Westchester County Child Care Scholarship Program Salli Zeigler Scholarship Program

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you mean by “regulated” child care provider or program?
We mean child care settings that are registered or licensed by the NYS Office of Children and Family Services. This would include licensed child care centers, registered school age programs, licensed group family child care providers and registered family child care providers. If you are not sure if your current child care is regulated, ask to see a copy of the OCFS license/registration.

Does my child have to be going to a “regulated” child care setting at the time I apply?
No, but you will have to designate a “regulated” child care setting and enroll your child there in order for scholarship payments to be made.

Am I eligible to apply if I am going to school rather than working?
No, all parents residing in the household must be working full-time.

I don’t have pay stubs – is there another way to document my earnings from work?
Proof of full time employment of each parent living in the child’s home is required. In some cases a letter from your employer stating your full time work status and salary will be accepted. This letter must be on letterhead from the company where you are employed and include a phone number and contact person. The letter must be dated within 30 days of the submission of your application.

Is my immigration status going to be considered?
No, we do not ask about your immigration status and it is not a factor in this program.

What do I do if I didn’t file taxes in 2005?
Tax returns are required. If there are unusual circumstances for not having filed a tax return in 2005 you may submit a letter of explanation. Priority will be given to applications that include the required tax return.

Why are only Westchester County families eligible for the scholarship?
Westchester County has funded this pilot scholarship from taxes collected from Westchester County residents. The Westchester County Board of Legislators recognized the fact that many county residents earn too much money to qualify for a public subsidy but still struggle with the high cost of care. We appreciate the efforts of the Board of Legislators and the County Executive in making child care more affordable. We encourage residents of other counties to urge their elected officials to replicate this program in their county.

What happens if I submit an incomplete application?
Incomplete applications will not be processed. It is the responsibility of the applicant to supply us with all the information requested on the application as well as the other documents. Remember to submit copies of the documents as they will not be returned.

Will larger families with more children in child care have an advantage in being selected for this scholarship?
No, scholarship awards will be determined on financial need; to do that, we look at household income by size of the household.

How will I find out whether or not I am selected?
We will notify all applicants in writing the week of August 7th as to the status of their applications. If you are not selected because it appears that your household income makes you eligible for the public child care subsidy administered by the Westchester County Department of Social Services, we will suggest, in writing, that you contact their office and apply for that financial assistance.

What happens if I am not selected?
If additional scholarship funds become available later in the year, we will contact you to ask if you would like your application to be considered again. We may ask you to give us any updated information.

REMINDER: The deadline for submitting an application is July 14, 2006

Click here for Application.