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 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, preventing circumstances leading to abuse, and promoting health and safety.
For more information, please contact us at 361-882-7491 ext. 1932 or info@workforcesolutionscb.org.
Public Notices
The Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend (WFSCB) – Child Care Department is hard at work keeping Child Care Providers and Parents informed and engaged. The Child Care Services Department is a pillar of success in helping parents return to work and would not be complete without the help of Child Care Providers in the Coastal Bend. Click Here To Read More
On June 16, 2020, the Texas Workforce Commission took action to reinstate requirements for the parents of children receiving Child Care Services (CCS) to record their child’s daily attendance, to become effective July 20, 2020. Children are generally allowed 40 unexplained absences during a year. However, parents have not been required to record their attendance since mid-March, when the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was first being felt across the state. TWC did not want to penalize parents who were unable to take their children to child care or were unable to record attendance, based on the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Click Here to Read More…
Effective June 1, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) will reinstate the requirements for parents receiving financial assistance for child care services to pay for a portion of their costs. As children return to their child care centers, parents will resume paying their parent share of cost (PSC) fees to the child care center director. Parents who are unable to pay their PSC fees should contact Child Care Services (CCS) at (361)882-7491 ext. 426 to discuss their situation. A friendly reminder, all PSC fees should be paid to the child care center prior to services being provided.
Effective June 1, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) will reinstate the requirement for parents receiving financial assistance for child care services to pay for a portion of their costs. As children return to their child care centers, parents will resume paying their parent share of cost (PSC) fees to the child care center directors.
TWC will also continue to pay providers when children are absent and is paying a 25% enhanced reimbursement rate over and above what the provider regularly receives.
Effective June 1, 2020, child care providers may once again begin collecting the parent share of cost (PSC) fees from the parents of children who attend their centers. A friendly reminder, all PSC fees are due at the beginning of the month and must be collected (in full) prior to services being provided.
Enrollment for Child Care Services
Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend enrolls customers from its Wait List. Customers who need full-time child care services may complete a Child Care Wait List Application to have their name and contact information added to the Wait List.
As funds become available, customers on the Wait List will be contacted by Child Care staff and asked to submit the appropriate documents to determine their eligibility status.
Child Care Waitlist
Fill out the application
Complete form, save the file and then email to info@workforcesolutionscb.org. and view the Documentation Checklist (list of required documents
Looking 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.
Families must live within these counties: Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Duval, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio.
Eligibility criteria to receive Child Care Services (CCS)
- Each parent and step-parent, living in the household, must be working, attending school, in training/other educational program, or combination of these, at least an average of 25 hours each week over a four-week period. 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.
- If taxes are not taken out of pay or parent is paid cash, we consider parent to be self-employed.
- Families who identify as homeless are exempt from this requirement to apply for services.
- Meet income guidelines based on gross household income (before taxes) and family size. Types of other household income 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 must live within these counties: Aranas, Bee, Brooks, Duval, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio.
- Please read the Document Checklist for Child Care Eligibility
Income Guidelines
To be eligible, families must be below the following gross income limits:
| Family Size | Monthly |
|---|---|
| 2 | $4,276 |
| 3 | $5,283 |
| 4 | $6,289 |
| 5 | $7,295 |
| 6 | $8,301 |
| 7 | $8,490 |
| 8 | $8,679 |
Effective October 1, 2022
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 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.
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. If parents meet 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. Once the parent(s) meets the employment activity requirements, parents will begin paying a parent share of cost (PSC) fee.
New child care applications/enrollments for Initial Job Search Child Care are subject to Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend’s wait-list and priority groups of services.
Cancelation of Enrollment
If families do not meet the minimum employment requirements after three months, child care services will be terminated.
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
GetParentingTips.Com contains resources for parents of children of all ages and information on resources available in the local community. To access this website, please click on the link below.
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
