Resources for Parents, Providers and the Community
- Hotlines
- Local Community Resources
- Parent Education
- Financial Assistance
- Quality Child Care
- State Licensing and Regulatory Agency
- Early Childhood Education and Professional Development
- Professional Early Childhood Organizations
Hotlines
- Child Abuse Hotline: (800) 342-3720
- Mandated Reporter Hotline: (800) 635-1522
- Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
- Violence Intervention 24-hour Crisis Hotline: (607) 432-4855
- Child Care Complaint Warm Line: (800) 732-5207
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission - The CPSC provides information on recalls on consumer products. (800) 638-2772
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Local Community Resources
- Catholic Charities of Delaware and Otsego Counties - Services for families and individuals. Responds to community needs through advocacy, direct services and education. Offers emergency assistance and referral. 176 Main Street, Oneonta, NY 13820. (607) 432-0061.
- Community Maternity Services - A home visiting program that serves pregnant and parenting teens. Offers a 6 hour Parent Education and Awareness Program designed to provide information to assist the parent and children to transition through changes created by separation and/or divorce. 176 Main Street, Oneonta, NY 13820. (607) 432-0061.
- The Family Service Association - A private human service agency which provides information, advocacy, referral services for individuals and families in need. 277 Chestnut Street Oneonta, NY 13820. (607) 432-2870.
- The Family Resource Network - The Family Resource Network, Inc., (FRN) provides family support services to families who have a child with special needs - 46 Oneida Street, Oneonta, NY 13820. (607) 432-0001.
- Otsego County Department of Social Services - Has the following services available to residents of Otsego County: Medicaid, Public Assistance, Food Stamps, Employment Services, Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), and Child Care Subsidy. 140 County Highway 33W, Cooperstown, NY 13326. (607) 547-1700.
- The Division for Children with Special Needs - This Division of the Otsego County Department of Social Services has the following programs available: Early Intervention Program, Preschool Special Education Program. 140 County Highway 33W, Suite 3, Cooperstown, NY 13326. (607) 547-6474.
- Opportunities for Otsego - a Community Action Agency housing the following programs in Otsego County: Building Healthy Families, Head Start/Early Head Start, HEAP, WIC, Emergency Housing, Wheels to Work and the Violence Intervention Program - 3 West Broadway, Oneonta, NY 13820. (607) 433-8000.
- Oneonta Adult Education - Adult learning classes. (607) 433-3645.
- Oneonta Public Transit - Information on fairs and routes in Otsego County. (607) 432-7100.
- Red Cross - Provides civil or natural disaster aid services to families and individuals including food, clothing and shelter. 101 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326. (607) 547-2441.
- Salvation Army - Emergency services for families. Eligibility based on need and availability. 25 River Street, Oneonta, NY 13820. (607) 432-5960.
- Child Advocacy Center -
works with Multidisciplinary Teams and Child Advocacy Centers throughout New York State to promote and enhance multidisciplinary responses to child sexual abuse, severe child physical abuse, and child fatality reviews.
140 City Hwy 33W, Suite 2, Cooperstown, NY 13326. ( 607) 547 1770.
- Otsego County Mental Health - Counseling available for individuals, families, children and adults. 242 Main Street, Oneonta, NY 13820. (607) 433-2343.
- Early Childhood Direction Center - The ECDC offers a regional clearinghouse of comprehensive information, makes referrals to other resources, and offers training and support for families, professionals, and community agencies concerned with young children with disabilities from birth through age five. 135 East Frederick St. Binghamton, New York 13904. (607) 724-2111.
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Parent Education
- The Family Service Association - 277 Chestnut Street Oneonta, NY 13820. (607) 432-2870.
- The Family Resource Network - The Family Resource Network, Inc., (FRN) provides family support services to families who have a child with special needs - 46 Oneida Street, Oneonta, NY 13820. (607) 432-0001.
- Community Maternity Services - A home visiting program that serves pregnant and parenting teens. Offers a 6 hour Parent Education and Awareness Program designed to provide information to assist the parent and children to transition through changes created by separation and/or divorce. 176 Main Street, Oneonta, NY 13820. (607) 432-0061.
- Opportunities for Otsego - a Community Action Agency housing the following programs in Otsego County: Building Healthy Families, Early Head Start, and WIC - 3 West Broadway, Oneonta, NY 13820. (607) 433-8000.
- Cornell Cooperative Extension - Offers a variety of educational workshops for individuals of all ages.
- BOCES -
- Oneonta Adult Education - Adult learning classes. (607) 433-3645.
- Child Care Aware Parent Network - Free educational webinars on high-quality child care and other topics of interest.
