A voucher, or a subsidy, is an alternative funding option available to families who qualify for financial assistance. Once a family is qualified for financial support, Children’s Council pays the child care program on the family’s behalf. For early educators, caring for children with subsidies is a way to invest in the children in your neighborhood who need you most!
Follow these steps to receive referrals and enroll children with subsidies.
- Tell us you are interested in receiving referrals.
List your program information in our referral network for hundreds of local parents searching for child care to view. We will note your interest in serving children with subsidies on your provider profile so families with state vouchers may receive referrals to your site.
- If you are new to Children’s Council: Join our referral network by downloading and completing this form and mark “accepting vouchers”.
- If you are an existing provider: Contact support@childrenscouncil.org to review your referral profile and ensure “accepting vouchers” is listed.
Coming soon--We are moving to a new online provider portal to the referral database. Keep an eye out for trainings on how to access and use this portal to boost your profile's appeal or maximize visibility, including self-selecting your willingness to accept vouchers.
- Wait for families to contact you.
After joining our referral network, your program information is listed for both private-pay and subsidy-eligible families who are using our Online Child Care Finder or resource and referral services to find child care. If a family is interested in your program, they will contact you directly. Follow your own program procedure and offer a phone screening, site tour, etc.
Please note Children’s Council does not recommend individual providers and give referrals to families only using age, hours, days, type of care, zip code, and other criteria requested by their need.
- Discuss Voucher enrollment with a Family Specialist
When a family with a voucher working with Children’s Council learns of your program and shows interest in enrolling, a Family Subsidy Specialist assigned to the family will contact you to confirm your willingness to care for this child.
- Complete the provider onboarding process.
After the Family Subsidy Specialist has confirmed your interest in enrollment, a Provider Coordinator will contact you to collect: a copy of your childcare license, a current Form W-9, and a typed brochure of your program that lists your rates and additional fees, hours, and closure dates (such as holidays). You may prepare these documents now, but please wait to submit them after you meet with a Coordinator.
- Receive Child Care Certificate.
In about 5 business days you will receive official authorization to start care. Please note that during peak enrollment periods, official authorization can take more time as the parent must prove their eligibility in our family intake process.
- Complete and submit monthly attendance sheets to receive payment.
Follow these steps to submit attendance and receive reimbursement for your care.
- Keep your vacancies updated.
Tell us when you have open or closed vacancies at 415-343-4669 or support@childrenscouncil.org so we can make accurate referrals to families.
Children’s Council will contact you regularly to ensure that your contact information and vacancies are up-to-date.
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