Child Care Council of Suffolk

What Child Care Council of Suffolk does

Child Care Council of Suffolk (CCCS), legally Child Care Council of Suffolk, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit child care resource and referral agency serving Suffolk County, New York. Founded in 1972 as the Day Care Council of Suffolk and renamed in 1983 under founder Janet Walerstein, the organization operates from its headquarters at 60 Calvert Avenue in Commack and has provided services to the county for over 50 years. It was the second agency in the nation to achieve National Quality Assurance Accreditation in 2011. CCCS serves three core constituencies: parents and families with children ages 6 weeks to 12 years seeking licensed child care referrals and financial assistance navigation; child care providers (family day care, group family day care, child care centers, school-age programs, legally exempt providers, preschools) requiring licensing support, professional development training, technical assistance, and CACFP meal reimbursement administration; and New York State employers seeking to support working families through the Business Navigator program.

The agency's service platform is built on web-based tools including an online Child Care Search Tool, a Parent Portal, a Provider Portal, and an Employer Portal hosted on a Webflow-built website at childcaresuffolk.org. Operational technology includes the LearningStream registration system for training management and the CCFS/CCFS2 (Child Care Facility System) database for provider compliance and inspection tracking. The 2025-launched Empire State Family Child Care Collaborative extends the platform with free child care management software, business coaching, retirement planning, and telehealth supports for home-based providers.

CCCS is funded primarily through New York State grants administered via NYS OCFS, county funding administered through Suffolk DSS, and corporate and foundation grants, with ancillary revenue from tiered corporate sponsorships ($500 Friend to $10,000 Champion), professional development training fees, and donations. The agency is organizationally affiliated with the Long Island Association, the regional chamber of commerce, and operates under a board of directors drawn from major regional employers including TD Bank, Flushing Bank, PSEG-LI, and L.N.K. International. Current leadership includes Executive Director Jennifer Rojas, Deputy Director Enza Britos, Founder Emeritus Janet Walerstein, and nine department directors overseeing Professional Development, Registration & Inspection, Health & Nutrition/CACFP, Legally Exempt Services, Finance & Administration, and Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation.

Name

Child Care Council of Suffolk

Legal name

Child Care Council of Suffolk, Inc.

Website

https://childcaresuffolk.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Child Care Council of Suffolk is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit child care resource and referral agency serving Suffolk County, NY. It connects families to licensed providers, delivers professional development training, administers CACFP nutrition programs, and supports employers via the Business Navigator program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Commack

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: Funded primarily through New York State grants, county funding administered by Suffolk DSS, and corporate/foundation grants. Operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
2. Donations and Sponsorships: Accepts donations through the website and offers corporate sponsorship levels (Friend $500, Advocate $1,000, Leader $5,000, Champion $10,000).
3. Professional Development Training: Offers training programs for child care providers that meet NYS OCFS licensing requirements, the NYS Core Body of Knowledge, and Child Development Associate Competency Areas. Classes held in Commack or on-site when requested.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CCCS is a child care resource and referral nonprofit agency that connects families in Suffolk County, NY to licensed child care providers via a searchable online database and personalized phone referrals. It provides professional development training to child care providers aligned with NYS OCFS licensing requirements, administers the CACFP nutrition program, offers free business coaching and management software to home-based providers, and operates an Employer Portal for New York State employers.

