Families
Child Care
Families have the opportunity to positively impact their child’s growth and development every day. Parenting a young child is not an easy task and cannot be done alone. The ELC serves as a “one-stop-shop” for families with young children by connecting them to the care they need for their child, providing parenting support and education, and connecting them to additional community resources and services as needed.
Looking for Child Care?
There are many factors to consider when selecting child care including location, cost, and whether there are openings for your child. It is also important to think about which type of care is best for your child, what curriculum best meets your child’s needs, and the staff’s training and experience. The Early Learning Coalition helps families make informed decisions when choosing a provider for their children.
Next steps:
- Know how to identify a quality provider? Read our Family Guide to learn about child care options, including the types of care and what to look for in quality child care.
- Need a list of possible child care providers? Return a completed Customer Intake Form to receive a list of possible providers based on the criteria you select.
- Review child care providers online. Create a short list of providers that meet your family’s needs. Review each provider’s information, including information on services, staff training, accreditation, and compliance with state laws through the DCF’s CARES system.
- Choose a quality child care provider. Now that you know what to look for and what to ask, use “A Parent Checklist for Quality Child Care” when visiting each provider. You can also use the “Know Your Child Care Facility” brochure when visiting providers. Then choose the provider that best meets your family’s needs.
- Need help paying for child care? Submit a School Readiness application for financial help with child care now that you’ve chosen a provider.
Other Helpful Resources
Selecting quality care takes time, but it will help you find the care you want for your child. For information on:
Afterschool programs – read the “Florida Standards for Quality Afterschool Programs.”
Summer care – use the “Selecting Summer Care for School-Age Children: A Quality Checklist.”
School Readiness Providers: See a complete list of contracted ELC providers that offer School Readiness (updated 09/20/2024)
VPK Providers: See a complete list of contracted ELC providers that offer VPK (updated 09/20/24)
Need Help Paying for Child Care?
The ELC helps at-risk and low-income working families by providing child care tuition assistance through the School Readiness program.
Law requires the ELC to determine eligibility partly on purpose for care (working, attending school, etc.), household income, and the number of people in the household. We enroll into the School Readiness program when there are available funds. Typically, there is a waitlist to receive services. To see if you may be eligible for this program, access Florida’s Early Learning Family Portal.
For more information, call us at (850) 385-0504.
