Before You Start
Have your home/work address ready to find nearby providers
Know your preferred schedule and hours of care needed
Consider your budget and any subsidy requirements
Think about special requirements (languages, special needs support, etc.)
Estimated time: 5-10 minutes
Steps to Create Your Plan
1. Start Your Search
Visit MyChildCarePlan.org
Click "Get Started" to begin
2. Answer Five Simple Questions
The system will guide you through questions about:
Location preferences (near home, work, or school)
Age of child(ren) needing care
Schedule requirements (full-time, part-time, specific days)
Whether any children have special needs
Why you need child care
3. Choose Your Next Step
After answering the questions, you can either:
Click "Next" to see providers matching your criteria
Results are filtered based on your answers
Provider listings will show their location, contact information, and license details
OR
Click "Get additional local support" and provide your contact information
Connect with Resource & Referral (R&R) specialists who can:
Refine your search
Understand provider options
Navigate subsidy programs
Answer questions about quality indicators
4. Explore Provider Profiles
Click on individual profiles to see:
Licensing information
Additional details that providers may have shared about their:
Program description and approach
Activities and schedules
Photos of their environment
Rates and other information
Next Steps
After creating your plan:
Contact providers that interest you
Schedule visits to tour facilities
Ask about waitlist policies if applicable
Keep your search criteria saved for future use
Need Help?
If you need assistance at any point:
Use the chat feature for online support
Contact your local R&R agency
Email support at [email protected]
Remember: Your child care needs may change over time. You can always return to update your plan and search for new providers.