Overview
TWC manages the Child Care Services (CCS) program with funding from the federal Child Care and Development Fund. The CCS program helps low-income Texas families pay for child care through scholarships. CCS also supports the quality of child care across the state.
Families can learn about CCS program eligibility requirements, copays, and how to apply on the Child care scholarships webpage of the Texas Child Care Connection website.
Providers can learn how to how to serve families in the CCS program on the Offering child care services webpage of the Texas Child Care Connection website.
This webpage provides information on child care-related topics for employers, policymakers, researchers, and the general public. Topics include:
- Services
- Stakeholder Opportunities & Input
- Authority & Funding
What We Do
Information
Financial Aid
Education & Training
Services
One-stop-shop for families and for child care providers looking for information on Texas child care and related state services.
Learn more about the quality rating and improvement system for Texas child care programs that accept state subsidies.
Cross-agency Commission working to improve child care access, quality, and affordability for Texas families. Learn more and share...
Technical assistance services for employers interested in employer-based child care services.
View and download Child Care & Early Learning plans, reports, and data.
A pre-k partnership is a collaboration between a quality-rated child care provider, such as a Texas Rising Star Three- or Four...
Stakeholder Opportunities & Input
Stakeholders can learn about policy and funding decisions by virtually attending Commission meetings. The meetings also offer the public an opportunity to provide input. To view meetings, agendas, and materials, visit TWC Commission Meetings.
The Commission also works with staff to provide opportunities for:
- Child care and early learning stakeholders to offer input on the CCS program
- TEA, school districts, charter schools, businesses, and the public to offer input on CCS and pre-K coordination.
- Child care programs to offer input on making health and safety regulations more effective
- Child care programs to offer input on reducing burdens related to CCS program regulations while maintaining the goal of the regulation.
TWC notifies stakeholders of opportunities to attend regional meetings and of other child care updates. Stakeholders interested in receiving updates should sign up to receive workforce updates by entering your email address and selecting the child care topic areas of interest. Additionally, stakeholders may provide input to TWC’s Child Care and Early Learning Division at any time by emailing ccel@twc.texas.gov.
See TWC's Child Care Stakeholder Input Policy for more information.
Authority & Funding
Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)
CCDF is authorized by the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (CCDBG) and Section 418 of the Social Security Act and funds TWC's CCS program. CCDF is overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Child Care.
TWC is the lead agency for CCDF in Texas. The Texas State Legislature appropriates the majority of CCDF funds to TWC to:
- Provide direct child care services to eligible families
- Support the improvement of child care quality across the state
TWC, in turn, allocates most of these dollars to the 28 Local Workforce Development Boards to oversee service delivery through Workforce Solutions Offices. Learn more about Budget & Allocations at TWC's Agency Reports webpage.
TWC uses a portion of CCDF funds for statewide initiatives to improve child care quality. TWC also provides funds to Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to administer Child Care Regulation (CCR).