- Early Childhood Direction Center - The ECDC offers a regional clearinghouse of comprehensive information, makes referrals to other resources, and offers training and support for families, professionals, and community agencies concerned with young children with disabilities from birth through age five. 135 East Frederick St. Binghamton, New York 13904. (607) 724-2111.
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Financial Assistance
- Otsego County Department of Social Services - Child Care Subsidy program available to families who qualify. 140 County Highway 33W, Cooperstown, NY 13326. (607) 547-1700.
- myBenefits - The fast and easy way to find out about many health and human services programs and how to apply for them - anytime and anywhere.
- Child and Dependent Care Credit - If you paid someone to care for a qualifying individual so that you (or your spouse if you are married) could work or look for work, you may be able to claim the credit for child and dependent care expenses.
- Earned Income Tax Credit - To qualify, you must be working full- or part-time and make less than a certain amount based on family size.
- Empire State Child Credit -To qualify you must have a child who is at least four years old on December 31, meet certain income guidelines, and must qualify for the federal child tax credit.
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Quality Child Care
- QUALITYstarsNY - New York State is currently developing QUALITYstarsNY to support the efforts of early care and learning programs to improve the quality of their services and to give parents the information they need to make a more informed choice.
- Child Care Aware - Child Care Aware© is the nation's most respected hub of information for parents and child care providers. A program of the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), Child Care Aware helps families learn more about the elements of high-quality child care and how to locate programs in their communities. Child Care Aware also provides child care providers with access to resources for their child care programs.
- EarlyChildhood.org - designed to provide a one-stop source of information for those exploring careers in early childhood and school-age programs as well as those already working in the field and looking to advance in their careers. It also contains information that supports the efforts of program directors and others to improve the quality of their programs.
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State Licensing and Regulatory Agency
- NYS Office of Children and Family Services - The agency provides oversight and monitoring of regulated child care (family day care, group family day care, school-age child care and day care centers outside of NYC), legally exempt child care, child care subsidies, child care resource and referrals, and the Advantage After School Program, and also provides services and programs for infants, toddler, pre-schoolers, and school-age children and their families.
- Albany Regional Office: (518) 402-3038
- New York State Regulations
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Early Childhood Education and Professional Development
- EarlyChildhood.org - designed to provide a one-stop source of information for those exploring careers in early childhood and school-age programs as well as those already working in the field and looking to advance in their careers. It also contains information that supports the efforts of program directors and others to improve the quality of their programs.
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Council for Professional Recognition - In keeping with its goal to meet the growing need for qualified child care staff, the Council administers the Child Development Associate (CDA) National Credentialing Program. The CDA Program is designed to assess and credential early childhood care and education professionals based on performance.
- SUNY Learning Network - Find an online degree program.
- NACCRRA Online Training Courses - Online Child Care Professional Education Center.
- National Association for the Education of Young Children - The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8.
- National Association for Family Child Care - The National Association for Family Child Care is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting quality child care by strengthening the profession of family child care.
- Early Care & Learning Council - Training workshops provide training and technical assistance designed to help center directors meet these challenges. These programs are offered to all center directors at no cost.
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Professional Early Childhood Organizations
- The Early Care and Learning Council - The Early Care & Learning Council has been working to make quality, affordable child care available to New York’s families since 1975. The membership of the Early Care & Learning Council includes wide representation from child care providers, parents, businesses, community organizations, and other individuals!
- National Association for the Education of Young Children - The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8.
- NYS Association for the Education of Young Children - The New York State Association for the Education of Young Children’s mission is to promote excellence in early care and education for New York State children and families through education, advocacy and the support of the profession.
- National Association for Family Child Care - The National Association for Family Child Care is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting quality child care by strengthening the profession of family child care.
- AfterSchool Works! New York - Formerly the New York State School-Age Care Coalition, AfterSchool Works! New York is the official state affiliate of the National Afterschool Association and serves as a non-profit membership association for afterschool professionals in New York State.
- NACCRRA - NACCRRA, the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies, is our nation's leading voice for child care. NACCRRA works with more than 700 state and local Child Care Resource and Referral agencies nationwide. These agencies help ensure that families in 99 percent of all populated ZIP codes in the United States have access to high-quality, affordable child care. NACCRRA leads projects that increase the quality and availability of child care professionals, undertake research, and advocate child care policies that positively impact the lives of children and families.
- VOICE- A union made up of and working for family child care providers from across New York State.
- Winning Beginning - A statewide coalition working toward the goal of high-quality, affordable and accessible early care and learning for all New York families. Its members include parents, employers, children's advocates, service providers, labor unions, educators, pediatricians, law enforcement, research and community groups.
- Family Child Care Association of New York State -
The Family Child Care Association of New York State, Inc. is a non-profit, professional statewide organization dedicated to supporting family child care providers and associations. Members include advocates of quality childcare providers, parents, and agency staff.
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