Childcare can significantly impact the daily routines of working parents. Affording quality care is a common challenge, particularly for families balancing work or education. In Texas, Workforce Solutions offers childcare scholarships to help parents work, train, or attend school while ensuring their children are in safe, nurturing care.
Watch “How to Find High Quality Child Care in Texas”:
Texas Rising Star: Quality-Based Child Care
The Texas Rising Star (TRS) program is a quality rating system for child care providers participating in the Texas Workforce Commission’s childcare scholarship program. TRS assigns providers a Two-Star, Three-Star, or Four-Star certification, encouraging higher-quality care with progressively stricter requirements.
Parents who qualify for childcare assistance can choose a provider on a space-available basis, ideally selecting one that meets TRS quality standards. More information is available at texasrisingstar.org.
Eligibility for Childcare Assistance
To qualify for Workforce Solutions childcare programs in the Gulf Coast area (Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Walker, Waller, and Wharton counties), families must provide documentation for the following criteria:
1. Residency documentation.
Provide one of the following documents showing your current address:
- Utility bill, cable bill, pay stub, rent receipt, lease, mortgage statement
- School record, Section 8 voucher, homelessness determination, or public assistance/social service record
- If living with someone else, a letter from that person and proof of their residence
2. Child’s Citizenship/Immigration Status
New applicants provide documents for each child; returning families only for added children. Examples include:
- Birth certificate, U.S. passport, hospital birth record, baptismal record
- Legal immigrants: Green Card (I-551), I-94, Refugee Travel Document (I-571), or other immigration documents
3. Child’s Age
- Under 13 (or under 19 if disabled)
- Documentation: birth certificate, passport, school ID, adoption papers, or special education records
4. Child’s Disability (if applicable)
Documentation can include SSI statements, DARS or ECI contact, Head Start identification, special education services, or clinician statements.
5. Family Income
- Single parent: minimum 25 hours/week of work or school
- Two-parent household: minimum 50 hours/week of work or school
- Provide documentation of all income sources: pay stubs, tax returns, self-employment records, Social Security, veterans’ awards, etc.
6. Education or Training (if attending school)
- Transcript or enrollment verification, tuition statement, or official documents from your education provider
Find available child care in Texas that meets your needs here.
Types of Childcare Available
Families can choose from various types of childcare depending on their needs:
- Child Care Centers: Professional staff, multiple classrooms, higher cost, may be located in schools or public buildings.
- Home-Based Care: Smaller groups in a caregiver’s home, often more flexible and affordable.
- Public Pre-K: Free programs for children ages 3–5 to prepare for kindergarten.
- Early Head Start & Head Start: Free child development and family support for eligible low-income families (birth to age 5).
- School-Age Care & Camps: Care before/after school, during holidays, and summer for children up to 13.
- Military Child Care: Special programs for military families, including fee assistance.
- Relative Child Care: Care provided by approved relatives, subject to background checks and inspections.
Workforce Solutions provides guidance and financial support to make childcare accessible. Families can contact the Financial Aid Support Center:
- Phone: 713.334.5980
- Text: 346.249.7700
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
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