School Age Child Care Registration

School-age Child Care programs offer childcare in a non-residential location. These programs care for seven or more children under 13 years old. They run during the school year such as before and after school, during lunch periods and on school holidays. They also may run when schools are not in session, like in the summer. Children in kindergarten or higher grades can join.

Staff-to-Child Ratios

• For children under age nine: one staff member for every 10 children, up to 20 children.
• For children over 10 years old: one staff member for every 15 children, up to 30 children.
• Programs can also provide care for children over age 13 through the end of high school.

Operating Requirements

To run a School-age Child Care program, you must:

• Complete an online Orientation Session.
• Request an application after finishing the Orientation.
• Submit all documents and clearances within 90 days. This includes fingerprinting and background checks.

Training Requirements

• Each director and staff member working 20 hours or more per week must complete 30 hours of training in nine mandatory topics every two years.
  • 15 of these hours must be done within the first six months of employment.
• Staff working 20 hours or less per week must complete a prorated amount of training.
• Staff who care for children must take the Foundations in Health and Safety course within three months of being hired.
• Programs must have at least one staff member trained in both CPR and first aid:
  • The CPR and first aid certificates must be appropriate to the ages of children in care.
• Providers must take Medication Administration Training to administer medicine to children:
  • This is not needed for over-the-counter topical ointments, sunscreen or insect repellents.

For more information, see Training for Staff for School-age Child Care Programs.

Registration Period

• The initial registration period for a School-age Child Care program is two years.
• The renewal registration lasts for four years.
• Providers must follow the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) regulations and all laws that apply.

• License requirement: You need a license from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.
• Compliance: You must follow all other requirements of relevant City and State agencies.
• Consequences of noncompliance: If you do not follow these regulations, your registration might be suspended.
• Contact information: For more information, contact your NYC Bureau of Child Care borough office.