The New York State Quality Child Care & Protection Act of 2001 requires providers and staff working in a licensed or registered day care program to receive 30 hours of training each licensing or registration period (every two years).

The training must cover the following topics:

1. Principles of childhood development
2. Nutrition & health needs of infants & children
3. Child day care program development
4. Business record maintenance & management
5. Safety & security procedures
6. Child abuse & maltreatment identification and prevention
7. Statutes & regulations pertaining to child day care
8. Statutes & regulations pertaining to child abuse & maltreatment
9. Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome

There is also an additional requirement for all Family and Group Family child care programs, Health and Safety Training. This is a 15-hour class that must be passed in order to receive a license or registration.

Since 2005, child care programs are no longer able to give out medication with out the proper training and approval. An eight-hour class on Medication Administration Training (MAT) must be successfully completed by the designated person(s) from the program. Those administering medication must also be certified in CPR and First Aid. The program must have their Health Care Plan approved by a Health Consultant and their licensor/registrar.

Once the program has gone through the entire process to become authorized to administer medications, then over-the-counter and prescription medication, as well as auto-injected epinephrine to treat severe allergies, can be administered. Without this process, only over the counter topical preparations such as sunscreen, bug spray, and diaper cream can be administered by the program.