Florida free child care program

A safe and nurturing early learning environment allows children to get ready for school, and allows their parents to focus on work or school knowing that their child is in a healthy, caring environment. It is important to make sure your child care provider meets health and safety requirements.

Visit our state resources page to learn how to access these reports in your state. At the end of this page, we cover some suggestions that may help you find lower-cost options. A number of financial assistance programs offer help paying for child care.

Click on each category to review options that may be able to help. Child care subsidies also called vouchers and fee assistance : Each state receives funds from the federal government for a state-run child care subsidy program. These programs help low-income families pay for child care so they can work or attend school. Eligibility requirements are different in each state. Head Start and Early Head Start: Head Start and Early Head Start programs help prepare children to start school and provide services to support their mental, social, and emotional development.

Families who have low incomes or meet other requirements may be eligible for Head Start. State-funded prekindergarten: State pre-k programs serve children between 3 and 5 years old. They focus on early education and school readiness. Some states offer these programs to eligible families at low or no cost. Programs may be part-day or full-day. Your state child care resource and referral agency can usually tell you if there is state pre-k where you live and where to find local programs.

Military fee assistance programs: Child care fee assistance is available to eligible members of the military. This program is managed by Child Care Aware of America. All Campaigns. Visit FLHealthCharts. Order Your Certificates Order birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates online through VitalChek. Order Certificates. Apostilles or Notarial Certificates. Featured Topic:. Influenza Influenza or 'flu' is a viral respiratory illness, mainly spread by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk.

Report a Disease To report a disease , contact your local county health department. Report a Foodborne Illness. Contact the Child Care Food Program ccfp flhealth. Email Facebook Twitter force line break in cascade. CCFP Contractors must have a written emergency preparedness plan that demonstrates how the organization will operate during an emergency and minimize the disruption of CCFP services to children in care. Maintain this plan at your organization.

Ensure that contact information in MIPS is correct. Because communication systems may be down after a storm, take time now to print off several blank Waiver forms and keep them in different locations for possible use later. Plan menus using shelf-stable foods and purchase those items for use in case of an emergency. Operating but unable to meet CCFP meal pattern requirements. Temporarily moving children to a different location. Unable to file claims by the claiming deadlines. Unable to maintain normal paperwork or computer systems, i.

Caring for children residing in or evacuating from a designated disaster area. Here are just a few of the top resources available to families looking for free daycare and childcare assistance.

The program is federally funded, but administered by each state, territory or tribe. Each state, territory or tribe will have slightly different qualifications, but in general, parents or custodians must be able to prove they are low-income and the primary care-givers for children under the age of 13, or children under 19 if the child is incapable of self-care.

Head Start and Early Head Start are free federally-funded programs serving low income children and families. Head Start serves families with children aged three to five years, and Early Head Start serves pregnant women and families with children under the age of three. The hours of operation for both programs vary by state, but many are even available in summer.

Children enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start will receive educational preparation for Kindergarten, as well as free healthy meals and snacks, and some medical and dental care. Openings for these programs may be limited.