Child Safety

According to the law, there is no set age at which a child can be left alone. The parent is responsible for deciding whether or not the child is mature and responsible enough take care of herself or himself.

While the law does not specify age, very young children cannot take care of themselves and should not be left alone.

There is no law about the minimum age that a person must be to babysit children. Parents are responsible for deciding whether or not the babysitter or caregiver is mature and responsible enough to take care of their child.

Babysitter or Child Caregiver Safety

Parents should be cautious when leaving children with caregivers or babysitters. You should be sure that the person you choose has the patience and experience to deal with a crying baby.

You can find a licensed Child Care Center or get Child Care Financial Assistance from a center or network associated with the Administration for Children's Services (ACS).

You can also report Child Abuse if you think that your baby's caregiver or babysitter may be abusing or neglecting your child.

Download the Child Safety brochure for tips about keeping children safe.

Picking a Safe Caregiver or Babysitter

When choosing a caregiver or babysitter, you should select someone who:

• Has experience caring for babies and young children
• Is patient and mature enough to care for a fussy, overexcited, or crying baby
• Understands that young children must always be watched
• Will never shake, hit, yell at, make fun of, or keep food from a child as punishment
• Does not abuse alcohol or drugs, or carry a weapon, and will not surround a child with others who may be drinking, using or selling drugs, or carrying weapons

Avoiding a Dangerous Caregiver or Babysitter

There are warning signs of a potentially dangerous caregiver or babysitter. They include someone who is:

• Angry or very impatient when children have tantrums, cry, or misbehave
• Violent or controlling with their partners
• Physically or verbally abusive with children
• An abuser of alcohol and drugs, including marijuana
• Using prescription medications that have bad side effects or make them drowsy
• Not trust-worthy for any reason

No matter how angry or frustrated you feel when your baby or toddler cries, and no matter how much he or she cries, never shake your baby or toddler. Shaking can cause bleeding in the brain that can injure or even kill a child. It takes only a few seconds of shaking to seriously hurt a baby’s developing brain.

When your baby keeps crying:

• Never shake your baby.
• Make sure he or she isn’t hungry, wet, cold or hot.
• Give him or her a pacifier.
• Walk around holding your baby close to you, in your arms or in a carrier. Talk or sing to him or her.
• Call a trusted friend, relative, or neighbor to talk to, or ask someone to come over and keep you company.

If your baby keeps crying, put him or her in the crib. Make sure the baby is safe. Check in every five minutes or so. It is much better to let the baby cry than to do something to stop the crying that may be harmful.

The Office of Community Partnerships (OCP) helps community-based organizations learn about child safety and preventing child abuse and neglect.

OCP partners with the following communities to improve child safety, support families, and recruit foster homes:

• Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick, and East New York in Brooklyn
• Highbridge, Mott Haven, and Soundview in the Bronx
• East Harlem and the Lower East Side in Manhattan
• Elmhurst and Jamaica in Queens
• Stapleton on Staten Island

You can get information about joining the Community Partnership Program if you are a community-based organization, faith-based institution, or a resident in one of these areas.

The Administration for Children's Services’ (ACS) short film "A Life to Love: Preventing Accidental Injury" offers tips on keeping children safe in a variety of everyday situations. The film is 14 minutes long.

It offers information about preventing tragedies such as Shaken Baby Syndrome and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Watch "A Life to Love."

The Early Childhood Mental Health Network provides mental health support for young children and their families, helping to address challenges early. Mental health professionals consult with early childhood programs partnered with the Department of Education (DOE) to address program, classroom, and child-level challenges in order to strengthen the capacity of teachers and caregivers to support children.

Seven early childhood therapeutic centers, open to all New York residents, located throughout the City offer specialized mental health treatment for children from birth to age five and their families, as well as access to family peer advocates and connection to ongoing support.

Additionally, mental health professionals are able to receive specialized training in evidence-based practices and early childhood development through the Early Childhood Mental Health Training and Technical Assistance Center in order to increase the capacity and competencies of professionals working to identify and address the mental health needs of young children.

Services Provided

Individual and family counseling that utilizes evidence-based approaches for clients with trauma, including:

• Play therapy and Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)
• Parent groups
• Assessments and screenings
• Staff and teacher training 

You can contact a clinic in your borough:

Bronx North

The Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services 
(844) 663-2255

Bronx South

Association to Benefit Children
(929) 288-4320

Manhattan

Northside Center for Child Development
(212) 426-3400

Queens

The Child Center of New York
(718) 530-6892

Brooklyn Central and South

OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services
(800) 603-6435

Brooklyn North and East

The Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services 
(844) 663-2255

Staten Island

Staten Island Mental Health Society
(718) 448-9775 ext. 551