If you need to fill out NYC ACS forms, the three you are most likely to encounter are the LDSS-3370 background clearance, the CFWB-012 child care voucher application, and the written request for your own child protective records. Each has its own format rules, its own submission address, and its own small traps that will get the paperwork sent back if you miss them. Work through the form that applies to your situation below, follow the field conventions exactly, and keep a copy of everything you send.
LDSS-3370: The SCR Background Clearance
The Statewide Central Register Database Check, form LDSS-3370, is the background-check form New York requires for anyone seeking employment in child care, applying to become a foster or adoptive parent, or volunteering in a program with regular contact with children. Licensing and provider agencies must run this check before giving an applicant unsupervised access to children.1New York State Senate. New York Social Services Code 424-A – Access to Information Contained in the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment The check tells the agency whether you are the subject of any indicated report of child abuse or maltreatment.
Completing the Applicant and Household Section
Write your full legal name, last name first. Then list every maiden name, previous married name, and alias you have ever used. If none exist, write “NONE” in the field. Leaving it blank is a common reason forms come back.2NYC Department of Health. Instructions for Completing the State Central Register Database Check Form
Below your name, list every person who lives in your household: adults, children, and roommates. For each person, include the relationship to you, sex, and date of birth. If you live alone, check the box that indicates no other household members rather than leaving the section empty.
Completing the Address History
This is where most LDSS-3370 forms get rejected. You must list every address where you have lived for the past 28 years, starting with your current address and working backward. Every address needs the full street number, street name, city, state, and ZIP code. P.O. boxes are not accepted. If you lived abroad, list the country and the dates. Military service members list base names and locations with corresponding dates.2NYC Department of Health. Instructions for Completing the State Central Register Database Check Form
There cannot be gaps. Every month of the 28-year window has to be covered by one of the addresses you list. If you moved mid-month, write the date accordingly so the timeline closes.
Signing and Dating
Sign the form using the same name that appears in the applicant area, and write the date in month/day/year format. The SCR rejects any LDSS-3370 whose signature is more than six months old on arrival, so do not sign until you are ready to put the form in the mail.2NYC Department of Health. Instructions for Completing the State Central Register Database Check Form
Where to Send It and What to Pay
Completed forms go to the Statewide Central Register in Albany:
Statewide Central Register
P.O. Box 4480
Albany, NY 12204-0480
A $25 fee applies to some categories of clearance requests. Pay by certified check, postal money order, bank money order, or teller’s check. Personal checks and cash are not accepted. If your clearance category is fee-exempt, your employer or agency will tell you so, and no payment goes in the envelope.
Most individual applicants submit the paper form through the prospective employer or agency rather than mailing it personally. Registered agencies can also use the OCFS online clearance system to submit requests and receive results electronically.3OCFS. SCR Online Clearance System – Child Protective Services
CFWB-012: The Child Care Voucher Application
ACS administers child care vouchers that help cover the cost of licensed care for income-eligible families. The core application is form CFWB-012, which comes with an instruction sheet (CFWB-012A) and a submission checklist (CFWB-012B). All three download from the ACS early care forms page.4Administration for Children’s Services. ACS – Forms for Families
Check Your Income First
Eligibility runs by family size. Current ACCESS NYC guidelines list a yearly household income limit of $113,567 for a family of four and $77,226 for a family of two. The limits step up with each additional household member, so look up the figure for your exact family size on the ACCESS NYC table before you fill anything out.5ACCESS NYC. Child Care Vouchers
Two Ways to Submit
- Online through the MyCity portal at mycity.nyc.gov. The portal walks you through the application and lets you upload supporting documents in the same session.
- By mail. Complete the CFWB-012 package you downloaded, then send it to NYC Children – EDU, PO Box 40, Maplewood, NJ 07040.
Some situations route differently. Families receiving cash assistance should contact their HRA Benefits Access Center. Parents working with child protective services should ask their caseworker about applying. Foster parents go through their foster care agency rather than submitting a voucher application themselves.5ACCESS NYC. Child Care Vouchers
Supplemental Forms You May Need
Depending on your circumstances, the application package may require add-on forms from the same ACS forms page: employment verification (CFWB-015), a self-employment income attestation (CFWB-031), education and training verification (CFWB-005), or a housing attestation (CFWB-027). The submission checklist (CFWB-012B) tells you which of these apply to your household. Follow the checklist rather than guessing; sending the application without the right attestations is one of the main reasons vouchers get delayed.4Administration for Children’s Services. ACS – Forms for Families
Requesting Your Own Child Protective Records
Child protective case records are not available through the Freedom of Information Law. A FOIL request through the NYC OpenRecords portal will not produce an ACS case file. You have to send a written request directly to ACS instead.6Administration for Children’s Services. ACS – Contact Us
The request has to be notarized. It must include your full legal name, date of birth, and current mailing address. An un-notarized request is returned without processing. Notary fees in New York are capped at $2 per signature.
Once notarized, submit the request through any of these channels:
- Email: ACSRecordRequests@acs.nyc.gov
- Fax: 347-788-4495
- Mail: NYC Administration for Children’s Services, Records and Compliance Unit, 110 William Street, New York, NY 10038
Keep a copy of the notarized request and any confirmation you receive. There is no published turnaround time for these requests, so your copy is the only record of what you asked for and when.6Administration for Children’s Services. ACS – Contact Us
Common Mistakes That Get ACS Forms Rejected
A handful of errors come up again and again across ACS paperwork. Check your form against this list before you send it.
- Gaps in the 28-year address history on the LDSS-3370. Every month has to be covered.
- A signature on the LDSS-3370 more than six months old on arrival. Sign and date only when you are ready to mail.
- P.O. boxes used anywhere in the LDSS-3370 address history. Physical street addresses only.
- A records request sent without notarization. It will come back unprocessed.
- A voucher application missing the supplemental attestations the CFWB-012B checklist calls for.
- Personal checks or cash sent for the $25 SCR fee. Only certified checks and money orders are accepted.
- Blank fields where the instructions say to write “NONE.” Blanks read as incomplete.
Keep copies of the completed form, every supporting document, and your proof of mailing. If the form goes missing or there is a dispute about what you submitted, those copies are the only record you have.
If You Get Stuck
ACS runs borough offices across all five boroughs where you can pick up forms and ask questions in person; the full list of locations is on the ACS borough locations page, and the main Manhattan office is at 110 William Street.7Administration for Children’s Services. Borough Locations – ACS
If a submitted form has gone unanswered or you cannot get a straight response from a caseworker, the Sabra Jackson Office of Advocacy helps parents, youth, and foster parents work through communication breakdowns with ACS and its contracted agencies. The helpline is 212-676-9421, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and incarcerated parents can call collect at 212-619-1309. The advocacy office cannot influence a judge or run its own investigation into an active case, but it can clarify your rights, point you to the right contact, and escalate unresolved concerns.8Administration for Children’s Services. ACS – Advocacy