The Council on Children and Families (the Council) coordinates New York's health, education and human services systems to provide more effective systems of care for children and families. The New York State Birth through Five grant (NYSB5) is a one-year grant to promote equity and access to quality early childhood programs for all children in NYS. This NYS Parenting website is funded by the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five Initiative, Grant Number 90TP0019-01-01, from the Department of Health and Human Services, as a one-stop, digital portal for parents and caregivers on parenting, child care options, concerns about child development and how to work with your child’s teachers.
The Council worked closely with its member agencies to develop each of these main resources:
Every Student Present – Learn how to boost your child’s confidence, keep your child on track with school work, protect your child from bullies and keep your child healthy. Resource to help families understand the importance of consistent school attendance and the impact of absences on children's learning, especially young students. The website includes videos, best practices and resources for parents and families.
Multiple Systems Navigator – Provides helpful health, education, human service and disability information on one user-friendly website. Built for youth, parents, family members and caregivers that rely on supports from multiple child and family serving systems in New York State.
NYS Parent Guide - Website shares five key parenting behaviors parents and caregivers can use to build a strong, trusting and positive relationship with their child: Nurturing; Protecting; Guiding; Communicating; and Supporting a Child’s Curiosity and Learning. Website also includes childhood developmental milestones, helpful hints, and many resources for parents and families.
NYS Child Care and After School Care Locator – Allows parents and caregivers to locate child care and after school programs. Programs listed are within a 3-mile radius of the address entered. Searches may be reduced or expanded (up to 10 miles). Driving directions and up-to-date violation histories for each child care and after school care program also are easy to see.
An 8-minute video Your Child Care Options describes different settings for child care in New York State. This video is from the NYS Office of Children and Family Services.