Product overview

Child Care Council of Suffolk operates as a Child Care Resource and Referral Agency offering a suite of interconnected services for families, providers, and employers. The core offering includes a Child Care Search Tool and Parent Portal for families seeking child care, combined with a Provider Portal offering professional development training, CACFP nutrition programs, and technical assistance for child care professionals. The Employer Portal provides business navigation tools for workplace child care solutions. The organization also administers the Empire State Family Child Care Collaborative providing free software and business coaching to home-based providers, and connects families to financial assistance programs including county subsidies and tax credits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Child Care Search Tool Online searchable database and referral system enabling parents in Suffolk County to find licensed child care providers, with options for personalized phone-based referrals from child care experts. Targets parents and families with children ages 6 weeks to 12 years.
• Parent Portal Resource hub for families providing guidance on types of child care, how to choose quality care, financial assistance programs, and direct access to child care search tools. For parents and families in Suffolk County.
• Provider Portal Comprehensive portal for child care professionals offering professional development training, licensing information, technical assistance, and resources for business management and compliance with NYS OCFS regulations. For family day care, group family day care, child care center, school-age, legally exempt, and preschool providers.
• Professional Development Training Training programs meeting NYS Office of Children and Family Services licensing requirements, NYS Core Body of Knowledge, and Child Development Associate Competency Areas. Classes held in Commack, Riverhead, or on-site. For child care providers across Suffolk County.
• Employer Portal (Business Navigator) Business Navigator guide helping employers understand employee child care needs and connect with tax credits, employee benefits, HR services, and child care resources. For New York State employers.
• Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Program providing meal reimbursement, nutrition education, and ongoing guidance to help child care providers serve healthy meals while strengthening their programs. Available to Family Day Care, Group Family Day Care, and Legally Exempt Providers.
• Financial Assistance Programs Information and referral services for income-eligible families including Suffolk County Department of Social Services child care assistance, Head Start programs, and tax credits such as Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit.
• Empire State Family Child Care Collaborative Free program connecting home-based child care providers in Suffolk County to Family Child Care Networks, providing free child care management software, business coaching, and access to resources including retirement planning and telehealth supports. For licensed family day care and group family day care providers.
• Provider Resources and Worksheets Video series and downloadable worksheets covering marketing, branding, brand strategy, ideal customer identification, and customer journey planning for child care providers.
• Child Care Provider Information Sessions Free informational presentations helping prospective providers understand family child care business requirements, licensing processes, and program planning. Available in English and Spanish at the Commack location.
• Technical Assistance Services On-site professional development, program technical assistance, and free one-on-one support for providers covering budgeting, personnel management, HR policies, record-keeping, and sustainability planning.
• Founder's Fund for Professional Development Professional development fund launched in 2018 in recognition of founder Janet Walerstein, used to promote best practices in early childhood education through on-site interactive training programs, research-backed curricula support, credentialing and career ladder support, leadership development, and ongoing training opportunities for child care providers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Connecting thousands of families to child care annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• New York State Office of Children and Family Services (NYS OCFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState regulatory agency that licenses and regulates child care programs. CCCS partners with OCFS to monitor programs for compliance, investigate complaints, and administer child care assistance programs.
• Suffolk County Department of Social ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty agency that administers child care assistance programs for income-eligible families. CCCS provides referrals and works with DSS on compliance monitoring.
• Early Care and Learning CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide organization supporting early care and learning. Listed as a key partner and integration link for child care providers.
• ChildCare Aware of AmericamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization dedicated to helping families find quality child care. Listed as a key partner organization.
• Long Island AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Long Island Association is the regional chamber of commerce and economic development organization. CCCS is affiliated with and staffed through the Long Island Association.
• Long Island HEAD StartmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational program for low-income infants, toddlers and their families operating over 20 locations on Long Island. CCCS provides information and referrals to HEAD Start services.
• Parent Leadership InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram that instructs parents how to become advocates for children. CCCS refers parents to this initiative.
• Help Me GrowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram to help parents access developmental screening and support services. CCCS provides links to Help Me Grow Long Island.
• Boch CreativeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand and marketing agency in Suffolk County. Partnered with CCCS to create video series providing guidance on websites, branding, and marketing for child care providers.
• LearningStreamcoreTechnology or IntegrationTraining registration platform used by CCCS for managing professional development registrations and profiles for child care providers.
• PSEG-LIminorOthersVincent Frigeria from PSEG-LI serves on the Board of Directors, representing corporate engagement.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Care.com: Large online marketplace for child care, senior care, and pet care. Competes with CCCS for parent mindshare in finding child care, though it lacks the local regulatory and provider-training overlap.
• Wonderschool: Tech-enabled platform helping parents find child care and supporting home-based providers with software and coaching. Overlaps with CCCS's parent referral and Family Child Care Network offerings, representing a digital-first threat to the traditional CCR&R model.

Direct peers

• Child Care Resources Inc. Seattle/King County CCR&R agency offering parent referrals, provider training, and early learning support. Closely mirrors CCCS's structure and revenue mix (government grants plus fee-based training).
• Child Care Council of Westchester: Closest in-state peer running a CCR&R model for Westchester County, NY. Provides the same parent referral, provider training, and employer-facing services as CCCS, making it a direct like-for-like benchmark.
• Quality Care for Children: Georgia-based CCR&R nonprofit providing parent referrals, provider training, and quality improvement. Highly comparable to CCCS in scope and target audiences (families, providers, employers).
• Child Care Services Association: North Carolina-based nonprofit operating CCR&R and child care workforce programs. Comparable business model: parent referrals, provider training, and subsidized child care administration, with similar scale to CCCS.
• Child Development Council of Erie County (Child Care Resource Network): New York State CCR&R agency serving Erie County. Operates the same mix of parent referrals, provider training, and CACFP-like nutrition support as CCCS, and competes for the same NYS OCFS funding streams.

Others

• Long Island Head Start: Major Long Island early childhood partner of CCCS across 20+ locations. Not a direct competitor but a downstream recipient of referrals and a co-funding partner for low-income infant and toddler services.

Regional players

• Child Care Aware of America: National umbrella for child care resource and referral agencies. Directly comparable to CCCS because CCCS is a member affiliate delivering CCR&R services locally, and ChildCare Aware sets the accreditation framework CCCS holds.

Broad incumbents

• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Large publicly traded child care and employer-backed early education provider. Comparable on the employer-sponsored child care solutions side that CCCS addresses through its Business Navigator program, but operates a much broader commercial portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/childcarecouncil.suffolk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/child-care-council-of-suffolk
• Instagraminstagram.com/childcaresuffolk
• Xx.com/childcarelink

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Child Care Council of Suffolk