Parents & Families
Need Child Care?
Need Help Paying for Child Care?
Are you working, attending school or looking for work? BANANAS can help you pay for child care! You can call us during business hours and speak with a Resource & Referral Counselor or sign up anytime online by clicking the button below.
Phone – 510-658-0381
Monday – Thursday: 9:30am to 4:30pm
Friday: 9:30am – 12:30pm
How Do I Know If I’m Eligible?
Eligibility for free or low-cost child care depends on your family status, income, family size, and need (working, in school, or looking for work).
Click the button below to determine if you are income eligible.
What's the difference between a waiting list and an eligibility list?
A waiting list is sequential – first come, first served.
An eligibility list serves the highest priority and lowest income families first. The State of California establishes that unhoused families, children at risk (CPS) and foster families are the highest priority. Families that have a lower income than yours, will be enrolled before you.
Ready to Search for Child Care?
Parents have the right to get information about any substantiated or inconclusive complaints about any licensed child care provider by calling the California Department of Social Services at 844-538-8766. You can also perform a facility search on their website. This site contains five years’ worth of information on child care programs including inspection reports. Never rely on this information alone to make a decision about a facility. Always visit facilities in person to ensure that it meets your family’s needs.
Have you received CalWORKs cash aid in the past 24 months? If so you may qualify for child care payment assistance immediately.
Contact us at 510-658-0381 or sign up anytime online by clicking the button below.
Are there any other places that offer free or low-cost child care?
This is a list of other free or low-cost child care programs in northern Alameda County (Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland and Piedmont). You will have to contact them individually to get on their eligibility list.
