Chatham County Department of Social Services
Jennifer Yancey
Financial Assistance
Expanding access to quality child care by supporting families with financial assistance that helps children thrive and parents succeed.
Investing in children’s futures by removing financial barriers to care, empowering families to pursue stability, opportunity, and growth.
How did it go?
The Subsidized Child Care Assistance program continues to support local families in Chatham County by helping them access quality, affordable childcare that enables parents and caretakers to maintain employment or pursue education while supporting children’s development and preventing family crises. Program implementation has been strengthened by a family-centered approach that offers flexible application options, including in-person, mail, phone interviews, and after-hours calls, helping families avoid disruptions to work, school, or transportation. Families have expressed appreciation for the extra time and accommodations provided. One ongoing challenge has been managing waitlists, which can last from days to months and create frustration for families needing immediate support. During these periods, staff work diligently to connect families with alternative resources whenever possible.
Successes
Child Care Assistance Opens Doors for Working Mother and Her Son
We have case where mom, a single parent, had been working part time hours due to the lack of childcare for her two year old son. She could not afford to pay for care out of pocket and has limited family in the area who were able to help. Mom learned about Subsidized Child Care Assistance from a friend at work who also utilizes a SCCA voucher. Mom came into the agency, met with one of our caseworkers and was able to obtain a voucher to help with affordable childcare. Mom has since been able to increase her work hours to full time, increased her household income, and shared with us that her son has benefited from being in a more structured learning environment.
A Family’s Strength: Child Care Assistance Helps Grandparents Create a Stable Future
Mr. and Mrs. Jones receive assistance through the Subsidized Child Care Assistance Program (SCCA), they are the grandparents of two loving and energetic 3- and 4-year-old girls. The children have lived with their grandparents off and on over the last few years due to the challenges in their own home, their parents have struggled with addiction and are now working towards recovery. Both grandparents are employed. Balancing employment with raising grandchildren is a major commitment, utilizing the SCCA program is an impactful way to ensure the girls get quality care and early education while they work. Because Mr. and Mrs. Jones are considered “non-parental caretakers”, their income is not counted towards a possible monthly parent fee, therefore allowing them the ability to financially afford childcare while maintaining their household needs and the needs of the girls. With the support of their grandparents and the assistance they receive from SCCA, the girls have been able to stay together in a stable home environment with family, and out of the formal foster care system.
(Names have been changed for privacy reasons)
The Partnership for Children has funded 41 Child Care Vouchers for Chatham County families this year!
