Relates to the appropriate staff/child ratios for family day care homes, group family day care homes, school age day care programs and day care centers

• Democratic3
• Republican3

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why James Skoufis says this is needed

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, New York State has witnessed the closure of numerous daycare facilities, yet the demand for childcare services has not diminished. This has resulted in a significant shortage of available slots for parents seeking care. To address this issue, the proposed bill seeks to empower the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) to implement uniform standards of conduct across the state's childcare settings. By addressing staff-to child ratios and establishing clear qualifications and training standards, this legis- lation ensures the provision of high-quality childcare. Disparities between New York City's and New York State's regulations extend beyond the staff-to-child ratios and maximum group sizes. For instance, Article 47 of the New York City Health Code defines a "toddler" as a child between 12 and 24 months of age (S47.01) and mandates a staff-to-child ratio of 1:5 with a maximum group size of 10 (§ 47.23). In contrast, the New York City ratio for children ages two to under three is 1:6, with a maximum group size of 12 (§ 47.23). Conversely, New York State regulations define "toddler" as a child aged 18 to 36 months (18 NYCRR § 413.2), with a staff-to-child ratio of 1:5 and a maximum group size of 12 (18 NYCRR § 418-1.8). Under the current state regulations, the 1:5 ratio with a maximum group size of 12 proves financially unfeasible for providers outside New York City to accommodate more than 10 children in a group. The existing ratio requires an additional staff member for a group of 12 children, which incurs higher costs than admitting two extra children. Aligning the state's regulations with New York City's ratios would address this financial discrepancy while maintaining essential child safety stand- ards. Social Services Law (SSL) directs OCFS to establish appropriate staff to-child ratios for childcare programs, with the provision that these ratios must be no less stringent than those in effect on January 1, 2000 (SSL § 390(2-a)(a)(iii)). However, the ratios and group sizes have remained unchanged since 2000, except for the addition of a standard for infants aged birth to 6 weeks, which did not exist in 2000. This legislation is necessary to allow OCFS to amend the New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations (NYCRR) concerning child-to-staff ratios, ensur- ing that the 1:5 ratio for toddler classrooms is adjusted to allow for the safe and financially feasible admission of the maximum number of children.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.