Asylum Seeker Resources - MOIA (2024)

In NYC, your child has a right to K-12 education, regardless of immigration status. Family Welcome Centersserve NYC families all year round with enrollment and admissions. For support, please visit one of theback-to-school sites below, Monday through Thursday, 8am – 5pm, and on Friday, 8am - 3pm. For more information visitthe enrollment page on the NYC Schools website.

Family Welcome Center Locations

*Please Note: Our Park Place Family Welcome Center is not yet fullyaccessible.

For students and guardians who have physical accessibility needs, there are two options. You can eitherRequestremote support or

Schedule an in-person appointment at the following alternate location: P.S. 009K, 80UnderhillAvenue, Room 134, Brooklyn, NY 11238.

To make a remote or in-person appointment at the alternate location, call 718-623-5069 or emailParkPlaceFWC@schools.nyc.gov.

Additionally, please note that the accessible entrance to P.S. 009K is not the same as the mainentrance; theaccessible entrance is located on Bergen Street.

New York City offers free and affordable child care through these organizations:

• Administration for Children'sServices (ACS)
• NewYork City Public Schools (NYCPS)
• Head Start and Early Head Start

Please Note: Some of the child care options below require the child(ren) tohave a satisfactory immigration status and must include copies of immigration documents as part of theapplication. All NYC child care providers require children toreceive certain vaccinations.

Administration for Children's Services (ACS)

ACS offers low-income vouchers that can be used to cover the cost of child care at a provider of the family's choice. Vouchers mayalso be used to pay approved relatives, neighbors, or friends for care. These providers serve:

• Children six weeks to 13 years old (or to 19 years old for children with disabilities).
• Available year-round, and up to 24 hours a day.
• Eligibility is based on the family's income and an approved reason for needing child care (seebelow for more details).
• Each child in need of child care must have a required immigration status toqualify.
• Families should apply through MyCity (NYC.GOV/ChildCare).

New York City Public Schools (NYCPS)

NYCPS' Birth-Five Programs are offered in a variety of settings including center-based (NYC Early EducationCenters or NYCEECs), home-based (Family Child Care or FCCs), and school based (District schools and PreKcenters).

1. Infantand Toddler Extended Day and Year
   • Free or low-cost child care for children six weeks to three-years-old (who are not yetage-eligiblefor3K).
   • Programs run up to 10 hours per day, year-round.
   • Eligibility is based on the family's income and an approved reason for needing child care(seebelow for more details).
   • Each child in need of child care must have a required immigration status toqualify.
   • Families should apply through MyCity (NYC.GOV/ChildCare) or find a program through NYCMySchools and contact them directly for help applying.


2. 3-K and Pre-K (pre-kindergarten) Extended Day and Year
   • Free or low-cost child care is available in the calendar year the child turns three or fouryears old.
   • Programs run up to 10 hours per day, year-round.
   • Eligibility is based on the family's income and an approved reason for needing child care(seebelow for more details).
   • Each child in need of child care must have a required immigration status toqualify.
   • Families should apply through MyCity (NYC.GOV/ChildCare) or find a program through NYCMySchools and contact them directly for help applying.


3. 3-K and Pre-K (pre-kindergarten) School Day and Year
   • Free child care that is available in the calendar year the child turns three or four years old.
   • Programs run up to 6 hours and 20 minutes per day, September to June.
   • A child/children can enroll regardless of their immigration status.
   • Families should apply through NYC MySchools.

Early Head Start and Head Start

Early Head Start and HeadStartproviders offer free learning and social/emotional development services to children ages birthtoage five. Additionally, some providers offer services for pregnant parents.

Eligibility criteria for children includes:

• Children from low-income families or
• Children living in temporary housing or
• Children in foster care or
• Children from families receiving public assistance (TANF, SSI, or SNAP)

A child/children can enroll regardless of their immigration status.

Some Early Head Start and Head Start providers are affiliated with NYC Public Schools and these providers only serve children ages 2-5 years old in centers only.

Find all of New York City's Early Head Start or Head Start Program by visiting the Office of Head Start website and thencontact aprogram directly to apply.

Important for Parents

Applying for these types of childcares will not have an impact on any pending immigration applications (residentalien, asylum, citizenship, etc.). Parents will NOT be asked for immigration status for themselves or anyoneelse in the household other than the child(ren) in need of childcare.

For the types of childcares that require satisfactory immigration status, each child needing childcare, acopy of one of the following is required as proof of immigration status: US Birth Certificate, US PassportForm, Naturalization Certificate, Alien Registration Card including Permanent Resident or Green Card, FS-240(Report of Birth Abroad of U.S. Citizen), or any other authoritative document demonstrating immigrationstatus.

Childcare programs enrolling children who are homeless or living in temporary housing, including familiesarriving from another state or country, should allow those children to attend for up to 30 days while theirfamilies work to obtain documentation of immunization or if the child has received at least the first dosein the required immunization series.To help a family find a medical provider or learn more about New York City's vaccination requirements visitnyc.gov/health or call 311. Immunization appointments for children of all ages can be scheduled through NYCH+H by calling 844-NYC-4NYC or nyc.gov/hhc, for children ages 4 and older through the Department of Healthhere, and parents can locate a federally-qualified health center in NYC here.

Early childhood education programs contracted with NYC Public Schools should refer to the birth-to-fivehandbook for additional guidance on supporting families in temporary housing in meeting vaccinationrequirements.Center-based programs or Home-based providers that are licensed by NYC Department of Health or New YorkState Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) to provide child care must be approved by ACS in orderto enroll children with a voucher. Informal providers (friend, relative, or neighbor) must be approved toprovide subsidized in-home or family child care in a residence. Informal providers must also register withACS to enroll children with a voucher. More information about the application and approval process can befound here.