How to Find a Child Care Provider in NYC

In-home and Center-based Child Care Providers

• 1

  Use the New York State Office of Children and Family Services' online day care provider search tool to search for licensed center-based and in-home child care providers near you. Enter as much information as you can and then click, "Find Day Care."

• 2

  Make a list of the child care providers near you who are licensed and have no recent or pending violations. This ensures that the providers you add to your list meet all health, safety and education regulations set forth by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.

• 3

  Schedule a tour with the child care providers on your list. Go over the state regulations for each type of provider -- center day care, family day care or group day care -- and make note of how well the provider is complying with them. Ask questions throughout your tour about the staff's interactions with the children, general guidelines, daily schedule of activities, medicine policies and curriculum.

• 4

  Choose the center-based or in-home child care provider who best fits the needs of your family.

Independent Child Care Providers

• 5

  Make a list of the personality traits, work experience and education that a child care provider such as a nanny or governess should possess in order to meet the needs of you and your children.

• 6

  Place a job advertisement listing the desired traits from your list plus the child care provider's work hours and salary with an online child care provider service such as Care.com or Sittercity.com. You might also hire a nanny agency such as Nannies of New York, the Pavilion Agency, or The New York Nanny Center Inc. to find child care providers who match your list of qualifications.

• 7

  Review the job applicants. Make a list of three or four applicants who you are most interested in interviewing and a list of an additional five to 10 backups.

• 8

  Schedule and conduct interviews with your top applicants. Be thorough during your interviewing, touching on topics of hygiene, safety, child-rearing philosophy, education, background and work experience. According to Babycenter, a potential nanny doesn't necessarily have to have extensive experience with children, but she should have enough to be comfortable supervising your children.

• 9

  Request a background check and speak with the references of any potential child care providers who you interviewed.

• 10

  Narrow your list to those potential providers who best fit the needs of your family and met or exceeded your criteria. If no providers seem like the perfect fit, revisit the additional five to 10 candidates you listed and choose some to interview.

• 11

  Hire the child care provider who best meets your needs. According to the IRS, all child care providers you employ are considered household employees and must be taxed accordingly. File the appropriate paperwork with the IRS and the state of New York or enlist the services of a company such as Breedlove to manage your nanny taxes.