In partnership with the Austin/Travis County Success By Six Coalition, the City works to ensure families have access to high-quality early learning options that meet their needs. Additionally, the City works with Texas Rising Star 4-Star providers through Workforce Solutions Capital Area Child Care Services (CCS) to provide subsidized child care for eligible families.
For Parents & Families
Finding Child Care
Child care providers can go above and beyond the state’s minimum standards for licensed or registered child care facilities by meeting higher standards through certification or accreditation through the Texas Rising Star child care quality rating system or national accreditation entities. There are several search options for families looking for high-quality child care:
- Workforce Solutions Capital Area Child Care Services keeps an updated list of hundreds of child care providers that are contracted with the Child Care Services program. Providers are listed by zip code and quality-rating. The link to that list can be found here, under the “Choosing A Provider” tab.
- Additional child care providers can be found on the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services website. If you are having trouble using the child care search on the website, contact the local Austin Child Care Regulation office at 512-834-3426.
- Another search tool available to parents and families is the Texas Child Care Availability Portal. Child care providers update their provider profile to reflect current openings.
Child Care Assistance
Need child care assistance? Workforce Solutions Capital Area Child Care Services provides child care scholarships to eligible low-to moderate-income families in Travis County. Find a provider that has an opening for your preschool-aged child; and, if you want to place your child there, work with the provider to submit the required paperwork to the Local Match Coordinator at Workforce Solutions Child Care Services (CCS) at (512) 597-7191. There may be a waiting list. Learn more about eligibility and the application process, here.
For additional information, contact:
Workforce Solutions Child Care Services
9001 N IH 35, Suite 110C
Austin, Texas 78753
Phone: (512) 597-7191
Email: austinccs@wfscapitalarea.com
Pre-K Enrollment
Pre-kindergarten (pre-K) supports a strong foundation for building relationships and later school success. Children who attend a pre-K program are more likely to be ready for school when they start kindergarten. Now is the time for qualified families to enroll their 3-and 4-year-olds in a FREE pre-K program, sponsored by Austin ISD and E-3 Alliance.
Families wanting to learn more about pre-K can watch the “All About Pre-K” Facebook events. The recording of the event is available in English and Spanish and can be watched at any time. Families will hear from pre-K teachers and parents about:
- What a typical day in pre-K looks like,
- The benefits of attending pre-K,
- Who is eligible for free pre-K,
- How to enroll in area school districts, and more!
Head Start/Early Head Start
The Head Start/Early Head Start providers in Austin/Travis County are Child Inc and Austin ISD.
- Child Inc offers Early Head Start (prenatal to age 3) and Head Start (ages 3-5) programs. Contact Child Inc at 512-451-7361 for enrollment and eligibility information.
- Austin ISD offers full day Head Start programming for 3-year-olds. For information about enrollment eligibility for AISD Head Start, call 512-414-4752.