Infant and Toddler

Early Head Start and Head Start programs are free, high-quality early childhood education programs that take a holistic approach providing resources and services for the entire family. Programs run year-round for up to 10 hours per day, offering safe, nurturing learning environments for children to learn, play, and build the skills that prepare them to be lifelong learners. New York City Public Schools offers these programs through our community-based early childhood partners.

Early Head Start provides care for infants and toddlers between six weeks and three-years-old (who are not yet age-eligible for 3K), in centers and through home visiting services. Early Head Start provides nutritious meals and health screenings for enrolled children, and support in accessing health services for their families. These programs also help parents and families achieve their own goals, including employment, housing, and adult education.

Head Start is funded by federal grants, which require families of children in the programs to be eligible for services. Qualifying children can begin a program any time during the year. Families may qualify if one or more of the following criteria apply: 

• Family income falls within the federal guidelines
• Live in temporary housing
• Receive Human Resources Administration (HRA) Cash Assistance
• Receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Receive Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI)
• Enrolling a child who is in foster care

The best way to find out if your family is eligible for Head Start, and to enroll, is to contact a program directly. Visit MySchools.nyc, create an account, and search for Head Start programs.

 The program will ask you for one or more documents to verify your eligibility. These documents may include:

• Income Tax Form 1040
• W-2
• TANF documentation (i.e., Cash Assistance)
• SSI documentation
• Pay stub or pay envelopes

Eligible families are welcome to enroll in Head Start programs regardless of citizenship or immigration status. Programs may not ask for proof of citizenship or legal immigration status when applying for Head Start.

Head Start Income Eligibility:

HHS Poverty Guidelines for 2023

For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $5,140 for each additional person. 

Programs may be able to enroll a small number of families that have incomes over this threshold. If you are interested in a Head Start program and your family income is higher, you are still encouraged to apply; the program will reach out if they have capacity to serve additional families. 

If you are not eligible or are seeking other early childhood services

There is a free Pre-K seat for all four-year-olds in New York City, and a free 3-K seat for three-year-olds in a growing number of communities. These programs operate for the length of the New York City Public School day and year. For more information, visit nyc.gov/PreK and nyc.gov/3k or call 311.

Extended Day and Year (EDY) Birth to Five programs offer high-quality early childhood care and education for children six weeks through five years old. These programs run year-round, up to 10 hours per day and offer a safe, nurturing learning environment for children to learn, play, and build the skills that prepare them to be lifelong learners.

To provide access to these free or low-cost services, NYC Public Schools utilize funding from the Federal Child Care Block Grant (Child Care), which requires that families meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Residency:
• Your family must live in New York City, unless the child has been placed in foster care outside of NYC.
• The child who will receive care at the EDY program must be a US citizen or have legal immigration status.
• Because of the requirements of this Federal funding, you must provide proof of your child’s citizenship or legal immigration status to be eligible.
• Documentation is only needed for the child in need of Child Care. Parents/guardians will not be asked for the citizenship status or the status of anyone else in the household, including your status.
• Income Guidelines and Reason for Care:
• Your family’s income must fall below a certain amount and you must have one of the following approved reason for care:
• Work an average of 10 or more hours per week
• In an educational or vocational training program
• Starting to look for work or have been looking for work for up to 6 months, this includes looking for work while receiving unemployment
• Receiving services in response to domestic violence
• Live in temporary housing

For two-parent households, each parent must have a reason for care.

• You work 10+ hours per week
• You are in an educational or vocational training program
• You have been looking for work
• You live in temporary housing (priority access)
• You are attending services for domestic violence
• You are receiving treatment for substance abuse

Special Referrals

There are a few instances where a City agency, other than NYC Public Schools, determines a family's eligibility for Child Care assistance: 

• Families applying for or receiving cash assistance must apply for Child Care through their Human Resources Administration (HRA) Job Center.
• Families with an active child welfare case, Preventive and/or Protective, must contact their case worker to make a Child Care subsidy referral.
• Employed foster parents must contact their case worker to make a Child Care subsidy referral.

If you are interested in applying for Extended Day and Year services, you can seek help with your application by contacting a NYCPS Family Welcome Center by email at ccapplication@schools.nyc.gov, by visiting MyCity or by calling 311. Families must submit both the Application for Child Care Assistance as well as the documentation outline in the below four lists. All eligibility forms are available on the NYC Public Schools' website at bit.ly/childcareeligibility.

If applicable, you may also need to submit a Vocational, Education, Training Verification Form, a Housing Questionnaire or the Self Employment Attestation Form.

State Income Standard: 300% of Poverty Income Standards Chart (Effective June 1, 2023)

If you are not eligible or are seeking other early childhood services

There is a free Pre-K seat for all four-year-olds in New York City, and a free 3-K seat for three-year-olds in a growing number of communities. These programs operate for the length of the New York City Public Schools day and year. Families do not need to provide proof of citizenship or immigration status to attend any other 3-K, pre-K, Head Start or Early Head Start programs. For more information, visit nyc.gov/prek and nyc.gov/3k or call 311.

Admissions for Infant and Toddler programs are year-round. Your child can enroll in a program any time, if you are eligible and there is a seat available.

• Visit MySchools to find an infant and toddler program near you.
• For Early Head Start, apply directly through the program.
• For other Extended Day/Year Infant/Toddler options, you must apply directly through the program. All new applications and recertifications should be emailed to CCapplication@schools.nyc.gov or submitted via MyCity . If your program is unable to email your application, your program can send it to this address:

NYC Public Schools Childcare Eligibility Team 333 7th Ave 12th Floor New York, NY 10001

Interested in other free, full-day, high-quality programs for children who are three and four years old? If your child was born in 2019, you can apply for 3-K. If your child was born in 2018, you can apply for pre-K. Visit MySchools to learn more about different programs.

In addition, families needing extended day/year care beyond the school day can apply for Extended Day/Year programs, including Head Start. These programs provide care all year round for up to 10 hours a day. Eligibility for these programs depends on income and other factors.

• To apply for Head Start programs, contact those programs directly.
• To learn more about other Extended Day/Year options, eligibility, or how to apply, visit MyCity or email us at CCapplication@schools.nyc.gov.

There are a few instances where a different process is needed to apply:

• Families applying for or receiving cash assistance must apply for care through their Human Resources Administration (HRA) Job Center.
• Families with an active Child Welfare case, preventive and/or protective, must contact their case worker to make a Child Care subsidy referral.
• Employed foster parents must contact their case worker to make a Child Care subsidy referral.

All families, including families that may need one of these referrals, can call 311 to get help with finding a program and completing the Child Care subsidy application.

For Centers Submitting or Following Up on Cases

The following guidelines allow our staff to provide you and families with the best possible support:

• Please submit cases one at a time, with all documents attached for that specific case.
• In the subject line of your email, please include the following
• Parent name
• Case number, if known
• Program name/number
• When requesting a status updates, please reference the date of the original submission, as well as the information included in the subject line (see bullets above)

Call 311 or email us at ccapplication@schools.nyc.gov. We can answer your questions about early childhood care and education and help you explore your options.