Westchester County Child Care Scholarship Program Discontinued

The Child Care Council of Westchester has been informed by the Westchester County Department of Social Services (DSS) that 2010 funding for the Westchester County Child Care Scholarship Program has been discontinued.

This means that 2010 Round 1, scheduled to begin June 1, 2010, will not occur. Applications for 2010 Round 1 that were sent to the Child Care Council have been recorded, but not processed.

All current 2009 Round 1 and Round 2 Westchester County Child Care Scholarships will end May 31, 2010. The final May payment will be between 50% and 65% of the usual monthly award amount.

We encourage parents to explore other kinds of financial assistance that might be available:

1. The Child Care Council's Benefits Calculator is a general screening tool designed to help see if you may be eligible for a variety of public and private benefits.

2. There are several tax benefits and programs that can put more money in your hands; money that you can use for child care expenses. Click here for information on the Earned Income Tax Credit, Federal Child Tax Credit, Empire State Child Credit, Federal Child and Dependent Care Credit and the New York State Child and Dependent Care Credit.

3. Talk to your current program/provider to see if they are flexible with their fees/costs or have other scholarships.

4. Consider if there are different types of child care that may be less expensive for your family. Call the Council's Referral Department at 914-761- 3456 x 140 for assistance.

The Child Care Council understands the financial hardship of paying for quality child care. We, with your support, advocated to the County for continuation of this program. Your voices were heard and your support greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, in this very difficult economic climate, the County was not able to continue to fund the Westchester County Child Care Scholarship Program.

The Council continues to work on educating our community on the importance of affordable, quality child care on behalf of all children and families in Westchester County. If you would like to work with us on this public education effort, please contact us at nicolem@cccwny.org.

Please contact me at susane@cccwny.org or at 914-761-3456 x 127 with any questions you might have regarding the Westchester County Child Care Scholarship Program.