care provider.

By Phone

You can get a list of licensed and registered child care programs through the Child Care Resource and Referral Consortium.

Call 311 for assistance by phone.

The Living for the Young Family through Education (LYFE) Program provides day care services for children, ages 8 weeks to 3 years old, of students still attending school. This program tries to meet the specialized needs of young families.

Online

Learn about day care for parenting teens who are in school.

By Phone

Call 311 for assistance.

As of January 1, 2019, all group child care programs and school-based child care programs must keep at least two epinephrine auto-injectors with retractable needles on-site. These auto-injectors must be dosed for children. At least one staff person trained in using the auto-injector must be on-site whenever children are present.

This requirement does not apply to home-based family day care programs.

Online

Learn more about epinephrine.

By Phone

Call 311 for assistance.

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