Apply for Child Care

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Who Can Apply for a Child Care Voucher?

Your family may qualify for child care assistance if your family's income falls below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level and you have an approved reason for seeking child care ("reason for care"). This reason must be at least one of the following:

  • 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

Eligibility is based on your family size, residency, income, and reason for care. It is verified using the documentation you submit with your application. If you're unsure whether you're eligible, take this short survey to see if you might be!


How Do I Apply for a Child Care Voucher?

ACS is currently accepting applications for child care assistance for families citywide through MyCity! MyCity makes it easy to apply for assistance and track the status of your application. For more information and to apply, visit MyCity today!

Need help? Please call the ACS Call Center at 212-835-7610, Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:30pm.

Alternatively, you may choose to apply by mail. Printable application forms can be found on our Forms for Families page. If you apply through MyCity, please do not also send a paper application – it will slow down the processing of your application. Completed applications and required documentation must be mailed to: NYC Children - EDU, PO Box 40, Maplewood, NJ 07040.

If eligible, you will be issued a voucher which you'll complete and return to ACS so your child can be enrolled with your preferred child care provider.

If you are living in shelter or temporary housing, on Cash Assistance from HRA, receiving child welfare services, or a working foster parent, please see additional information below.

For information on all early care and education services available for eligible families in New York City, please review the Early Care & Education Programs for New York City Families. Translations of the flyer can be found here.


 

Families Experiencing Homelessness

If your family is in shelter or temporary housing, you may be eligible for free child care assistance. This includes families who may be sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason.

To apply for a child care voucher, follow the directions on how to apply above, select "Homelessness" as your reason for care in Section 3, and submit your application with a housing questionnaire and all other required documentation to [email protected]. Sending your application to this email address will help expedite your application.

Our Early Care & Education Programs for Families Experiencing Homelessness Flyer has more information on all early care and education programs available for families in shelter or temporary housing. Translations of the flyer can be found here.


Families on Cash Assistance

If you are receiving Cash Assistance and are employed or engaging in work-related activities (required or voluntary), including those in school, you may be eligible for child care. Please contact your HRA Benefits Access Center apply. See more information.


Transitional Child Care

If you were previously on Cash Assistance but are no longer financially eligible, you may be eligible for subsidized child care services under the one-year Transitional Child Care (TCC) Benefits program. For more information on your eligibility and how to apply, please contact [email protected].


Families Receiving Child Welfare Services

If you are receiving prevention services or protective services and need child care assistance, your caseworker or case planner should submit a referral form to ACS's Division of Child and Family Well-Being. Please reach out to them to ensure they have all the information they need to submit your referral.


Working Foster Parents

If you are a working foster parent, you may be eligible for child care assistance. Your caseworker or case planner should submit a referral form to ACS's Division of Child and Family Well-Being. Please reach out to them to ensure they have all the information they need to submit your referral. Note that in a two parent household, both foster parents must be working to qualify for child care assistance.


Promise NYC

Set to launch in January 2023, Promise NYC is a new child care assistance program that will, for the first time in New York City's history, provide child care assistance to low-income families with children, including undocumented children, whose immigration status makes them ineligible for other, federally-funded child care assistance.

ACS is contracting with four community-based organizations with experience and expertise serving communities and families impacted by immigration to help launch the program.

Read More