How does Child Care Vouchers work?

Vouchers cover some or all of your child care costs. Most families are required to pay part of the costs based on their income and family size. Your voucher will cover all of the costs if you are: a family on cash assistance a family experiencing homelessness a foster care parent You can use a voucher to pay for child care from licensed/regulated providers and approved informal providers like relatives, neighbors, or friends. Your child can enter a child care program any time during the year. Eligibility is based on your family’s income, size, and other needs. Parents are not required to be U.S. citizens. However, the child receiving care must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, or have satisfactory immigration status. Voucher availability is dependent upon funding.

Am I eligible for Child Care Vouchers?

You may qualify for a voucher if your household gets Cash Assistance or is experiencing homelessness. You may also qualify if you earn less than the incomes shown below: # of People in a household Monthly Household Income 2 $4,578 3 $5,760 4 $6,939 5 $8,118 6 $9,300 7 $10,479 8 $10,725 You also need to have one of these “reasons for care”: You work 10+ hours per week You are in an educational or vocational training program You have been looking for work You live in temporary housing (priority access) You are attending services for domestic violence

How do I Apply to Child Care Vouchers?

To express your interest in applying for a voucher, complete the Child Care Contact Link . ACS is currently reaching out to families who previously applied to be on the voucher waitlist. Once all of those families have been contacted, ACS will contact you with information about how to apply for child care. This may take several months. While waiting, consider other options like EarlyLearn programs to meet immediate child care needs. Special Referrals If your family is applying for or receiving cash assistance, you must apply for child care through the Human Resources Administration (HRA) Benefits Access Center . If your family has an active child welfare case (such as receiving prevention and/or child protective services), you must contact your case planner or Child Protective Specialist to get a Child Care subsidy referral. If you are an employed foster parent , you must contact your agency case planner to get a Child Care subsidy referral. Families experiencing homelessness who are found eligible for child care assistance are prioritized for child care vouchers. Families should call the ACS Child and Family Well-Being Call Center at 212-835-7610 for support with completing the Child Care subsidy application . All families, including families who may need one of these referrals, can contact the ACS Child and Family Well-Being Call Center at 212-835-7610 or call 311 to get help with finding a program and completing the Child Care subsidy application.

Child Care Vouchers – ACCESS NYC

1. How it Works

Child care vouchers help cover the cost of child care for children 6 weeks to 13 years old. Children with disabilities up to 19 years old are also covered. Hundreds of home-based and center-based providers across NYC accept child care vouchers and offer child care services in safe and positive learning environments.

Vouchers cover some or all of your child care costs. Most families are required to pay part of the costs based on their income and family size. Your voucher will cover all of the costs if you are:
- a family on cash assistance
- a family experiencing homelessness
- a foster care parent
You can use a voucher to pay for child care from licensed/regulated providers and approved informal providers like relatives, neighbors, or friends.
Your child can enter a child care program any time during the year.
Eligibility is based on your family’s income, size, and other needs.
Parents are not required to be U.S. citizens. However, the child receiving care must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, or have satisfactory immigration status.
Voucher availability is dependent upon funding.

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2. Determine Your Eligibility

2. Determine your eligibility

You may qualify for a voucher if your household gets Cash Assistance or is experiencing homelessness. You may also qualify if you earn less than the incomes shown below:

# of People in a household	Monthly Household Income
2	$4,578
3	$5,760
4	$6,939
5	$8,118
6	$9,300
7	$10,479
8	$10,725

You also need to have one of these “reasons for care”:

You work 10+ hours per week
You are in an educational or vocational training program
You have been looking for work
You live in temporary housing (priority access)
You are attending services for domestic violence

Take a short survey to see if you might be eligible for this or 30 other programs.

Am I Eligible?

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3. How to Apply

3. How to apply

Here are your options.

To express your interest in applying for a voucher, complete the Child Care Contact Link.

ACS is currently reaching out to families who previously applied to be on the voucher waitlist.
Once all of those families have been contacted, ACS will contact you with information about how to apply for child care. This may take several months.
While waiting, consider other options like EarlyLearn programs to meet immediate child care needs.

Special Referrals

If your family is applying for or receiving cash assistance, you must apply for child care through the Human Resources Administration (HRA) Benefits Access Center.
If your family has an active child welfare case (such as receiving prevention and/or child protective services), you must contact your case planner or Child Protective Specialist to get a Child Care subsidy referral.
If you are an employed foster parent, you must contact your agency case planner to get a Child Care subsidy referral.
Families experiencing homelessness who are found eligible for child care assistance are prioritized for child care vouchers.
- Families should call the ACS Child and Family Well-Being Call Center at 212-835-7610 for support with completing the Child Care subsidy application.

All families, including families who may need one of these referrals, can contact the ACS Child and Family Well-Being Call Center at 212-835-7610 or call 311 to get help with finding a program and completing the Child Care subsidy application.

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Vouchers that help cover the cost of child care for children 6 weeks to 13 years old

Child Care Vouchers | NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS)

1. How it Works

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More ways to get help with this program

2. Determine your eligibility

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3. How to apply

Here are your options.

More ways to get help with this program

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