Start A Child Care Business

1. Are you willing to invest time and money into training classes and programs required by state and federal regulations?

2. Do you have a working telephone, cell phone, or an e-mail address to run your business?

3. Are you willing to set aside a large space in your home to care for children?

4. Can you maintain accurate, up-to-date records?

5. Will you be able to develop a realistic business plan and create a contract with specific policies in place that parents must follow?

6. Are you willing to purchase a large amount of toys, books, education materials, and supplies for your child care program?

7. Are you in good enough health to care for children every day?

8. Do you have enough capital to start your business, and maintain it if you don’t have all of your spots filled right away?

9. Are you willing to follow New York State regulations for running your business and filing your taxes?

Parents and guardians in Western New York need high-quality child care so they can go to work every day. You have the opportunity to change your local community for the better by providing quality, affordable, and accessible care for the children around you. 

Before you get started, it is important to consider which type of child care business you’d like to open, and what is the best for you and your family.

The first step to starting your own child care business is to take the “Child Day Care Orientation” through the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). This orientation will walk you through all of the information needed in order to start a child care business. It will introduce you to important rules and regulations you will need to know in order to run your business, such as: necessary requirements, child care regulations, space requirements, and important information on adult-to-child ratios. The orientation will take approximately 1.5 hours to complete.