There are many types of legal child care programs in New York State. The following types of child care programs are licensed or registered by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services:

• Family Child Care Homes are registered to care for six or fewer children ages six weeks through twelve years, plus an additional two school-age children in a family home.  There must be one caregiver for every two children under the age of two years that are present.
  
• Group Family Child Care Homes are licensed to care for twelve or fewer children ages six weeks through twelve years plus an additional four school-age children in a family home.  There must be one approved assistant present whenever more than seven children are present and none of the children are of school-age or when nine children are present and at least two children in care are school-age. There must be one caregiver for every two children present under the age of two years.
  
• Day Care Centers are licensed to care for more than six children ages six weeks through twelve years in a facility that is not a personal residence.

  Child's Age	Staff to Child Ratio	Maximum Capacity
  6 weeks to 18 months	1 to 4	8
  18 to 36 months	1 to 5	12
  3 years	1 to 7	18
  4 years	1 to 8	21
  5 years	1 to 9	24
  6 through 9 years	1 to 10	20
  10 to 12 years	1 to 15	30

• School-Age Child Care Programs (SACC) generally care for school-age children from Kindergarten through age twelve. They provide care for children during non-school hours, school vacations, and school holidays. For school-age children through nine years, the staff to child ratio is 1 to 10, with a maximum group size of twenty children. For children ten years through twelve years, the ratio is 1 to 15, with a maximum group size of thirty children. When a school-age child care program cares for children in groups including children both over and under 10 years of age, the staff/child ratio used must be that ratio applicable to the youngest child in the group.