Child Care Services Putting Families First

Feeling successful and confident at your work, school or job-training requires feeling confident in your child care. Our CareForce services exist to help you find an approved provider and access funding to help cover child care costs. Even better, if you have a relative that can assist in providing care, they may be eligible for compensation.

Notice: Did you submit a waitlist application for our Child Care Services? If yes, then be on the lookout for an email from no-reply@childcare.texas.gov. Enrollment is now open and it is important to start preparing your required documents. Find the list of documents below in the Required Documents section.

New Applicants

Eligibility Hotline:

915-887-2878

Ready to apply?

Applicant must be a resident of Brewster, Culberson, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, or Presidio County
Each parent and step-parent, living in the household, must be working, attending school, in training/other educational program, or a combination of these, at least an average of 25 hours a week over a review period or actively looking for employment. Household members include those that live in the household: parents, step-parents, adult dependents and a child or other minor living in the household who is the responsibility of the parent.
Job Search Child Care: If a parent or step-parent meets eligibility criteria averaging 25 hours per week of work, school, or training hours, early-learning child care tuition scholarships are available for a limited time to support you while searching for employment. For child care to continue, employment must be found within 90 days of child care starting. Parents may self-attest their need for job search child care to actively seek employment and that their family income is below 85 percent of the state median income if it applies. If after 3 months of job search child care, documented employment eligibility hours are not met, child care will end.
Meet income guidelines based on gross household income (before taxes) and family size. Types of other household include, but are not limited to: rental income for a house, homestead, store, or other property; income from boarders/lodgers; income from estate and trust funds, or royalties; pensions, annuities, life insurance, and retirement income, Social Security Disability Income (SSDI), workers’ compensation income, alimony, court settlements, or judgements.
The person applying for services must have primary custody of the child(ren) needing services. If applicant is not the parent of the child needing services, then applicant must provide the following with the application:
- Reason the parent is not available, and
- Paperwork verifying reason parent is not available, and
- Paperwork verifying that applicant is the person responsible for the child.
- Families who owe recoupment, anywhere in Texas, are not eligible to enroll or continue services until the recoupment has been paid in full.
- Applicant must be at an income threshold of 85% of the state median income for your family size

Family Share of Cost

Parent/Family share of cost is a sliding scale based on family income, the number of people in the household and the number of children in care. If all children in the family attend a Texas Rising Star provider, the family is eligible for a reduction. A family’s share of cost cannot be waived.

Share of Cost Methodology

Required Documents

Eligibility Checklist

Parent(s) who paid cash or new employment

Parent(s) who are self-employed

Parent(s) who attend School or Training

Enrolled Families

Family Size	Max Monthly Income Allowed (85% State Median Income)
2	$4,550
3	$5,621
4	$6,691
5	$7,762
6	$8,833
7	$9,033
8	$9,234
9	$9,435
10	$9,636

To apply for Child Care, please create an account by clicking below. By doing so you will be added to a waitlist that WSB maintains of eligible families who are in need of child care assistance. The wait list period may last anywhere from 6-12 months (in some cases longer). When we are ready for your full application you will receive an email from no-reply@childcare.texas.gov.

Create an Account

Compensation for Relative Care Providers

If you are a parent eligible to receive subsidized child care assistance, you may select a relative as your choice for a child care provider

Minimum Qualifications:

Be a relative by blood, marriage, or court order (great-grandparent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or sibling, not residing in the same home)
Be at least 18 years old
Provide care and supervision for up to three unrelated children
Provide care at least four hours a day, three or more days a week, for three or more consecutive weeks; or four hours a day for 40 or more days in a 12-month period
Provide care in the primary caregiver’s home
Meet state minimum standards
Are not routinely inspected unless a complaint is received regarding a possible violation of the minimum standards