How Can We Help You?
Whether you’re looking for child care or need help covering the cost, we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Find Child Care
Changing Tides Family Services provides free child care referrals for families in Humboldt County. Our database includes licensed centers, family child care homes, play groups, and TrustLine-cleared caregivers.
Help Paying for Child Care
Find out if you qualify and how to apply for child care assistance. Our team is here to help!
Programs
Child Care Subsidy Programs
Select a program to learn more about eligibility and services.
The Alternative Payment Program provides child care subsidies to eligible families, allowing them to choose the provider that best fits their needs — whether a licensed or exempt center-based, family child care home, or family, friend, neighbor caregiver.
Child care assistance for adult caregivers transitioning off CalWORKs cash aid and achieving self-sufficiency.
A partnership between Early Head Start and local child care providers to enhance the quality of infant and toddler care. Combines comprehensive family services with child care to support children ages 0–4.
Provides immediate, short-term child care assistance for children recently placed in foster care, ensuring they have access to stable care during transitions and placements. Services based on approval by DHHS.
Information in our database has been supplied by providers — Changing Tides does not substantiate this information. Staff do not endorse, rate, recommend, or evaluate programs or providers. Parents are strongly encouraged to interview and visit providers before making a decision.
Parents are encouraged to call Community Care Licensing at (707) 588-5026 or 1-844-538-8766 to check the complaint history of any licensed provider.
New complaint hotline: To report a concern about any licensed child care facility, call 1-844-LET-US-NO or email LetUsNo@dss.ca.gov. In an emergency, call 9-1-1.
Quick Links
Information
Handbooks, Policies and Procedures
Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership Parent Handbook: English | Spanish
Resource & Referral Services Parent Handbook: English | Spanish
Foster Bridge Resource Parent & Child Care Provider Handbook: English | Spanish
CalWORKs Stage 1 Parent & Provider Handbook: English
Information on filing complaints with California Department of Social Services.
We Are Here To Help
FAQs
To be eligible for subsidized child care services, your family must meet at least one of each of the following eligibility and need requirements:
Your family meets at least one of the following:
- Current receiving public cash assistance
- Child Protective Services (CPS) or at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation
- Participating in a means-tested government program:
- Child Only Cash Aid
- Medi-Cal
- CalFresh
- Women, Infants & Children (WIC)
- Head Start
- Early Head Start
- CalWORKs
- Federal Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
- California Food Assistance Program
- Experiencing Homelessness
- Income Eligible
To be eligible based on income, your family’s gross monthly income must be equal to or less than the current state criteria. Gross monthly income is all countable income you and your family receive before taxes are taken out. If you are self-employed it is your income after deducting business expenses. For more information please call us at 707-444-8293.
Each adult in the family size has one or more of the following need categories:
- Working
- Looking for work
- Vocational/Educational Program
- Parental incapacity
- Child Protective Services (CPS) or at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation
- Seeking permanent housing
Update your information every six months – or sooner if your income, address, need for care or family size changes.
Contact your CalWORKs worker as soon as you need care – they’ll help you get approved and started quickly.
If you’ve been off CalWORKs cash aid within the last 24 months, you may still qualify for immediate child care assistance in Stage 2.
A family fee is a fee that some families may be charged based on state and federal regulations, depending on the family’s income. It is also sometimes called a “share of the cost” contribution. Many families will not have a family fee, but a case manager will always let them know if they do. A co-pay is a separate fee that a child care provider may charge a family for the difference between what the state reimbursement can pay and what the provider actually charges. Some families may have both depending on their income and which provider they have selected. Your case manager can help you understand the difference and know which ones may affect you.
Our Impact
FY 24-25
1,721
Children assisted through Child Care
1,065
Families supported
505
Child Care providers
50
Over 50 years serving Humboldt County
Questions About Child Care?
Our team is here to connect you with the right resources for your family.
