Bottom line is, you can't claim the child care credit without the providers SSN or EIN. Sorry.
It's best when first acquiring child care, that you get that informaton from the provider before you start paying them. They can provide you with either their SSN, or more preferred from a security stand point, their EIN. They can get the EIN for free in about 10 minutes directly from the IRS at https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-n...
