Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend (WFSCB) receives funding from the Texas Workforce Commission to provide subsidized child care services for low-income families within its 11-County region (Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Duval, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio, and San Patricio counties). This funding makes it possible for parents to maintain jobs or attend school or participate in training activities which enable them to enhance their quality of life and the lives of their children.
This Child Care Program provides support to families in our communities who are working towards improving their quality of life. This program builds the workforce of the future by developing the skills of children ages 0 – 12. Our goals are to improve early education, prevent circumstances leading to abuse, and promote health and safety.
About Child Care Services
Workforce Solutions Coastal Bend administers funding through Child Care Services (CCS) to help parents pay for child care while they search for employment, work, go to school, or participate in job training in order to become self-sufficient. Those eligible for child care assistance may include:
- Parents with low incomes who need help paying for child care so they can continue to work or attend training
- Parents who are receiving public assistance (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) formerly Food Stamps, Social Security survivor benefits for their child, etc.)
- Parents who have recently stopped receiving TANF benefits because of earned income
- Parents in job training programs through the Workforce Center
- Teen parents from low-income families who need child care to attend school
- Parents with low incomes who have children with disabilities
For more information, please contact us at 361-885-3010 or info@workforcesolutionscb.org.
Enrollment for Child Care Services
As funds become available, customers will be contacted by Child Care staff and asked to submit the appropriate documents to determine their eligibility status.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO CUSTOMERS:
On July 1, 2024, TWC will launch a new system called Texas Child Care Connection (TX3C) for the Child Care Services program.
The new system will feature the following:
- A new statewide application for families
- An easy-to-use interface that works with mobile devices
- A common user experience for all Texan
Child Care Waitlist
We appreciate your patience while WFSCB and TWC complete the transition to TX3C.
New Child Care Portal
This secure web portal was designed for partner providers and parents to submit inquiries and updates, learn about the Texas Rising Star program, access professional development resources and much much more.
Do I qualify for Child Care Financial Assistance?
Parents participating in the Child Care Services Program receive financial assistance to help pay for their children to attend a State licensed child care center, licensed child care home, or a listed relative child care provider. Child care services may be provided for children ranging in age from “0” to “12”.
Studies consistently show that children who receive quality care at an early age perform better overall. Moreover, parents who know their children are well-cared for are more focused and productive on the job.
Eligibility criteria to receive Child Care Services (CCS)
Income Guidelines
To be eligible, families must be below the following gross State Median Income (SMI) limits:
| Family Size | TWC Threshold of 85% SMI (Monthly) | TWC Threshold of 85% SMI (Annually) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | $4,550 | $54,600 |
| 3 | $5,621 | $67,452 |
| 4 | $6,691 | $80,292 |
| 5 | $7,762 | $93,144 |
| 6 | $8,833 | $105,996 |
Effective October 1, 2023
To help process your request more quickly, please complete and bring the Document Checklist on your first visit:
Initial Job Search Child Care
Initial Job Search Child Care is available for parents to actively seek full-time employment. New families who apply for child care financial assistance may qualify for Initial Job Search Child Care if the parent(s) do not meet the minimum employment participation requirements for At-Risk child care eligibility but meet all other eligibility requirements.
Child Care Eligibility
The family will qualify for three months of child care services, with no copay, while searching for work that will meet the At-Risk child care eligibility minimum employment activity requirements; 25 hours per week for a single-parent household and 50 hours per week for a two-parent household.
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.
Successful Employment and Continuing Benefits
If parents are successful meeting the employment participation requirements within the three months, eligibility for child care services will continue for an additional nine (9) months, not to exceed a total of 12 months. This does not mean you will no longer qualify for assistance. However, once the parent(s) meets the employment activity requirements, parents will begin paying a parent share of cost (PSC) fee.
Initial job searches are limited to one per 12-month period. At the end of the initial three months of eligibility, if the family still does not meet minimum activity requirements, care will be terminated.
Cancelation of Enrollment
If families do not meet the minimum employment requirements after three months, child care services will be terminated.
New child care applications/enrollments for Initial Job Search Child Care are subject to Workforce Solutions Coastal Bend’s wait-list and priority groups of services.
Training for Parents
The Texas AgriLife Extension Service, in partnership with the Department of Family & Protective Services, Child Care Licensing Division, offers quality online training for parents. Click here to view their current trainings. Topics include:
- Handling Infants’ and Toddlers Challenging Behavior
- Build Your Bones: Osteoporosis – Prevention and Treatment
- What Parents Need to Know about Infant and Toddler Development
- Healthy Eaters: Infant and Toddler Nutrition in the Home Environment
- Infant and Toddler Social Emotional Development
- Making Home a Place for Learning
- Parent-Caregiver Communication in Child Care Settings
- Selecting Child Care: A Guide for Parents
- Safe Sleep: Strategies for Reducing the Risk of Sudden Infant Death
Additional Child Care Resources
GetParentingTips.Com contains resources for parents of children of all ages and information on resources available in the local community.
The United Way of the Coastal Bend provides information on resources available in the community for parents. To access this website, please click on the link below.
https://www.uwcb.org/parent-education
