Do You Know a Teen Parent Who Needs Child Care?

What is teen parent child care?

Teen parent child care programs (TPCC) are available around the state.  These
TPCC programs provide:

• high quality infant-toddler day care
• social services and case management
• health referrals and family planning counseling
• peer support groups for teens
• parenting education
• transportation needed to get to programs
• and more!

TPCC child care is an opportunity for teen parents to get high quality child
care while they finish their education or start to work.  Unlike other
child care vouchers, the teens and their children also get the enhanced support
services from professionals who are trained to work with adolescents and their
children. 

When are teen parents eligible?

There are three basic rules:

1. The teen must be in one of the following activities:
   • Full-time high school  (immediate access)
   • Full-time GED or skills training
   • Full time college student
   • Working part-time and going to school part-time
   • Working full-time.
2. The teen's child must be between 1 month and
   33 months old.
3. The teen must meet the TPCC financial criteria
   in one of the following ways:
   • Receiving TAFDC cash benefits, either as a head of household or dependent
     on her parent's TAFDC grant  (immediate access)
   • Receiving SSI benefits  (paid by the Social Security Administration
     to severly disabled persons including children)
   • Not on TAFDC but under age 18 and her own parent(s) income is below
     200% of the poverty level (for a household size that includes the parent,
     teen, baby and other siblings).  If the teen's parents refuse to
     tell DTA their income, a self-declaration from the teen that her parent(s)
     refuse is sufficient.
   • Not on TAFDC or SSI but over 18 and the teen meets income guidelines
     for day care (almost all teen parents do!)

How do I find out if space is available in TPCC?

To find the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency
that covers your local area, call 1-800-345-0131or go to the website for
the
Department of Early
Education and Care and type in your city/town and zip code in the right
boxes under Find Child
Care (top right of page)