Okla. DHS Extending Free Childcare Services As Parents Return To Work

The Department of Human Services is extending its free childcare services so that parents can focus on getting back into the workforce as the COVID-19 pandemic improves.

DHS officials say parents are not taking advantage of this helpful resource.

For parents who are in a time of transition, maybe looking for a job, you can apply for 60 days of childcare subsidy.

Brittany Lee is the director of childcare services at the Oklahoma Department of Human Resources. She says, “If you currently are looking for employment, it is really hard to do if you have small children and you can't go out. This was really our way to say hey we want to offer this service to you all free.”

Normally people need to prove they are working full-time or in school full-time in order to receive childcare help from the state.

The department has waived the financial eligibility requirement and proof of work requirement, so this gives a lot of people the opportunity to apply.

Their hope is that this helps people find jobs and get back to work.

“What we have done with this waiver is that we have taken those requirements away to say if you are not employed typically you have to be. but we know that you need childcare to get employed and get rooted,” says Lee.

Not every childcare facility in the state is covered under this but parents do have options. They can search through a portal online to find the right childcare center for their kids.

This also may help the childcare facilities across the state.

Any emergency responders and frontline workers that are not able to find childcare nearby can use this subsidy to support any of the caregivers that they choose.

This program is funded by the Child Care Development Block Grant dollars authorized by federal coronavirus relief legislation back in December. It will be used to fund a number of continued, as well as new, interventions to support Oklahoma children and families and the childcare industry.

This Child Care Services Sustainability Plan lets families and their childcare providers plan how to allocate resources through August of 2021. 

Click here to learn more.

Click here to learn more about a child care facility near you.