DHSed practical guide · Sources checked November 12, 2026
Child care help has two parts: finding a suitable space and finding out whether a program can help pay. Approval for assistance does not automatically create a place with a provider, and finding a place does not guarantee financial help.
Call RCOE at 800-442-4927 about child care assistance and its eligibility list. Its official page provides English and Spanish application routes.
Explain the care you need
Have the child's age, days and hours needed, actual address and preferred travel area ready. Tell the provider whether the care supports work, school or another situation you need assessed. Ask staff which program is appropriate rather than guessing from its name.
RCOE's Alternative Payment information describes help with the cost of different child care settings, subject to program rules. Use the current page to check age, income and need requirements. Do not decide eligibility from income alone.
Understand the eligibility list
An eligibility list application is a request to be considered under the program's process. It is not a promise of immediate assistance. Ask how selection works, how to update information and whether you should check back.
Save the submission confirmation and the contact details used. If your phone, address, schedule or household situation changes, ask RCOE how to update the record through its official process.
Compare a provider and the payment arrangements
- Does the provider have a space for the child's age and needed schedule?
- Can this care arrangement be used with the assistance program?
- What costs would the family still pay?
- What are the pickup, closure and absence arrangements?
- What language and accessibility support is available?
If a family receives or previously received CalWORKs, ask the responsible County or RCOE staff which child care route applies. Different stages and programs have their own criteria; do not assume one application covers all of them.
If you need care before assistance is available
Ask about referral help and other suitable programs. For a school age child, contact the actual school about after school care. Compare the schedule carefully: a short activity is not always a substitute for a full care day.
Use the care cost and travel time when comparing job shifts or training. If something in the application is missing, ask staff about acceptable alternatives and keep a note of the next step.
Your next step
Call RCOE about child care assistance and the eligibility list
Keep going
- Where to get food in Desert Hot Springs when money is tight
- Find jobs in and near Desert Hot Springs
- Can job training be paid for help for DHS residents
Sources and updates
Prepared by DHSed with AI assistance from the linked public sources. Provider details can change. Send a correction.