Tompkins County is sharing two updates for families in the community related to childcare access. The Tompkins County Department of Social Services is working with local partners, including the Office of Children and Family Services and the Child Development Council to reach more families with the following resources and information.
Struggling to afford childcare? You may be eligible to receive a subsidy reducing the cost for your family!
Eligibility to reduce the costs of childcare for families has recently expanded, more families will have access to a portion of childcare costs being covered by the State. Changes include guaranteed 12-Month eligibility period for eligible families, a decrease in the number of hours associated with the work requirement, no family share for child protective, preventive and child-only cases.
The Department of Social Services encourages interested families to get in contact to find out if you’re eligible and to access the subsidy. You can contact the department at 607-274-5612 or tompkinschildcare@dfa.state.ny.us
A poster advertising the expanded eligibility is available for download here. Tompkins County encourages employers to make this information available for their workforce who may be interested in the expanded eligibility to lower their childcare costs.
Visit https://tcgov.co/DSSchildcare for more information.
Are you willing to provide child care for a friend or neighbor in need of care? Become an informal child care provider in Tompkins County!
Families in Tompkins County who have capacity are being encouraged to consider becoming an informal child care provider. Informal providers offer child care from their homes, often for friends or family in need of care. Informal care is also a potential source of income for families.
The Tompkins County Department of Social Services is partnering with the Child Development Council to help families get registered and find out more information on how to become an informal provider. Representatives are available to meet with individuals at the following times at the Department of Social Services at 320 West Martin Luther King Jr./State Street Ithaca, NY 14850:
- MARCH 30,2022: 12PM- 3PM
- APRIL 14, 2022: 2PM-3PM
- APRIL 26, 2022 : 9AM- 12PM
- MAY 11, 2022: 9AM-12PM
- MAY 25, 2022: 12PM-3PM
A poster advertising the program is available for download here. Tompkins County encourages employers and community partners to make this information available for their patrons who may be interested in the program.
Tompkins County Commissioner of the Department of Social Services Kit Kephart stated, “Child care access and affordability are some of the biggest issues facing families in our community. Every day we see families who can’t afford or find care for their young children, this impacts peoples’ ability to hold steady jobs and build careers. These programs we’re offering with our partners can increase access to affordable care and help families find and keep jobs in our community to better support their families, I encourage anyone who might be interested to reach out and I encourage our businesses and community partners to make this information available to their staff, patrons, and visitors.”