Last year, we held a Night at the Museum event for child care providers at the Westchester Children's Museum. This was a night for providers to spend time with their families in a fun and educational setting. About 70 families attended, with some adults having said that they were enjoying the museum just as much, if not more than their children. We had a terrific time too, just watching the excitement and pleasure on the faces of children and parents alike. We are bringing this event back again! You spend your lives and careers caring for other people’s children, so we are thrilled to invite you to this fun, free event just for you and YOUR family! Join us for an evening at the “Westchester Children’s Museum” to explore playful, creative, hands-on, steam-based leaning for children of all ages. Max 4 tickets per family. Thank you again for your continued support!

RSVP

We're excited to share the results of our Child Care Salary Survey, designed to shed light on the current compensation landscape of the Westchester County, NY child care industry. It represents input from across the county and offers insight on salary and benefit trends, staffing challenges, and the broader state of the industry.

View Full Report

Our Salary Report depicts that the low wages and modest benefits impact child care hiring and retention, making it difficult for families to find care.

Please take a moment - just 2 minutes - to advocate for the much deserved funding that ensures more compensation in the pockets of child care workers. Click Here

For questions and/or more information, contact Nicole Masucci at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

New Child Care Assistance Application

Effective 4/1/2024

The NYS OCFS has developed and distributed a new Child Care Assistance Application. Please share with your families and start using as soon as possible. Be advised that the Westchester County Department of Social Services Child Care Assistance Unit will not accept the prior version of the applications after April 1, 2024.

See below for copies of new applications, instructions, and DSS CCAP Unit Staff List.

All other documents are still required (for example):

• Parent ID
• Proof of child's citizenship or immigration status
• Proof of income
• Work Schedule Form
• Shelter Verification Form
• School Attendance Verification Form
• Child Care Provider Form (Spanish)

NYS OCFS ha creado y proporcionado una nueva solicitud de asistencia para el cuidado infantil. Por favor, compártala y comience a utilizarla con sus familias lo antes posible. Las solicitudes anteriores a la fecha no serán aceptadas por la Unidad de Asistencia de Cuidado Infantil del Departamento de Servicios Sociales del Condado de Westchester después del 1 de abril de 2024.

A continuación, encontrará copias de las nuevas solicitudes, instrucciones y la lista del personal de la unidad de CCAP de DSS.

Child Care Assistance Application - English

English Instructions

Child Care Assistance Application - Spanish

Spanish Instructions

DSS Child Care Assistance Unit Staff List

Just a reminder: The Child Care Council is available to assist your families in applying for child care assistance.

Please consider the following request from the Senior Vice President of Advocacy for FARE  

FARE works on behalf of the more than 33 million Americans with life-threatening food allergies.

We are at a critical moment in our effort to cap the cost of epinephrine auto-injectors in New York.

The State Assembly has included our legislation in their budget proposal – and improved it – by eliminating the cost for all epinephrine auto-injectors in New York.

It’s hard to imagine – not having to pay for our life-saving medicine.

But if we are going to make this a reality, then we need the State Senate’s support.

And that’s where you come in.

Please click on the link below to send your State Senator a short email asking them to include the Assembly language eliminating co-pays for epinephrine auto-injectors in the final state budget.

Make Epinephrine Auto Injectors Free in NY

Then, if you have five extra minutes, please do one more thing.

Please call your State Senator’s Albany office, click here to find out who represents you, and then click on the blue box that reads “MESSAGE SENATOR,” and their Albany office phone number will be provided.

When you call, please share with the staff member who answers the phone:

1.   There are more than 2 million New Yorkers with life-threatening food allergies including either you or someone in your family.

2.   Epinephrine auto-injectors are expensive and depending on the pharmacy can cost more than $700 often making it too expensive for New Yorkers who cannot simply afford the only medicine that can save their lives.

3.   Please include the Assembly language to eliminate co-pays for epinephrine auto-injectors in the final state budget.

By sending an email and calling your State Senator, we can make epinephrine auto-injectors more affordable for all New Yorkers.

Please act today by clicking here. Thank you.