Child Care Assistance Information for Parents

Child Care Services Application

Workforce Solutions Panhandle (WSP) uses local, state, and federal funds to help eligible families pay for child care. This support is available while parents work, look for a job, go to school, or attend training. Families must meet state and federal rules to qualify for child care help.

To apply for the CCS program, click the yellow button below.

Wait List Information

Workforce Solutions Panhandle (WSP) currently has a wait list for the CCS program. Families who qualify for a priority status are pulled from the waitlist every week. All other families are pulled in the order they applied.

The wait time for families who do not qualify for a priority status is usually between 3 and 6 months. We are currently pulling wait list applications from April 2026.

To check the status of your CCS waitlist application, please email ccapps@wspanhandle.com or call 806-372-2836.

General Eligibility Overview

Texas Panhandle Resident

Families must live within one of these counties in the Texas Panhandle: Dallam, Sherman, Hansford, Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Hartley, Moore, Hutchinson, Roberts, Hemphill, Oldham, Potter, Carson, Gray, Wheeler, Deaf Smith, Randall, Armstrong, Donley, Collingsworth, Parmer, Castro, Swisher, Briscoe, Hall, or Childress.

Please note: If you cannot provide proof of residency and the child requiring child care is determined homeless, child care scholarships can be provided. Please click the yellow button below for more information about the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

Ages Served

The child must be under the age of 13 (or under the age of 19 with a disability).

Citizenship or Legal Immigration Requirements

The child must be a U.S. citizen or have legal immigration status (documentation will be required).

Participation Requirements

To be eligible for CCS scholarships, each parent or guardian living in the household must be actively looking for a job, working, attending school or training, or a combination of these activities. A single‑parent family must complete an average of 25 hours per week, and a two‑parent family must complete 50 combined hours per week.

Parents or guardians who are in a full‑time undergraduate degree program can receive child care for up to 60 months total. Parents or guardians must demonstrate making progress towards finishing their job training or undergraduate degree through continued enrollment.

Job Search: Parents or guardians, including those in a dual-parent family, who do not meet participation requirements at initial eligibility determination may be eligible for child care during initial job search if the parent or guardian is actively looking for a job.

• Child care scholarships will be provided for up to 90 days while the parent or guardian is looking for a job.
• At the end of the initial 90 days, child care scholarships will continue, if the parent or guardian finds a job, submits employment verification, and shows that participation requirements are being met. Child care scholarships will be terminated, if you do not submit employment information or fail to meet the participation requirements listed below:
  • Single Parent Family – 25 total activity weekly average hours. This may be achieved by working 25 hours or a combination of work, job training or education hours with at least 12 hours of employment
  • Dual Parent Family – 50 total weekly average hours combined between both parents. This may be achieved by working 50 hours or a combination of work, job training, or education hours with at least 25 hours of employment

Income Guidelines

Families may qualify if their gross income is at or below 85% of the state median income for their family size, and if the family’s total assets are not more that $1,000,000. Please see the monthly income guidelines below. To view the current CCS income limits, the parent share of cost calculator, and a cost calculator, visit https://www.childcare.texas.gov/for-families/child-care-scholarships.

Family Monthly Income Guidelines – 10/01/2025-09/30/2026

In Loco Parentis

The parent or guardian applying for services must have custody of the child or children who need care. If the person applying is in loco parentis—meaning they are not the child’s natural parent, adoptive parent, stepparent, or legal guardian—they must turn in extra documents. The documents needed can be different for each situation. You can find the specific requirements on our In Loco Parentis Matrix page.

Cannot Owe Recoupment

Families who owe recoupment for a fraud determination anywhere in Texas, are not eligible to enroll or continue services until the recoupment has been paid in full.

Additional Information: