Hello parents! CalWORKS, California’s child care assistance program, is available to parents who need help funding child care. You will also be able to find out if a child care facility is licensed and where to report violations or file a complaint.

CalWORKS is California’s child care assistance program. The California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKS) program is a welfare program that gives cash aid and services to eligible needy California families. Part of this program is to help these families receive quality child care services. There are three stages to the CalWORKS child care program. Stage 1 is administered by the county welfare departments. Stages 2 and 3 are administered by Alternative Payment Program (APP) agencies under contract with the California Department of Education (CDE).

Stage 1 begins when a family enters the CalWORKS program. Families will stay in Stage 1 for 6 months or until their situation is stable and until there is availability in Stage 2 or Stage 3. Stage 2 begins after the 6 month period of Stage 1, after the family’s situation has stabilized, or when the family is transitioning off of aid. Families are able to receive child care in Stage 2 up to two years after they are no longer eligible for aid.
Stage 3 is for former CalWORKS recipients who have transitioned off of aid. It begins when space is available and when the family has acquitted the 24 months of child care.

To be eligible for child care benefits, families receiving CalWORKS aid must also be in one of the following situations:

1. They are attending a county welfare department-approved education or training program.
2. They are working.
3. They are teens participating in Cal-Learn.
4. They choose to refuse a cash aid payment and accept diversion services.
5. They have been receiving cash assistance and have transitioned off, but need child care to retain employment.

To be considered for the program, you must be a U.S. citizen or meet residency requirements, be a California resident, and not be a fleeing felon. You also have to have all of your children under six years old immunized, and children below the age of 16 must be attending school regularly. For CalWORKs, your family must have a “deprived child.” A child is considered deprived if they have at least one parent who is dead, disabled, continuously absent, in jail, or unemployed. Your family must also meet resource and income requirements.

View the CalWORKS Income Requirements table to see the specific resource and income requirements.

If you would like more information or would like to apply for this program, you will need to visit your local county welfare office.

You will need to fill out a form and submit for approval. If basic eligibility requirements are met, you will be contacted by an eligibility specialist who will schedule an appointment with you. At this appointment, you will receive more documents as well as a list of required things such as identification items that you will need to bring at your next appointment which will be an interview to determine acceptance into the program. If you are accepted into the program, you will receive a letter that explains these situations, along with explaining your benefit amount and other program rules.

If you would like to find out if California child care facility is licensed or has any complaints filed against them, please contact the appropriate Child Care Program Office or regional county office as listed below:

DEL NORTE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
880 Northcrest Drive
Crescent City, CA 95531
(707) 464-3191

INYO COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
162 Grove Street, Suite J
Bishop, CA 93514
(760) 872-1727

MENDOCINO COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
P.O. Box 839
Ukiah, CA 95482
(707) 463-7939

SACRAMENTO COUNTY
Family Day Care Licensing
7171 Bowling Drive, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95823
(916) 875-2808

If you would like to file a complaint or report a violation:
If possible, try to resolve minor concerns and complaints with the child care provider or director of the child care center. If you believe that physical or sexual abuse is involved, you are advised to inform local law enforcement. To file a complaint in Del Norte, Inyo, Mendocino, or Sacramento counties, see the contact information below:

DEL NORTE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
880 Northcrest Drive
Crescent City, CA 95531
(707) 464-3191

INYO COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
162 Grove Street, Suite J
Bishop, CA 93514
(760) 872-1727

MENDOCINO COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
P.O. Box 839
Ukiah, CA 95482
(707) 463-7939

SACRAMENTO COUNTY
Family Day Care Licensing
7171 Bowling Drive, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95823
(916) 875-2808

To file a complaint in another county, please contact the appropriate Child Care Program Office.