Child Care: how to ask for help with your children’s care

Child Care is the childcare assistance programme administered by ACUDEN, the Administration for the Integral Care and Development of Children, an operational component of the Department of the Family. ACUDEN is the agency responsible for supervising, coordinating and monitoring the delegation of the programme’s federal funds. The service is not provided by the agency directly: it is provided by ACUDEN-authorised providers, which may be licensed centres, licensed homes, non-relative exempt homes and relative homes.

ACUDEN publishes two sets of requirements. For the parent or guardian: being a permanent resident of Puerto Rico or a US citizen; meeting the income requirements and not holding assets over one million dollars; and taking part in one of three activities — work, as an employee for a minimum of 20 hours a week or running your own business for a minimum of 20 hours a week; study, with an academic load of 12 credits at bachelor’s level or 6 credits at master’s level; or training, for a minimum of 20 hours a week. For the child: being from birth to 12 years and 11 months, or up to 18 years and 11 months if they have a special need or are under State protection; and being a US citizen, permanent resident or lawfully admitted resident. ACUDEN does not publish the income figure, so confirm that one by phone.

• Being a permanent resident of Puerto Rico or a US citizen.Verified against the official source
• Meeting the income requirements and not holding assets over one million dollars.Verified against the official source
• Taking part in work for a minimum of 20 hours a week as an employee or running your own business, in studies with 12 credits at bachelor’s level or 6 at master’s level, or in training for a minimum of 20 hours a week.Verified against the official source
• That the child is from birth to 12 years and 11 months, or up to 18 years and 11 months if they have a special need or are under State protection.Verified against the official source
• That the child is a US citizen, holds permanent residence or is a lawfully admitted resident.Verified against the official source

• ACUDEN does not publish a document list for joining the waiting list. Confirm it on the call or the visit: arriving with evidence of your work, study or training and with the child’s details is the sensible move.

1. 1

   Step 1: Stop looking for the form

   There is none. ACUDEN’s instruction is that anyone interested in receiving care services through the Child Care Programme must be registered on the waiting list. Getting on that list is the application. The sooner you are on it, the sooner your place starts moving.

2. 2

   Step 2: Choose any of the four routes

   ACUDEN gives them as equivalent: phoning a Department of the Family regional office, an administered centre, or any provider operating under a fund-delegation service contract; visiting any of the Department of the Family’s regional offices; visiting any provider holding a current fund-delegation contract; or visiting any of the Administered Centres. A phone call counts the same as a visit.

3. 3

   Step 3: Go to whichever office suits you, not "yours"

   ACUDEN says it twice and in the same words: you may visit any of the Department of the Family’s regional offices and any of the Administered Centres, regardless of your home address. If the office near your work suits you better than the one in your town, use that one.

4. 4

   Step 4: Know which priority you fall into

   The programme sets priorities for awarding benefits, and there are three: homeless families, children under State protection and children with special needs. Priority groups must still meet the programme’s requirements. If you are in one of them, say so when you call: it is not information the agency guesses.

5. 5

   Step 5: Choose the provider type that suits you

   There are four and they are not the same. A licensed centre is an establishment licensed by the Department of the Family. A licensed home is a licensed residence that may not exceed three children unrelated by blood. A non-relative exempt provider gives care in a private residence to a maximum of two children. And a relative provider cares only for children within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity — that is, a family member of yours can be the provider. All must be authorised by ACUDEN.

6. 6

   Step 6: Find the provider with the official tool

   ACUDEN publishes a provider search on its Child Care portal. Use it to see what is nearby before deciding, and remember that visiting a provider with a current contract is itself one of the four routes onto the list.

By phone or in person, at any Department of the Family regional office, at any Administered Centre, or at any provider with a current fund-delegation contract — regardless of your home address. The Child Care Programme’s Central Level answers at 787-724-7474. ACUDEN is at the Mercantil Plaza Building, Ave. Ponce de León, Stop 27½, Hato Rey, Puerto Rico 00917; postal address PO Box 15091, San Juan, P.R. 00902-5091.

• Looking for an online application or a form: you join a waiting list, by phone or in person.
• Going only to your town’s office, when ACUDEN accepts any of them regardless of your address.
• Believing you must be employed: studying and training also qualify.
• Not mentioning that you are in a priority group — homeless, child under State protection, or special needs.
• Ruling out the programme on the child’s age without knowing it rises to 18 years and 11 months in certain cases.
• Not knowing that a relative can be the authorised provider.

These are the government pages this guide is based on.

• Administración para el Cuidado y Desarrollo Integral de la Niñez (ACUDEN)

  ACUDEN

  childcare.familia.pr.gov

• ACUDEN — Child Care programme requirements

  ACUDEN

  childcare.familia.pr.gov

• ACUDEN — Provider types

  ACUDEN

  childcare.familia.pr.gov

• Department of the Family — regional offices

  Departamento de la Familia

  www.familia.pr.gov