Day care centers linked to synagogues and other houses of worship will be required to follow the same strict safety and staffing standards as other centers under a proposal being considered by the city Board of Health.
About 500 such centers have traditionally been allowed to operate without licenses and permits. But that will change as part of a sweeping overhaul of day care started more than two years ago.
The changes were prompted after a toddler was accidentally smothered by other children at a Queens day care center.
“We are trying to foster accessible, affordable services while assuring parents that their children are safe at any child care service in New York City,” said Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden.
These centers will now have to do background checks on employees for possible criminal and child abuse complaints, said Gail Nayowith, executive director of the child advocacy group Citizens Committee for Children.
There are 2,035 group day care facilities licensed and inspected by the city.
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
3 Responses
What took NYC so long to protect our children.
These laws are already on the books in NJ and other areas of the state
Does this mean, that until this proprosal, all license day care centers that opearate in the downstairs of a shul is allowed by the city to function without a license? I am very surprised that the city has been allowing this until now.
“What took NYC so long to protect our children.”
Why don’t you protect your own children? If it’s an unsafe enviroment, why would you send there?