Child Care Services for Parents
Child Care Services are designed to build the future workforce by supporting the growth and development, prevent abuse and neglect and promote the health and safety of children ages 0-13. This is accomplished by helping parents who qualify to receive child care assistance, allowing parents to work, attend school or complete skills training.
Parents may qualify for services if they meet the following criteria:
Need childcare for a child under 13 years of age (or 19 years of age if disabled)
- Proof of U.S. Citizenship or legal immigrant status for each child on whose behalf you are applying for childcare scholarships (birth certificate, alien registration card I-551, etc.)
Child needing care lives in the household with you.
Family’s asset should not exceed $1,000,000.
Live in one of the following counties:
Jim Hogg
Webb
Zapata
Need childcare in order to participate in work, school, or training activities for at least 25 hours per week for a single parent or 50 hours per week for a two-parent family (can be met in combination between both parents)
Child Care during education: “Educational Program that leads to one of the following: A high school diploma, A certificate of High School Equivalency or an undergraduate degree; definition of successful completion, must show progress towards successful completion of the program demonstrated through continued enrollment and maintain a GPA of 2.0 or above and time limits cumulative total of 60 months of post-secondary undergraduate education.”
Need childcare in order to search for employment aka “Initial Job Search.”
- Initial job searches are limited to one per 12-month eligibility period.
- Parents enrolling under an initial job search must self-attest they are not meeting the participation requirement and have registered with the state’s labor exchange system.
- A job search is limited to three months.
- Child Care Services will continue following this three-month period, if, by the end of the three months, the family meets income eligibility and the following activity requirements:
- 25 hours for a single parent, with at least 12 hours in employment; or 50 hours combined for dual-parent families, with at least 25 combined hours in employment.
- At the end of the initial three months of eligibility, if the family still does not meet minimum activity requirements, care will be terminated.
Total gross income for your household is below the 85% SMI:
Initial Job Search is for families who do not meet the minimum participation requirements for At-Risk childcare initial eligibility. These families shall qualify for childcare while searching for work that will meet the minimum activity requirements.
Definitions:
Homelessness:
“An individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.”
Level of Education:
“Educational Program that leads to one of the following: A high school diploma, A certificate of High School Equivalency or An undergraduate degree; definition of successful completion, must show progress towards successful completion of the program demonstrated through continued enrollment and maintain a GPA of 2.0 or above and time limits cumulative total of 60 months of post-secondary undergraduate education.”
Waitlist
Enrollment in the childcare program is subject to the availability of funds. We currently have Waitlist to the childcare program. Parents may call our office at 956-794-1500 to check on the status of enrollment.
If you meet the eligibility listed at the top of this page, please complete the CCS Waitlist application using the links below (PDF to download and print) or online here.
Find the forms needed to apply on our Forms page. Priority of service is available for certain groups. All other eligible applicants receive childcare assistance on a first-come first-served basis. Due to funding limitations, we maintain a waiting list. If your children are waitlisted, please call every 30 days to remain waitlisted.
If you think you might be eligible to receive services, call the CCS office at (956) 794-1500 or visit 1406 Jacaman A, Laredo, Texas 78041.
We continuously monitor our funding and outreach families as soon as it is determined that funds are available by priority groups and waitlist date.
The ENROLLMENT STATUS is LIMITED.
Enrollment is limited only to families who were previously outreached for a scholarship.
CURRENT ESTIMATED WAITLIST TIME
60 days.
The estimated amount of time before we outreach you for enrollment.
OUR LAST ENROLLMENT UOUTREACH.
April 1, 2024
Customers placed on our waitlist through 10/03/2023 were contacted.
Child Care Provider Options
Parents are responsible for the selection of child care providers. Follow this LINK to see the Child Care Providers List.
Options include:
Listed Family Home
Definition: A caregiver at least 18 years old who provides care in the caregiver's own home for compensation for three or fewer children unrelated to the caregiver, ages birth through 13 years. Regular care is provided, which is care provided for at least four hours a day, three or more days a week and more than nine consecutive weeks. The total number of children in care, including children related to the caregiver, may not exceed 12. Note: A home is subject to registration if it cares for more than three unrelated children on a regular basis, whether or not the unrelated children are in care at the same time. (A caregiver who is subject to regulation as a listed family home may instead become a registered child-care home.)
Registered Child-Care Home
Definition: A caregiver at who provides regular care in the caregiver's own residence for not more than six children from birth through 13 years. Child day care can be provided for six additional school-aged children before and after the customary school day. The total number of children in care at any given time, including children related to the caregiver, must not exceed 12.
Licensed Child-Care Home
Definition: The primary caregiver provides care in the caregiver's own residence for children from birth through 13 years. The total number of children in care varies with the ages of the children, but the total number of children in care at any given time, including the children related to the caregiver must not exceed 12.
Licensed Child-Care Center
Definition: An operation providing care for seven or more children younger than 14 years old for less than 24 hours per day at a location other than the permit holder's home.
Relative Care Providers
Transfer
To request a transfer to another childcare provider, the parent must provide the current center with a 14-day notice.
Report Changes
Parents are required to report changes that impact the family’s eligibility within 14 days, such as
changes in income,
changes in family size,
changes in employment, training or education,
changes in address, phone number or email address
Redetermination
Welcome to the redetermination application. If you are a current customer for the Child Care Services subsidy, you are in the right place.
Please note that redetermination applications will not be reviewed after the last day of care.
Parents may call our office at 956-794-1500 to check if you have any questions.
Texas Child Care Availability Portal
Peace of mind is important for parents who work or go to school when it comes to their child care needs. Health and Human Services recognizes that and regards a child’s well-being with the utmost importance. HHS has programs in place with the best interests of the child and parent in mind when it comes to child care operations across Texas.
Child Care Licensing is a statewide program that regulates child care operations and child-placing agencies to protect the health, safety and well-being of children in out-of-home care. CCL inspects child care operations, making sure they meet the standards Texas has set. We put the reports of every inspection online so parents can make the right choice for their children.
Helpful Links for Parents
- Search for Child Care and find other important information on the Texas Health and Human Services website.
- For information on developmental screenings, visit the Early Childhood Texas Developmental Screenings website.
- Find information on locating quality childcare, financial assistance, your child’s development, and the training and accreditation requirements for providers at the Texas Child Care Solutions website.
- Learn the ABCs of Choosing Care for Your Child from littletexans.org.
- To find help in connecting to food, health, housing, and other assistance programs, visit 211texas.org.
- Resources for parents and providers are listed at the bottom of the TWC Child Care Program site.