If You Can’t Find Care | Childcare.gov

Have you been searching for child care but not been able to find a program that fits your needs? If you’ve used your state or territory’s online child care search and are still not finding the right fit or found that there are long waitlists, here are a few suggestions.

1. Consider all available

   child care options

   . Even if you prefer one type of child care setting, be open to all types that could serve your child.

2. Expand your search area. Include more towns or zip codes, or search for programs near your work, your home, or anywhere in between. Some state child care search tools
3. Get on the waitlist. If a program you are contacting has a waitlist, get on it. In fact, get on the waitlist at every program that you think may a good fit for your family. Sometimes openings come up unexpectedly and wait times may be shorter than anticipated. So, don’t let an estimated wait time for a slot keep you from getting on a list.
4. Contact your local 

   child care resource and referral (CCR&R) agency.

   The CCR&R agency has staff to help families find child care. Ask for help finding options that might work for you. To find your local CCR&R agency’s contact information,

   select your state or territory on the

   “See Your State’s Resources”

5. Ask your network for recommendations. Talk to friends, neighbors, or people at your work, school, place of worship, or community center. Ask how they found child care and if they have suggestions for you.  
6. Make a short-term plan. This plan can meet your immediate needs while you keep looking for an arrangement that best fits your needs. If licensed care is not immediately available, consider care arrangements with family, friends, or neighbors. Contact early childhood education, family studies, human development, child development, or similar departments and ask if they can recommend a current or former student. Student employment offices at colleges and universities may also be able to connect you with student caregivers. However, since these options are not licensed, you must screen caregivers and their references carefully to determine if they would be able to provide appropriate care. Also, determine how you could use your state or territory’s criminal background check process to make sure a potential caregiver does not have a criminal history.