Parents with low or moderate income have
several options for childcare assistance.
First, call the
Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation
Services (SRS) at (785)832-3700 or go by their office at 1901 Delaware
to request an application for SRS Childcare Assistance. If you
are approved, SRS will assign you a family fee based on your
income. Each month, you will pay only the family fee to your
chosen childcare provider. SRS will reimburse your provider
directly for your childcare.
If you are not eligible for SRS
assistance, there are tuition
scholarships available at seven Lawrence childcare centers and
preschools. Call Douglas County Child Development Association
for a list of centers and their openings. Once you have chosen a
center, ask the director about available scholarship money. In
addition, many of the area elementary schools offer before and
after-school programs. Contact the secretary of your child’s
school. If you are a student, you are not eligible for SRS assistance,
but you may be eligible for a DCCDA tuition scholarship as mentioned
above. If you attend KU, contact the Office of Student Financial
Aid (OSFA) at 864-4700. Childcare Assistance Grants are available
to qualifying students.
Eligible four year olds who are not enrolled in a preschool
program may attend the full-day Readiness Program, offered through
USD 497. Families must qualify for free or reduced lunch and be
willing to participate in the classroom 1 hour a week and attend
quarterly workshops. There is no cost. Call (785)832-5962, ext. 24.
Consider a Head Start Preschool. Families who meet federal poverty
guidelines can receive free care for 3-5 year olds from 7:30-12:30.
Afternoon care is available for $1.94 an hour, and SRS funding is
accepted. Call (785)842-2515. Also available is the Child
Development Program at East Heights School. Children who are
eligible for free lunches may attend from 7:30-5:30 for $1.94 an
hour.
Please feel free to contact us:
Douglas County Child Development Association
935 Iowa St.
Lawrence, KS 66044
Phone: 785.842.9679 or 866.352.1531 (toll free)
email: ajenny@dccda.org
Anna Jenny, Executive Director